Even one of TV’s most fearsome hosts can’t help but get a little antsy when surrounded by bees. In a new episode of his Nat Geo series Uncharted, Gordon Ramsay, he of countless Kitchen Nightmares and profanity-laden tirades, travels to Cuba to learn more about the island nation’s “hidden cuisine,” including sampling the absolute freshest of honey. To find it, he has to go straight to the source — and that’s when things have the potential to get prickly.
In the June 16 episode, “Cuba’s Savory Secrets,” Ramsay goes on a tour of a bee farm as part of his exploration of the country and its cuisine. As you’ll see in this exclusive clip, the man that can shut down a bustling kitchen with a lone order is a little less commanding when faced with the prospect of a bunch of honeybees.
The Cuban farmer encourages Ramsay to drink straight from a cone, which she taps with a straw. He balks for a moment before taking her up on her offer. Later, he tells the camera, “In any other country, I’d be wrapped up in a bloody bee suit, scared sh*tless about those bees creeping in under the suit. But that was majestic. That was just incredible.”
Four seasons into Uncharted, it’s clear Ramsay’s left his domineering side at home, showing deep respect and curiosity as he ventures to Cuba, Ireland, Jordan, Spain, and Hawaii. After all, as the late Anthony Bourdain proved, open-mindedness is more important in these explorations of countries and cultures than any self-declared expertise. These moments of vulnerability are Uncharted at its best. The new episode premieres June 16 at 9:00 P.M. ET on National Geographic.
