Gordon Ramsay has added to his list of controversial opinions, disclosing that while he loves Cornwall, he just “can’t stand the Cornish”.
The TV personality and renowned chef appeared on BBC Radio 2 this week for a chat with Vernon Kay about his upcoming show Future Food Stars, which will air on 31 March.
When describing his ideal British menu, Ramsay said: “I would go down to the beautiful Cornish coast and get a little line-caught seabass and do that with a little light crushed potatoes.
“Trust me I absolutely love Cornwall, it’s just the Cornish I can’t stand.”
Both shocked and amused by Ramsay’s comments, Kay interjected: “He said that not me. He said that not me. That’s the G-man, that’s nothing to do with me!”
The chef later doubled down on his view, telling Cornish listeners: “I’m sorry, I promise I did mean it.”
His comments have been criticised by Dick Cole, leader of Cornish political party Mebyon Kernow, as disrespectful.
“I am really disappointed to hear Gordon Ramsay’s divisive comments and his lack of respect for the Cornish people. It is shocking that he deems it OK to make such a public statement that he would presumably not make about other national or ethnic groups,” he said.
“I sincerely hope he will reflect on his words and apologise.”
Despite Ramsay’s apparent dislike for Cornwall’s residents, the Hell’s Kitchen star spent most of the first Covid-19 lockdown in the area, where his family has a second home.
In an interview with Radio Times, he defended his family’s decision after some locals criticised him for putting them “at risk” by travelling from London to Cornwall.
“God knows why we took so much s*** from the Cornish,” he said.
“We lived down there; we just hadn’t been down there for a long time. We didn’t sneak down there at all.”
He said he had chosen to spend lockdown in Cornwall to spend more time with his children.
“We got there at an appropriate time and had an absolutely amazing time. And a time like that – we’ll never get back again,” he said.
“When the kids started disappearing again, I didn’t want it to end – as a dad, not a chef.”
Speaking to Kay this week, Ramsay also revealed, in his opinion, what makes a great cook. He highlighted two key qualities: vision and a good palette.
“Vision. The vision of ingredients and then that discipline to say stop,” he said, adding that he teaches young chefs how to taste before they start to cook.
“I teach my young chefs how to taste first, because if you understand the perfection of the taste, you cook it better – you need to educate that palette.”
When asked how everyday cooks can train their own palettes, Ramsay said they should create dishes by adding one ingredient at a time.
“Start with one item that’s beautifully cooked,” he said, giving the example of a piece of steak.
“Then add a starch, like a potato. Add ingredients and harmonise the flavours together.”
