Is Gordon spreading himself too thinly?
The Good Food Guides are coming out, who’s up and who’s down?
My regular viewer will recall a post I wrote a couple of days ago about the illustrious Gordon Ramsay not being in his kitchen(s) when he advertises he is. Well, today sees the evidence of his meanderings bite him in the proverbial meat and two veg, if the latest edition of ‘Hardens London Restaurants’ is to be believed.
The Hardens guide is comprised of reviews given by everyday restaurant punters who, by voting in varying categories help to establish who’s on the up and who is not.
Gordon’s flagship restaurant, the three michelin starred ‘Restaurant Gordon Ramsay’ has won the Hardens top three category awards for the past seven years, a remarkable achievement. But not this year.
Best food restaurant according to the public is Chez Bruce where the chef/owner Bruce Poole has been quietly perfecting his craft for years, a top man. Overall best restaurant has been awarded to Petrus, a two star restaurant which, although falls under the Ramsay umbrella is run by Marcus Waering with no real input from GR.
Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s fares no better, GR’s star pupil, Mark Sargent aka ‘Sarge’ who writes the recipes for Gord’s books and new pub chain has had his food described as ‘mediocre’ whilst La Noisette which Gordon set up with Bjorn Van der Horst to much hype has been described as a nightmare. Oh dear.
The big two food guides are the michelin and AA, the michelin awards stars, the AA, rosettes. The other year Petrus didn’t get the maximum five rosettes so Gord kicked and screamed and threatened to pull all of his restaurants out of the guide. A further inspection declared that Petrus did indeed merit five rosettes. It all became quite unpleasant and the infidel who declared Petrus as four rosettes no longer works for the guide.
Word on the culinary street suggests that there are plenty of new pretenders to the crown and Gordon needs to watch his back. Personally, I would like to see him take a year out from the media and get stuck into his main restaurant before he is only competing with the El Bulli’s, French Laundry’s and Alain Ducasses’ of this world by default.
It’s not all bad news in the world of good food guides, today, a certain kitchen run by a certain internet blogger who shall remain nameless has been awarded two AA rosettes in next years guide-that puts them on a par with the Ritz in London and a couple of restaurants owned by the great man himself.
I raise a glass of Sauvignon to food guides and inspectors, one year your best friend, the next a boil on the backside of humanity.
The tide had to turn against Ramsay at some point. The only thing that’s a surprise to me is that it’s the food side rather than a media backlash.
Personally I don’t think it will make much difference. His persona is now established amongst the general public, he is considered the ‘best chef’ and that’s unlikely to change amongst the great unwashed.
Serious and educated foodies in London know there are better places to eat than Gordon Ramsay’s joints but they are small in number and don’t pay the bills.
I suspect GR will be like the Harry Ramsden fish shop - supposedly the …
best fish n chip in the world !
people actually go on trips to eat there, it is remotely but enough people have said it is over the years.
Congratulations to the Lincolnshire lad with 2 rosettes
Nice Work Fella !
DC
August 29, 2007 @ 8:43 am
Congratulations and well done to the Lincolnshire Chef and his team.
August 29, 2007 @ 10:39 am
DC and SC,
Many thanks, we’re all quite chuffed really.
Miles
August 29, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
Congratulations to you and your team for achieving 2 AA Rosettes. Of course you should all be chuffed. Sounds like an ongoing huge amount of work that gets awarded recognition every now and then. Celebrate!
August 29, 2007 @ 2:19 pm
Christine,
Thanks for that, I am very pleased for my team who have worked very hard to achieve the recognition.
The pressure is on now though!
miles
August 29, 2007 @ 7:04 pm
Miles,
Who needs Gordon Ramsay when Lincolnshire has its own Miles Collins?
A proud day indeed for you and the brigade - Congratulations for the 2 AA Rosettes! I shall save up and come and find you.
August 29, 2007 @ 9:09 pm
Elsie,
Many thanks! I shall pass all of your kind words on to my staff.
Whatever myself or anyone else may say about Gordon Ramsay for him (or his head chef) to ahieve five rosettes takes some doing.
Miles
August 29, 2007 @ 11:03 pm