Because of his perceived highly volatile nature, Gordon Ramsay has the reputation for, shall we say not suffering fools gladly, and his use of four-letter expletives has allegedly earned him as many critics as fans. The recent global recession has also bitten Chef Ramsay's global empire, plus recent tabloid reports on - unfounded - aspects of his personal life have piled the pressure on.
Recently I was fortunate enough to meet him when I was asked to be a judge for the final of the F-Word in the UK. As well as being honoured to be asked, I was also quite nervous about his feisty reputation but can say I found him to be polite, charming and extremely hard-working. I am not sure if I was disappointed or not, but he didn't shout or swear once during 9 hours of filming.
Not only did I get to meet Chef Ramsay but am happy to report that despite his busy schedule and business pressures, he agreed to an interview and to share some of his recipes here on About.com's British Food site.
The Interview
Do you have a guilty food pleasure when no-one else is around?Jaffa cakes and sweets. I can't get enough of them!
Favourite British food?
You can't beat fantastic fish and chips. At our pub, The Narrow, we add vodka to the batter mixture to make the most amazing crispy coating.
What misconceptions do people have about British cooking and how would you like to change that?
I think a lot of people still think of British cooking as bland and a bit dull. We have some exceptional ingredients available to us from our fantastic beef and pork to our game. Cooked well, British cooking is as good, if not better, than any other.
One outcome of the recent recession has been the return to the stove by many. If there's one British dish everyone should master, what do you think it should be?
Everyone should be able to cook a good roast dinner. Sunday lunch with family and friends isn't just a meal but an event in itself.
Who is your role model?
I've met so many inspirational people along the way it would be impossible to choose one. From Tana (Mrs. Gordon Ramsay) and my mum to some incredible chefs - Joel Robuchon and Guy Savoy to name a few.
If you could cook a meal for anyone, who would it be and what would you cook?
I would love to cook for Obama. I'd cook something simple and elegant, maybe a crab linguine.
Your last meal?
Sea bass is the king of fish so my idea of the perfect last meal would be a beautiful fillet, pan-fried with a light sorrel sauce; or served roasted with artichokes and a chive crème fraîche.
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