The Plonker Club

I thought I would put together some of the interesting things that we learned about Gordon Ramsay, from the interviews that he conducted while in Australia last month (the interviews can be viewed via this post) – I’m sure people will have a bunch of other comments relating to the hissy fit Tracy Grimshaw had and the complete over-reaction of the AUssie and world media!

1. Gordon Ramsay Holdings was advised to enter administration at the end of 2008 as a result of the global financial crisis and local laws worldwide that restricted working hours, conditions and pay at various sites through out his global empire. Gordon decided for the benefit of his providers, he wouldn’t take the easy way out and consolidated the business, contributing millions of his personal fortune to steady the ship.

2. It was reported that Gordon Ramsay had to sell his Ferrari to pay some of the bills, he admitted that this was correct but his new one was coming in the next month!

3. Gordon Ramsay, on the back of his marathon running (completed his tenth London Marathon earlier this year) will be attempting his first triathalon some time this year.

4. Gordon has taken up surfing, after watching all four of his children and wife, stand up on their boards within fifteen minutes of first trying. Gordon also got some surfing in while in Melbourne (and no doubt afterwards in Queensland) – one tabloid suggetsed that it was merely to appease the angry locals! Gordon described surfing as part of his new fitness regime – he says it’s addictive and great fun!

5. Chef Ramsay considers that one of the positives of the global recessions is that the focus in restaurants is now back on the customers. He suggests that chefs were getting a little too full of themselves and were dictating too much to their patrons. Gordon added that the crisis is removing a level of snobbery and returning to (all join in) rustic, local cooking.

5b. Tanya Ramsay was scheduled to be in Australia in June performing her own book signings and cooking displays, independant of her husband (although the broken wrist from falling while roller blading may have prevented it from actually happening) (I know not really about Gordon Ramsay, so I’ve called it 5b!)

6. Gordon Ramsay prefers pizza over a meat pie, Vegemite over Marmite, Rugby over soccer (saying he wouldn’t have made that choice ten years ago and that now that he is 15 stone in weight he is more like a rugby player), Sydney over Melbourne (but later said he was joking as he was in Melbourne at the time), Cold Play over U2, Sean Connery over Daniel Craig (whom Gordon Ramsay suggested was built like an Asian toddler), Kylie Minogue over Elle MacPherson and finally when asked if he preferred blondes or brunettes – the great chef answered blonde upstairs, brunette downstairs!!!

7. Gordon Ramsay, when asked whether he had become too much celebrity too little chef  responded that his television work funds his restaurant business.

8. Gordon Ramsay said that he doesn’t know a chef that would turn down a quarter of a million dollars per hour to do Hell’s Kitchen (is he suggesting that this is how much he is getting paid??)

9. Gordon Ramsay said that he was uploading staff in Melbourne and Sydney who are acting as spies before he opens his Australian Maze Restaurant, to get insight into the local restaurant community!

10. The new Gordon Ramsay Maze Restaurant in Melbourne will feature the now famous Chef’s Table and he is looking for an apartment in Melbourne as part of his regular and un-announced drop-ins for his overseas empire.

11. Gordon Ramsay’s normal Sunday starts with a two hour run followed by a family lunch where he catches up with all of the things that he may have missed during the week.

12. The entire Ramsay clan may be coming to Australia for a holiday at Christmas.

13. Gordon Ramsay said that he never causes a scene when he goes out to eat and doesn’t ever send food back (maybe he knows what the chefs would do to it??!!)

14. The worst response that Gordon Ramsay’s has received for his criticism was an american chef who threw knife at him during the taping of a show!

15. Gordon Ramsay’s ideal last meal on earth would be a roasted sea bass on bed of crushed potatoes and a lemongrass vinegarette – eaten with his family!

16. Gordon Ramsay’s worst injury in the kitchen (obvious the knife missed its mark!) has been a burnt left bollock in in his own restaurant – Claridges.

Chief Plonker

The Plonker Club

The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite

www.theplonkerclub.com

While it seems like the dust has only just settled on the set of Hell’s Kitchen – Fox is cranking out Gordon Ramsay again next month, in season six of the hit television show. This series, I believe was filmed at the start of this year (and another shot straight after it) and will appear on US Television on July 21. This, by my calculations, makes it a Tuesday night instead of the normal Thursday night – I’m unsure of what this means in terms of ratings – but I’m sure the tabloids will report it as a decrease in Gordon Ramsay’s popularity!

First prize this year is a job at Araxi Restaurant in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, a location that Gordon Ramsay said in interviews earlier this year that he wanted to open his own establishment. This isn’t a new restuarant, it opened in 1981 and is already an established dining location at the base of Blackcomb and Whistler peaks. The job will commence in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held in Canada and thus will increase their workload and exposure, under the supervision of Executive Chef James Walt.

This season will have the standard format of 16 competitiors, boys vs girls format, but we are told the initial signature dish competition will be a team challenge – a surefire way to provide even more fireworks amongst a group of competitive professionals who have just met and are trying to stand out!

The Red Team includes Amanda, a twenty seven year old Sous Chef who lives in New York, NY but is originally from Vancouver, WA and Ariel is also  a 27 year old Sous Chef from Los Angeles, CA. To keep with the tradition of having a few contestants with ‘unique names’ -twenty three year old Executive Children’s Camp Chef ‘Lovely’ from Chicago, IL will join twenty seven year old line cook Tek from New York, NY (originally Chicago, IL). Melinda is a thirty eight year old private chef from Philadelphia, PA, who’s hometown is nearby Chadd Fords. Texan Sabrina, the thirty four year old Restaurant Manager in Phoenix, AZ will work along side twenty four year old Suzanne who is a Sous Chef in Las Vegas, NV, quite different from her hometown in Milwaukee, WI. The final member of the Red Team is Tennille, who is an executive chef, is 28 working in Fairfax, VA.

The boys team will feature thirty nine year old executive chef in Boston, MA -  Andy who’s hometown is Seattle, WA as well as Dave from New Jersey, a thirty two year old Executive Chef currently working in San Diego, CA. Other Blue Team members include thirty four year old Jim, a sous chef residing in Nashua, NH and Joseph, the 27 year old sous chef from Massapequa Park, NY. Kevin is a thirty-five year old executive chef  originally from Plymouth, MA now residing in Middleton, CT and Louie, who owns a diner in Fitchburg, MA. Tony is the thrity year old Culinary Store Manager born and bred in Chicago, IL and Van is the twenty six year old fish chef, originally from Buford, GA now living in Dallas, TX.

So now you’ve met the teams, start speculating on who you think the winner will be (which will no doubt be reviewed after the first few episodes). Set your television, TIVO or torrent downloading software for the two hour premiere at 8pm Pacific Time on Tuesday June 21.

As a final side note, for those fans of last season’s show, their is a health update on Robert, the chef that was forced to leave the show after making the top five and geting chest pains while attending the Borgata resort. Follow this link to get the latest http://www.fox.com/hellskitchen/robertH.htm

It has also been announced that the next series of Kitchen Nightmares will air in the Fall – which doesn’t help the rest of us from around the globe, more news when dates are confirmed!

Chief Plonker

The Plonker Club

The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite

www.theplonkerclub.com

If you couldn’t be bothered (or are having trouble finishing)  Hell’s Kitchen and want to get to work cooking the Gordon Ramsay Recipes within the game – here are the unlock codes for the recipes!

Starters

1. Warm vegetable salad with warm carrot and ginger vinaigrette – zobcly
2. Roasted tomato soup – hcxaei
3. Pumpkin risotto with roasted mushrooms – rouogi
4. Zucchini cannelloni with ricotta and pine nuts – xhopcg
5. Caesar Salad – baczgf

6. Smoked ham, broad bean and scallion risotto – jtudby
7. Bruschetta of sardines and tomatoes with sauce choron – pedgqi
8. Marinated tomatoes with goat’s cheese and aged balsamic vinegar – kvdicl
9.  Sea scallops with sweet potato purée, candied walnut vinaigrette – mwpdss
10.  Spaghetti lobster – tiphid

11. Pan-fried soft shell crabs with capers – heuqpm
12.  Seared marinated tuna with pickled daikon root – fkirww
13.  Simple grilled vegetables – jpmxkm
14. Crab salad with marinated avocado, tomatoes and olives – xsrzmg
15. Watercress soup with poached egg and potato salad – vjryyw

Mains

1. Breast of duck with braised red cabbage and caramelized endive – jscqkh
2. Fillet of beef Wellington with roasted carrots and mashed potatoes – cdnfhg
3. Grilled wild striped sea bass, crushed new potatoes and cherry tomato sauce – jhdffx
4. Fresh tuna tartine – ncjtvk
5. Roasted chicken with herb gnocchi and mushrooms – nogvvo

6. Prime rib with sautéed confit potatoes and creamed cannolini – cxnwoj
7. Thai beef salad – aapfvh
8. Char-grilled pork chops with caramelized apples and eggplant caviar – zljdxn
9. Halibut with herb crust, spinach purée and potato galette – kmzpzw
10. Salmon with a warm salad of cucumber, olives and tomato butter sauce – mkecme

11. Sea bass with vegetable blanquette and lemon thyme veloute – yrknhx
12. Pan-fried swordfish with pickled cucumber and horseradish crème fraîche – woruvl
13. Meatloaf – jszrdg
14. Mint lamb burgers – fsyscl

Desserts

1. Grapefruit and blood orange terrine with marmalade ice cream – gagsis
2. Chocolate chip cookies – sfovob
3. Pumpkin pie with maple syrup and pecan ice cream – ewrwlc
4. Buttermilk pannacotta with mango blackberry compote – nzhjag
5.  Hot chocolate fondant with malt ice cream – qizpdk

6.  Baked New York cheesecake – hgmwwx
7.  Brioche bread and butter pudding with bourbon – cniezb
8.  Passion fruit crème brûlée with bitter chocolate sorbet – nilluq
9.  Nectarine and almond tart with iced jersey cream – xxylsw
10. Blood orange upside down cake with walnuts and cream – mpqobo

11. Buttermilk and vanilla parfait with strawberry salad – uclrvt
12. Flourless chocolate cake with tangerine sauce – gwsnpl
13. Chocolate soufflé with mint ice cream – tqmhnf
14. Polenta shortcake with roasted peaches and ameretto whipped cream – pzlyqi
15. Chocolate bread pudding with raspberry coulis – hxxxdm

So get Cooking!!

Chief Plonker
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com

Gordon Ramsay was due to appear in Perth, Western Australia for two charity events on June 24 and 25, but the promters, Diablo events have recently announced their cancellation.

Their official statement reads as follows “Diablo Events has exercised its rights of termination under the Celebrity Appearance Agreement between Diablo Events, Gordon Ramsay Holdings and Gordon Ramsay. Consequently, Gordon Ramsay will no longer be appearing in Perth for Diablo Events for either the breakfast function on 24 June 2009 or the Black Tie Dinner on 25 June 2009.

We will be in contact regarding refunds in due course and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

No doubt the Ramsay bashers and trashy media will link this to the ridiculous spectale that was made of Gordon Ramsay’s jokes about Tracey Grimashaw (and not other celebrities who took it better and didn’t have the platform to launch their bitter and mis-informed responses). I’m not sure how these events normally work, but the story in other media related to slow ticket sales – not cancellations.

Possibly it is normal to sell many of the tickets at the last minute and that the bad press removed this option, either way the people of Perth and charities involved are the big losers.

As I type this, Gordon Ramsay is in Queensalnd, helping Sanctuary Cove celebrate their 21st birthday, where he will be joined with his wife Tana. Hopefully we here something positive coming out of this event.

Chief Plonker

The Plonker Club

The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite

www.theplonkerclub.com/wordpress

Tracey sort of admitted that Gordon Ramsay didn’t makes statements about her sexuality – but DIDN’T retract the statement, merely trying to clarify what she meant – a bit weak! She did accept Gordon’s apology and stated she didn’t want to discuss the matter further.

Gordon talks frankly about what happened, saying that it wasn’t clever, but is part of his normal banter and apologised for any hurt caused, making it clear that it wasn’t his intention! Gordon Ramsay tells us that he made attempts to contact Tracey Grimshaw, actions which weren’t reciprocated, but did eventually were today.

Gordon stated what the videos that we have seen show, someone from the crowd first suggested the pig was Tracey Grimshaw. He also says that he never called her a lesbian but admits that he got carried away with the moment and played up for the crowd. He admits it was stupid and horrified that it caused so much trouble – and even copped a bollocking off his mother.

Gordon Ramsay does a great job of putting the whole incident into perspective and partly explains how all of the pieces were assembled for the incident to gain a life of its own and eventually to demonise him.

Even the reporter was being ridiculous with some of his questions – maybe he is due for a job on A Current Affair or Today Tonight. He had an agenda and wouldn’t let go and kept pushing mute points that had been addressed- I think he came off worse, whoever he is!

You can see the full interview here – the title is “Ramsay Backs Down”.

At the end of the day, it was a few jokes gone wrong, blown out of all proportion – an embarrassment for all people involved, especially that lower level of the Australian media that these shows exist on!

Cheif Plonker

The Plonker Club

Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite

www.theplonkerclub.com/wordpress