Known around the world for Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nighmare, two of the shows he directed, the Scottish chef helped create a culinary craze that swept across the small screen.
Controversial, daring and explosive, but also successful and famous, Gordon Ramsay is one of the most famous chefs on the planet. As the new season of Hell’s Kitchen is about to premiere, he assures Efe that talent alone is not enough to succeed in the fine dining industry.
“Cooking is like a sport: there are many parts and not everyone reaches the top,” says the Scottish man whose mastery in the kitchen has helped him open prestigious restaurants around the world.
In addition to being an icon of fine dining, the chef also left an impact on popular culture with television shows such as the one mentioned, which, in addition to Kitchen Nightmares, contributed decisively to the culinary craze Reality seeps into the small screen.
The 19th season of Hell’s Kitchen will premiere on January 7 in the US via Fox and for the first time the competition will take place in Las Vegas.
Efe attended filming in April 2019 to interview Ramsey, but due to delays and the impact of the pandemic, the informational document could not be published until today.
–After so many seasons of Hell’s Kitchen, how do you try to maintain a fresh perspective to try to surprise the public?
–In every year and in every season, we strive to be more creative. This is a dream and we have improved a lot compared to the first season. We try to stay up to date with what’s happening in the industry, whether it’s innovation in superfoods or molecular gastronomy, we bring current trends and changes. in the development of our challenges.
–Besides his culinary qualities, what abilities do you look for in a Hell’s Kitchen winner?
– A person with vision, bold, resilient and decisive. Cooking is like a sport: there are many competitions and not everyone reaches the top. Discipline, foresight and good direction are the basic keys we look for in young talents. When you cook at this level, the goal is not to make money. If you are good at your job and it is your passion then it will come. It takes an 8 to 12 year apprenticeship to get something back. Patience is a virtue in the kitchen.
-You can be funny and charming but also brutally honest. Have you ever thought you were being too harsh on someone? Do you regret anything?
-I never regret anything. I’m a passionate guy. I believe in what I do, I only want the best and I have good days and bad days. I find these more interesting than the good ones, which seem more boring. For the public it is a combination of both.
-Looking to the future, what do you hope your legacy will be? How do you want to be remembered?
-I think if there is something I would like to be remembered for it would be healthy pressure, to open up new horizons. I’ve worked with some amazing chefs. I saw the last Ferrán Adrià consumed in El Bulli until he said: “it’s over.” And this man was cooking five or ten years before anyone else on the planet. In 2019, we celebrate 21 years of Gordon Ramsay London Restaurant and 19 years of being awarded 3 Michelin stars. So yeah: passion and honesty, that’s really important.
