The Plonker Club

After the much publicised split with the less than grateful former protege Marcus Wareing, Gordon Ramsay will be relaunching Petrus with an all-new look, at an all-new location. November 2009 is the expected date of opening and the hot press is really talking up the new venue.

Mark Askew will be running the show as Executive Chef and Jean-Philippe Susilovic of Hell’s Kitchen fame will be the restaurant director. Now they are looking for a talented crew to support the ever expanding Gordon Ramsay empire.

As advertised on the Official Gordon Ramsay website – they are looking for people to fill the following positions;

Restaurant Manager
Chefs at all levels
Sommeliers
Head Waiter
Chef de Rang
Commis Waiting staff
Receptionists

Application forms can be found at the Gordon Ramsay website – here is the direct link.

In fact the website also has a search engine which advertises job vacancies throughout the entire Gordon Ramsay empire, inlcuding head office jobs. At the time of writing there were also position available as Sous Chef in Versailles, a Chef de Partie an as well as a Sommelier in Central London plus Sous Chef positions in London and Heathrow.

Here is the link to find all of the position vacant – http://www.candidatemanager.net/CM/micro/searchform.aspx?mid=YUAZD&SCH=DWCX

The website (for those who are total unaware of why Gordon Ramsay is as passionate and demanding as he is) gives the following introduction to working for Gordon Ramsay Holdings;

“Here at Gordon Ramsay’s we go above and beyond our customers’ expectations to provide a memorable dining experience for every one of our guests. It is the motivation and sheer determination of our employees, which makes the company what it is today.

We want to help you achieve your professional goals whilst developing in our growing company. You will be given the opportunity to broaden your experiences from the initial point of your employment and we shall support you in this learning process. We have a dedicated Learning and Development team to design and deliver development opportunities within the business. We are keen to build on the talent that our employees hold by on the job learning, coaching, sharing of knowledge and formal courses.”

If you seen the television shows and think that you could step up, then get clicking!

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

Believe it or not, Gordon Ramsay Holdings is finally going where Jamie Oliver has been for years and are now embracing technology. We all know that www.gordonramsay.com is rarely upadted with much relevant, which is why this website was started, but it seems that someone at GRH has heard the cry and is now Twittering on behalf of the Restaurant empire.

At the time of writing Gordon Ramsay Holding (who’s Twitter handle is GRamsayHoldings) has 325 followers whereas Jamie Oliver has 157,998! It is not the prettiest nor the best branded page, but it is a start!

Anyway, the updates are great, specials at vaeious Gordon ramsay restaurants, notice on where shows are airing all over the world! The address for sign up is http://twitter.com/GRamsayHoldings and while you are there you will obviously want to sign up for the Plonker Club twitter feed as well, at http://twitter.com/ThePlonkerClub – we have 646 followers!!

Great to hear that GRH are embracing social media and Web 2.0, so support them and start clicking!

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

We recently announced that Gordon Ramsay was opening a restaurant within the grounds of the Castle Monastero (click here for details). Well since then, they have revamped their entire website and also announced somthing new – that from the fifth of August, they will be running cooking classes!

There is a short class which making two courses over two hours (and a three course meal), the Patisserie and Gelato which is two desserts over two hours (and a three course meal) and the Master class which runs for three hours involves preparing four courses (and a four course meal).

One first glance, they seem very similar to those that are run at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road (click here for further information). Like these lessons, I’m sure that no one expects that Gordon Ramsay will be taking the classes personally, but the website says that they were created by him and the resident head chef Alessandro Delfanti and hence we mention them here on the site.

A quote from the website describes the expereince as ” a journey into the true essence of Tuscan cuisine, highlighting the finest dishes and freshest ingredients from the region.”

Just like at Royal Hospital Road, guests are taught how to cook meals featured on the menu, in this case with a Tuscan flavour and focuses on helping you be able to recreate the dishes in your own home!  The highlight of the program will no doubt be learning to use produce that is local such as vegetables, meats, cheeses, fish and seafood. Groups are limited to six people to ensure that everyone gets personalised attention.

Some of the dishes that have been listed (depending on season) include Ribollita Soup, Panzanella, Pappa al Pomodoro, Cacciucco di Ceci, various Crostinis and Pasta Pici Senesi. You may also be learning to prepare your own Tuna fish tartare, Rabbit Confit, Gnocchi of Baccala, Sour green apple and horseradish Risotto, Spaghetti with cherry tomato, clam and lobster, chianina beef tenderloin or pan fried monkfish with saffron and Asparagus amongst other local specialty dishes.

This is a full dining expereince, hence the desserts course features amazing Italian classics such as Tiramisu tris (a unique recipe featuring classic Amaretto and Amarello flavours), white and dark chocolate Ganache, Semifreddo with licorice, Torta di Riso, Torta della Nonna and of course gelato making.

After learning to make the dishes, you will then get to experience those same dishes, as prepared by your mentors (unlike at Royal Hospital Road where you prepare the dishes that yourself and your guests will dine on). The package also includes matching wines and full explanations as described by the resident sommelier.

You expereince will culminate with dessert and coffee and of course you will receive recipe cards for the dishes that your have learned for future reference as well as a cooking apron.

Costs of these amazing expereinces are EUR 170 for the Short and Patisserie courses and there is a group rate of EUR 140 for groups of 6-10. The Masterclasses are EUR 300 per person for the entire package.

Check out the website for further details – Castle Monastero.

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

Cool video taking the piss out of Gordon Ramsay and Kitchen Nightmares – it’s very funny and does make a few valid points!!

Enjoy

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

We all know Gordon ramsay’s love of Food Critics!!! Now he’s inviting you to become one for the next episode of the F-Word. This is quite seperate from the competition which asks people of the United Kingdom to vote for their favourite local restaurant. Originally the ‘Best Local Restaurant’ competition (which entry into allowed you to apply to be in the next episode of the F-Word being shot at  the end of this year!) was to end a few weeks ago. The deadline was extended a week, and now according to an email that I have just received from Optomen Television, has been extended again until this Sunday at midnight UK time (for for all intesnive purposes would be Greenwich Mean Time or  O UTC) – that is June 26 2009.

Anyway, here is the email from the producers of Gordon Ramsay’s hit television show – The F Word;

Would you like to dine in Gordon Ramsay’s F Word Restaurant?

To apply for a table you first need to nominate your favourite local restaurant, click here to find out how.

Nominations will remain open until midnight on Sunday 26th July.

We’re also looking for people who think they’ve got what it takes to be the next big food critic. If you think you’ve got what it takes click here.

Many thanks,

The F Word Team

Clicking on the link will take you to a page that explains how to enter the competition to become the new F Word Food Critic, details are as follows;

F Word Amateur Food Critic Search

Think you know good food from bad? Are you a foodie with high standards? Fancy yourself as a bit of a critic? Then The F Word wants to hear from you. We’re looking for Britain’s next big food critic – someone who can compete with conventional food critics.

Everyone who submits a video will be in with a chance of a seat at The F Word restaurant.

Your video should feature you talking about a recent meal you ate and why you loved it or hated it and your video should be no more than two minutes long.

Please also provide us with these details:
Your name, phone number, email and tell us what makes you a good critic

Send your DVD or mini DV tape to:
F Word Food Critic
Optomen Television
1 Valentine Place
London
SE1 8QH

Get to it!

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