Thursday 4 September 2008

Has Gordon gone off the boil...?

There was a curious absence at Monday night's London Restaurant Awards - one Gordon Ramsay in fact. Almost completely absent from shortlists and winners (most of whom, it might be noted, are decidedly at the leaner end of the pricing spectrum), apart from the notably independent Jason Atherton of Maze, who won Outstanding London chef of the year. Indeed, one could almost see the decided two-fingers at the Ramsay empire when Marcus Wareing (!!!) was invited to present an award. So what to make of this...? Is it true that Big Sweary Gordon has gone off the boil? Has he spread himself too thinly in his slightly desperate search for world omnipotence? We - the restaurant-going public - are a fickle playmate. One moment we long to spend, spend, spend on over-done food in ostentatious surroundings with wine's rarer than unicorn blood; the next we're all about the local neighbourhood gem, with its carafes of 'drinkable' table wine and its 'genuine' atmosphere. Gordon - perhaps to his credit - hasn't played along. If you're dining chez Ramsay, be prepared to spend the bucks. He's unashamedly top-end and determinedly staying so. But, is the exclusivity and luxury of the Ramsay experience diluted by the fact he clearly isn't in the kitchen any more? His New York outpost fared less than well, his TV series rumoured to be nothing more than insinuating editing... and that's part of it. The man sold out - the kitchen god revealed his decidedly clay feet, when he switched to TV. You could argue that these days, in our celebrity-driven culture, you need to milk it, and milk it hard, before you fall back down the ladder again. But also arguably there will always be a space for good food, honestly cooked. How honest is it when the chef above the door isn't in the kitchen? What do you think - Kitchen god or TVslave? Has Gordon's need for ubiquity meant the slow disintegration of a world-wide empire (echoes of the Romans, no?)?

7 comments:

  1. Thank goodness. I thought this day would never come. I've never been a fan of the foul-mouthed-because-I-can-get-away-with-it brigade. Give me the good manners of Raymond Blanc any day.

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  2. No matter what anyone says about Gordon Ramsay, he is one of the greatest chefs in the world. He doesn't have anything to prove. But he's more talented than just a chef. He's a great entertainer and I truly believe he has brought passion, true passion, about foot to many people. The dissemination of that passion to so many can only do good. I don't care what kind of person he is, if he's nice or kind, he is a rare talent who has switched on so many people to really care about great food. And clearly tells us that it needs hard work to achieve. Here's a celebrity who has earnt his celebrity.

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  3. Yes met him at NEC summer good food show, rude and ignorant, he should remember its the PUBLIC that keeps him going. Maybe he should take a leaf out of Hugh FW's book, went to river cottage fest at weekend, hugh had time for everyone. If he spent more time acknowledging fans and less criticising other chefs to make himself look good or funny, he may carry on in public eye. if not i think his time is over on TV, bring on more Hugh and Jamie O.

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  4. I agree with Shelley 100%
    Gordon is a great entertainer - those who don'e like his language should switch off nobody forces anyone to watch him but 1000's do - why ? Because he is amazing !

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  5. I am a Chef/Catering company.
    You cannot chastise Gordon Ramsay; he has done so much for the catering industry, passion, great restaurants, great entertainment value, cheeky humor, passion and drive like me and many good chefs in the industry with an ounce of love for what we do. It is a job that you do for the love not the pay! so leave him alone and start thinking about more important things! Like where your produce comes from how we can promote our countries GREAT restaurant culture start being proud and harness everything British! Promote! STOP MOANING!!!!

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  6. Tried to book dinner at the Chelsea restauarant some three months before a trip to London. Told to ring back 28 days before we wanted to dine and to ring early. Rang at 09:00, recorded message. One minute later - solidly engaged for 30 minutes. eventually through to be told that they were not open to the public on the date in question. Offered the "opportunity" to book at one of GR's other establishments, the assumption being that we wanted the "brand" whatever. Ate well elsewhere instead and see no need to jump though hoops to give the ego my money. Shan't bother to trouble his organisation with a request for a meal again.

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  7. Mazc.
    I totally agree with gastrodiners.co.uk. Gordon
    will be top of my favourite chef list. I made a special journey to see him in Glasgow at his book signing and then to the Good Food Show and he was he absolutely fab. He was wonderful with the people at the book signing and the Food Show was a delight. I hope that he is going to do it again this year - I will be first in the que. Let him promote British food and the very high standards in the kitchen which a great many other restaurants would be well to follow.
    10.15pm. 20th September,2009

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