Gordon Ramsay Answers The Web's Most Searched Questions | WIRED

WIRED

3,878 views • 10 days ago

Video Summary

This video features a rapid-fire Q&A session addressing common curiosities about a prominent chef. It touches upon his culinary achievements, including Michelin stars and the longevity of his restaurants, while also dispelling myths about his direct invention of iconic dishes like Beef Wellington. The discussion delves into his personal preferences, such as his stance on pineapple on pizza and his steak doneness, as well as his professional insights on everything from knife sharpening to the pressure cooker environment of professional kitchens, referencing shows like "The Bear."

The chef also shares anecdotes about his early culinary training, his mother's influence, and his experiences with extreme activities like helicopter jumps. He clarifies the origin of his signature insult, "donuts," and offers practical advice on kitchen techniques, like cutting onions to avoid tears and perfecting a grilled cheese. The segment concludes with a look at his current television projects and the passion that drives his career.

Short Highlights

Discusses his Michelin star achievements, with one star earned many years ago and 27 years celebrated at Royal Hospital Road, including 25 years at a three-star establishment.
Clarifies that he did not invent Beef Wellington but revived it in 2001, and it has since become incredibly popular.
Explains he can handle spice, describing his palate as "educated."
Offers advice on cutting onions to avoid tears, suggesting rinsing them under cold water.
States his preference for steak cooked medium-rare, not blue, and emphasizes the importance of resting the steak before slicing.

Key Details

Michelin Stars and Culinary Achievements [00:11]

Earned his first Michelin star many years ago.
Celebrates 27 years at Royal Hospital Road.
Celebrates 25 years at a three-star establishment.

He clarifies that while he has achieved significant accolades, he doesn't consider himself the absolute "best chef in the world," but rather "one of the best."

That's absolute bull. I don't think you can ever be the best, but you can be one of the best.

Personal Life and Preferences [00:39]

Went vegan once for an entire lunchtime, describing it as "very interesting."
Considers football an incredible release and sees synergy between running a kitchen and captaining a team.
Did not actually cry when asked who made him cry, but got upset with situations, similar to sports and kitchens when mistakes are made. His kids, mom, and bulldog have made him cry.
His mom was his biggest inspiration, working three jobs while he helped her prep vegetables at her restaurant on weekends.
Finding a favorite chef is difficult, comparing it to choosing a favorite child. He names Cla Smith, Angela Hartnut, and Gislain as contenders.

Football was an incredible release. There's a lot of synergy between running a kitchen and captaining a team.

Culinary Innovations and Techniques [02:05]

Did not invent Beef Wellington but revived it in 2001 at Claridge's, and it has since become incredibly popular.
Has repelled out of a helicopter, hung from one, and jumped out of one multiple times.
Can handle spice, stating his palate is "educated" and "loves spice."
Can perfectly cook a grilled cheese, admitting a past failure in New Zealand where the cheese hadn't melted.
Can bake, having worked in pastry at a restaurant in Paris and as a baker in London.

It was um sort of almost like the sleeping beauty of dishes. So we revived it back in 2001 at Clarities and ever since then it has gone crazy.

Daily Habits and Food Opinions [03:31]

Loves coffee; starts his day with a black coffee and a croissant after the gym, and later has a flat white, possibly with oat or skim milk.
Does not like pineapple on pizza but ate a pizza with it after his first Ironman in Hawaii, dodging the pineapple.
Believes microwaves are good for reheating things like couscous for 30 seconds but not for cooking meals from scratch.

No, I do not [like pineapple on pizza]. But I did my first Iron Man in Hawaii. And at the end of this finishing line, some incredible young chef had cooked me a pizza and I was about to take a bite of it and I spotted the pineapple.

Professional Insights and Advice [04:39]

Calls people "donuts" because they are clumsy, comparing it to the difficulty of eating a donut without licking one's lips.
Finds "The Bear" incredible, appreciating its insight into the industry's intensity and the determination of chefs.
Held and lost some Guinness World Records when launching "The F-word" due to challenges.
Current shows include "Secret Service," "Kitchen Nightmares," "Master Chef," "Hell's Kitchen," "Master Chef Junior," "Uncharted," and "Knife Edge."
Did not start cooking to become famous but fell in love with it as a passion.
Spending three years in France working with phenomenal chefs taught him to perfect his craft.

The Bear is incredible. Gives a proper insight to the nitty-gritty sort of side to the industry, the pressure these chefs face, but most importantly the sort of the level of determination that goes on in the kitchen.

Kitchen Techniques and Skills [06:21]

To cut an onion, peel it once, keep it whole, leave a little root on, slice in half, then chop finely, hold together, and slice into a fine dice.
Focus on technique before speed when chopping; getting too fast leads to cuts.
To avoid crying when cutting onions, rinse them under cold water to stop the acid from bleeding.
Prefers steak cooked medium-rare, believing blue steak hinders flavor identification.
The secret to a great steak is letting it rest before slicing.
Uses a stone for delicate knives and a steel for others to sharpen them.
Enrolled in a foundation course in catering, where he was already advanced due to spending three days a week at school and two at college.

Forget the word speed. When you start chopping things like onions and carrots, focus on the technique first. Get the techniques right first before you start getting faster.