Gordon Ramsay is famously averse to vegan food – but it turns out the celebrity chef has been keeping a closely guarded secret for many years.
Opening up to competitors on the US Masterchef: Back to Win series, Ramsay admitted that despite his public disdain of vegan food throughout his career, he actually loves it.
The television chef made the revelation while explaining the show’s first-ever vegan challenge to the contestants, who have been on the show previously.
In a clip of Wednesday’s episode, shared byPeople, Ramsay confesses to the “culinary secret”.
“It’s a secret that’s so big, I’m almost afraid to say it on national television,” he begins.
Judge Aaron Sanchez jokingly reassures Ramsay that he is in a “safe space” and will be supported by himself and the contestants.
“After all these years, I can finally admit, that I actually love vegan food,” the Michelin-starred restaurateur says with a laugh.
The contestants react in shock, with one insisting that it “can’t be true”.
One contestant, Shayne, says in a separate interview: “Are you serious? Mr Beef Wellington likes vegetables by themselves? This just sounds like a bad nightmare.”
In the clip, Ramsay admits that “it’s taken me 20 years to get to this point”.
He added in a further statement to People: “Thanks to the kids, I’ve realised it’s OK to be vegan… SOMETIMES!”
The Kitchen Nightmares star has been known to criticise and mock vegan food in the past, claiming in 2014 that he was “allergic” to vegetarians.
In February 2018, he sparked a major debate on Twitter after commenting on a fan’s vegan lasagne.
Social media users routinely send Ramsay photographs of their cooking on Twitter with the hopes of getting a sarcastic response from the controversial chef.
Responding to one woman’s vegan lasagne, he wrote: “I’m a member of PETA! People eating tasty animals…”
However, Ramsay changed his tune in April that year when he revealed he was “going to give this vegan thing a try”.
He took to Twitter to make the announcement while sharing a photograph of pizza from his restaurant, Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza.
“Going to give this vegan thing a try… Yes guys you heard that right. Gx,” he wrote alongside the picture.
