Chef Gordon Ramsay is arguably the best chef to represent European cuisine. When we asked Ramsay about a particularly exciting dish from his dinners around the world, the chef said that the agnolotti made by chef Nadia Santin of Dal Pescatore in Italy left him with a strong memory. He also claimed that the dish that represents him the most is the half-Scottish, half-Italian lobster ravioli with tomato puree – also the most popular dish in his Chelsea restaurant. And after having cooked for some of the most powerful people in history, he has also confessed a desire to visit the Vatican and cook for the Pope.
It is this worldly ambition – and his way with words – that catapulted Ramsay to international stardom. In fact, he has become the top chef in the world thanks to his numerous successful television shows. There’s The F Word, which apart from being a competitive cooking show also tackles the origins of family recipes handed down from generation to generation. Meanwhile, Foxy Bingo recalls how Ramsay also starred in Gordon, Gino & Fred: American Road Trip. In the show, Gordon and his co-stars travel across the U.S. to sample not just the local cuisine but the local cultures as well. These are just some of the different shows Ramsay has starred in. From Hell’s Kitchen to Uncharted, the chef’s TV credits are a wide assortment of cooking, travel, lifestyle, reality, and survival programs.
But as charismatic and fiery as the chef is onscreen, there’s no doubt that his best work still happens in the kitchen. If you want to see for yourself what the Gordon Ramsey hype is all about, here are some of the best restaurants that he runs in Europe.
Le Pressoir d’Argent
You can find Le Pressoir d’Argent at the InterContinental Bordeaux Le Grand Hôtel in Bordeaux, France. Opened in 2015, this is actually Ramsay’s second French restaurant. Some of their specialities include native lobster that’s been steamed with lemon leaf and corn, as well as veal, bone marrow, and braised shin taken from French Blonde d’ Aquitaine cattle. Head chef Gilad Peled helped Ramsay develop the menu that earned the restaurant two Michelin stars in 2016.
Bread Street Kitchen
As the name suggests, you’ll find this restaurant on Bread St. in London, east of St. Paul’s Cathedral. Opened in 2011, Bread Street Kitchen is one of the restaurant brands that Ramsay has managed to ship overseas. The original specialises in fusion comfort food and is a taste of Ramsay’s culinary talent at its rawest. Apart from the tamarind chicken lollipops, crab California rolls, and tuna tartare, Bread Street Kitchen is also where you’ll find a shiny space capsule where you can actually eat your meal. It’s a strange addition to a place that’s not space-themed, but we’re not complaining.
Gordon Ramsay Plane Food
Appropriately located in London’s Heathrow Airport, Gordon Ramsay Plane Food opened in 2007 with the mission of redefining food consumed in airports. With its wide assortment of short-rib burgers, chicken meatball pasta, and other British Comfort food, Plane Food has been successful in its mission thus far. Time Out notes how Ramsay even managed to open a take-out version of Plane Food in Hong Kong.
Gordon Ramsay at Castel Monastero
Situated in a former medieval village in the rolling hills of Tuscany, Italy, the Castel Monastero is an isolated five-star luxury resort. And inside this exclusive resort are two restaurants, one of which – Contrada – is owned and operated by Ramsay. The restaurant celebrates the local produce and wine of the region through providing dishes of the highest standard. After getting your fill of traditional Italian fare, you can burn off those calories with a hike around the walled hamlet or the surrounding chestnut forests. This is arguably the best way to enjoy Ramsay’s cuisine.
Edited by Nadia Toppino
Food – Wine & Hospitality Consultant