Is Gordon Ramsay a Food Critic?
Gordon Ramsay is a famous chef who has appeared on television shows such as Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen. He has also written many cookbooks and contributes to the Times’ Saturday magazine. He has 16 Michelin stars and is a British celebrity chef.
He’s one of the most popular and well-known chefs in the world, but what about his criticism? After all, he’s known for his feisty personality and the ability to cook some of the best British dishes.
It isn’t uncommon for a celebrity chef to be subjected to criticism, but is gordon ramsay a food critic?
Restaurant critic Jay Rayner recently took on the famous chef, launching an epic Twitter battle. After watching a compilation clip of Ramsay’s worst meltdowns on Kitchen Nightmares, Rayner accused him of glamorising bullying in kitchens. He tweeted: “Is this still all you have @GordonRamsay – shouting at people, swearing at them and humiliating them in front of the camera?”
But the multi-Michelin-starred chef quickly retaliated, posting a video with a savage putdown for Rayner. Using the hashtag #GoodbyeRayner, Ramsay retaliated with the following message: “Jay you inspire me every day! especially after your performance on the Weakest Link.”
The clip was reposted by The Sun, causing a huge outcry. Some argued that the clip was a good thing, but others were quick to point out that Ramsay’s reputation is already tarnished.
Some people have defended Ramsay, saying that his angry persona should be taken with a pinch of salt. Some even went as far to say that Ramsay should be able to get angry about dirty kitchens and sub-standard food.
It’s no secret that the star of shows like Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s kitchen has had a troubled relationship with food, but this is the first time that he has publicly attacked a product launched by a YouTuber. Specifically, Ramsay’s criticized Prime by KSI and ‘The Maverick’ for being too sweet and too salty.
While some may be offended by the fact that a chef would be so blunt about a product that is supposedly made with love, it’s important to note that Ramsay has often been caught in this type of situation in the past. In one example, a food writer described her experience at Lucky Cat in London as being a’real-life Ramsay kitchen nightmare’.
Despite all of the negative press, the restaurant has managed to attract some positive attention. Located inside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Back Bay, it has been filled to the brim with fans of Ramsay’s restaurants and television shows.
The restaurant has even been featured on a number of other media outlets, including Eater. In a 2019 Eater piece, Angela Hui wrote that her experience at Lucky Cat was “a real-life Ramsay kitchen nightmare.”
On a recent episode of his show Future Food Stars, Ramsay challenged one of the contestants to a restaurant meal. The challenge involved a number of different cuisines and was supposed to be an opportunity for the contestants to impress Ramsay.