Plenty of famous chefs can appreciate American fast casual chains every now and then. For example, Anthony Bourdain adored Waffle House, and Julia Child loved a good burger at In-N-Out. And what about the notoriously harsh, Michelin-starred, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay? When it comes to the largest fast food chain in the world, McDonald’s, it’s a hard no for him.
When you have 88 restaurants located around the world, with one holding three Michelin stars for 22 years, why would you settle for McDonald’s? While many of Ramsay’s restaurants fall on the fine dining side, he certainly isn’t opposed to burgers and fries, which pop up on some of his menus. In the case of McDonald’s, though, it’s the quality and flavor that irks the chef so greatly.
McDonald’s is certainly not regarded as being high-quality or top-notch quick food, and Ramsay described the chain’s food to The Independent as consistently bland. In terms of ingredient quality, particularly in the case of the Big Mac, he complained that the food is made of just fat and fodder (which is food for livestock). These comments were made in response to a statement from Ramsay’s former mentor, Marco Pierre White, who had said that McDonald’s was better than some of London’s top restaurants due to its consistency and value for the low price tag.
Ramsay dislikes McDonald’s, but will eat other fast-food burgers
Chef Marco Pierre White had argued that there is a time and place for McDonald’s, but it’s still going to be a pass for Gordon Ramsay. Despite this, the Glasgow-born chef does have some go-to burgers that he’ll happily chow down on. On the Mythical Kitchen YouTube channel, Ramsay shared what his last meal would include — alongside the full English breakfast and sticky toffee pudding was an In-N-Out burger. This is not surprising, as In-N-Out is the favorite fast food chain of many celebrity chefs.
His order? A Double Double cheeseburger, animal style. This one is not for light eaters: It comes stacked with two burger patties, melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, raw onion, and the iconic spread sauce. Animal style involves coating a burger patty in mustard before cooking to caramelize the exterior, plus adding grilled onions, pickles, and extra spread. Chef Ramsay actually applies a similar technique for his burger restaurant in Las Vegas; instead of mustard, he uses Devonshire butter to coat a side of the patty.
In-N-Out has two noticeable distinctions that set it apart from McDonald’s: It uses better, fresher ingredients, and it pays its employees a higher wage. The West Coast chain is very particular about sourcing its ingredients, and this is obvious when you bite into one of its burgers — everything from the patty to the fresh vegetables actually tastes flavorful. In general, with better-paid employees, you can expect higher consistency and better quality output. That said, it’s no surprise that Ramsay might go for two In-N-Out burgers in a day but never set foot in McDonald’s — many of us can relate.
