Despite his controversial interview on the same show last year, Gordon Ramsay has again appeared on Australia’s Today show upon arriving Down Under for a month of public appearances and charity events.
In an interview that ran almost 10 minutes (and uncharacteristically featured no swearing!), Gordon immediately launched into light-hearted attack on host Karl Stefanovic – stating that he was happy to hear Karl NOT slurring his words. This was in reference to a controversial appearance the host made the night after the Logie Awards show, where many believed that he appeared on the show intoxicated. Gordon carried this theme through the show, asking Karl to modify an desert recipe for poached pear replacing the red wine for water. Gordon also had been kept in the loop by someone about a previous cooking demonstration on air that went askew, and also took the female hosts to task on it!
Without the swearing, Gordon’s mischievous sense of humour still rang true, making numerous underhanded sexual references, all of which would have passed by the censors, who no doubt had their fingers on the ‘bleeper’ ready to edit out any choice language! He also took his usual digs at overweight chefs (now that he isn’t one) and Jamie Oliver, as usual, copped it.
The star of Hell’s Kitchen USA and UK also spoke about his fitness regime and how is preparing for his first triathlon – on the back of completing his tenth London marathon. He says this level of activity is necessary because he “eats like a horse” (although I’m sure the quality of food is considerably better!).
Gordon Ramsay is in Australia, as previously mentioned at the Plonker Club for the Good Food and Wine Festivals in Melbourne and Sydney, as well as other appearances at charity events in Queensland and Perth. He said that he will be demonstrating a three course meal of cod chowder, baked salmon poached pear with fragrant lemongrass mascarpone.
Gordon also said that his wife Tana would be joining him on this tour, as she also had cooking demonstrations and booking signings – as well as a quiet holiday in Queensland. She may struggle though, as Gordon relayed the story of her breaking her wrist rollerblading with their four children in recent days.
Gordon spoke about his new passion for surfing, relaying a story where his wife and children had stood up on their boards within 15 minutes of first attempting it. The superstar Hell’s Kitchen Chef said that “The new fitness regime is surfing, it is addictive and it is fun”.
In the interview Gordon Ramsay also discussed the effect of the global recession on his business and in people’s eating habits in general, commenting that it has now well and truly established that the customer is once again king! Kitchen Nightmares fans will no doubt be familiar with his mantra of fresh, rustic and local and Gordon once again suggested that this is one of the solutions to the economic crisis for restaurants, along with being inventive and not always insisting on the most expensive produce and cuts of meat,
Gordon was surprisingly asked how him and his family has handled their public scrutiny over the past year, as some people had indicated in previous interviews that such questions were off limits. Gordon said that being hounded 24/7 had brought his family closer together and that things were fantastic.
The hosts finally subjected Gordon Ramsay to a rapid-fire quiz, asking the chef of his preferences between Meat Pie or Pizza, Marmite of Vegemite, Soccer or Rugby, Sydney or Melbourne, U2 or Coldplay, Sean Connery or Daniel Craig, Kylie Minogue or Elle MacPherson and finally Blondes or Brunettes.
Check out the full interview at The Today Show Homepage to see Gordon Ramsay’s answer and how he described Daniel Craig’s downstairs as being like ‘an Asian toddler”.
David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com
