Gordon Ramsay’s Asian restaurant has been heavily criticized by a food critic.
Despite his immense popularity, occupying nearly 10% of FOX’s airtime, Gordon Ramsay doesn’t seem to have many fans, as virtually no one has come to his defense in the recent “verbal battle” between the chef and a food critic.
Not long ago, a food critic named Angela Hui was invited to the premiere night of Lucky Cat, an Asian restaurant. This restaurant is reportedly the brainchild of both Gordon Ramsay and chef Ben Orpwood. After the meal, Angela Hui wrote a review of the restaurant in the food magazine Eater, stating that “the restaurant is nothing more than a ‘kitchen nightmare’ version of Ramsay (Gordon Ramsay has a famous show called Kitchen Nightmare ).”
Angela Hui also pointed out that the restaurant seemed ambiguous about its origins, as she wasn’t sure whether it was inspired by Japan or China. Hui quipped, “It’s all Asian, who cares?” This remark was a sarcastic jab at the lack of cultural understanding of Asians held by some Westerners. Angela Hui also noted that she was the only East Asian in a room filled with journalists and famous chefs.
On the other hand, chef Gordon Ramsay has always been very active on social media and even once clashed with anti-fans of visually impaired Vietnamese contestant Christine Hà (Master Chef), so his next reaction is easy to predict. The famous chef used all three social media platforms—Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook—to accuse Angela Hui of offensive comments.
“It’s okay if you don’t like my food, but prejudiced attitudes and offensive language are not welcome, ” he said, because Ms. Hui had once called Chef Orpwood’s wife “an Asian medal-winning wife .”
“Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants do not discriminate based on gender or race, and we do not expect such behavior from anyone. I may not agree with all comments, but if you have feedback, I hope you will be more professional and impartial,” the head chef commented.
Many people defended Hui after the incident, with some even suggesting that the British chef had bullied an Asian woman who had tried to help him renovate his restaurant. This is a fairly normal reaction for any Western chef wanting to open an Asian restaurant, as many believe that those not from a particular culture cannot understand it or its cuisine.