The Plonker Club

We could only find two interviews that Gordon Ramsay performed when in Sydney last week for the Good Food and Wine Show – considerably less than a month ago in Melbourne. This is no doubt a direct result of the ridiculous scene caused by Tracy Grimshaw and A Current Affair, here’s hoping that it is just a PR decision and not a reflection of current interest in the great chef.

Both of the interviews were on radio, the first with Merrick, Rosso and Kate on Nova 96.9 and the second was with Kyle and Jackie O for 2Day FM, both very popular Sydney shows.

Both were aired on Friday July 3, the same day that the Good Food and Wine Show started and were no doubt recorded some time between his seven days on Hamilton Island and arrival in Syndey for the food show. Gordon’s wife Tana, would also be signing books at the same show, was present at both interviews and help stitch Gordon up a little when playing Box of Mysteries on the Nova show.

There wasn’t much to the Nova 96.9 interview, but it was still entertaining – it starts from about the eight minute mark at this site http://podcast.nova969.com.au/MRK_Podcast_090703.mp3 .

In the interview, Gordon gave us a great wrap about our world class produce (what else is he going to say when asked about how good we are in Australia?), especially Morton Bay bugs. They discussed Gordon’s fear of jellyfish, snakes and other creepy crawlies and this proceeded his participation in the Box of Mystery. Tana Ramsay was also in attendance and helped play on these fears as he put his hands into a box to win a prize for a listener. Gordon also relayed the often told story of his and Tana’s courtship, how Tana was engaged to Gordon’s best friend – but this time, we also get to hear Tana’s side of the story, which was how hard and how long Gordon has to work to snare her. Chef Ramsay also shared his genuine enthusiasm for the local show, Masterchef and picked Andre as his choice to go all the way!

From interview with 2Day FM starts from five minutes and fifty seconds at http://austereo.castmetrix.net/podcast/378302368699172057/1/TheKyleandJackieOShowThursdayJuly22009.mp3. In this interview Gordon talks about the tossers that come up to return food in Hell’s Kitchen, revealed that the Michelin guide may be coming to Australia and re-iterated how he is a fan of Masterchef, but not the judges! Gordon Ramsay also clarifies his position on female chefs (or maybe backtracks a little from infamous comments made some years ago). The hosts also played a clip with Dr Phil commenting on what he thought of Gordon Ramsay and the Michelin starred chef’s response was probably more polite that many would have expected!

Gordon also has his now standard digs at Jamie Oliver – calling him a one-pot wonder and to my surprise directly answered questions on the ridiculous Tracy Grimshaw affair.

Both shows took the piss out of Gordon, plenty of Tracy Grimshaw digs and lesbian jokes, with Ramsay holding back a little more than he normally would, understandably though.

Both still worth a listen – enjoy!

Chief Plonker
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon RamsayFansite
www.theplonkerclub.com

Tana Ramsay will be appearing at this weeks Good Food and Wine Show, not along side her husband, but will be signing her own books on Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday and Sunday she will appear in the Celebrity Chef Book Signing area from 12-10pm to 1pm. For those who are unaware, Tana (whose full name is Cayetana)Ramsay is a prolific cookbook author and television chef in her own right.  Her show ‘Market Kitchen’ has been shwon all over the world and she has many cookbooks including;

Tana Ramsay’s Family Kitchen – Simple and Delicious Recipes for every family

Homemade – Good Honest Food Made Easy

Tana Ramsay’s Real Family Food – Delicious Recipes for Everyday Occasions

At least Gordon ramsay knows that he could retire if he ever had the inkling (and had lost his mind to such an extent that he started listening to Australian and British tabloids!!)

Chief Plonker
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fanclub
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

In the press conference, Gordon Ramsay appears all business, not the usual jovial Gordon! We later learned that the star of Kitchen Nightmares had a bout of food poisoning to go along with jet lag and thus couldn’t attend a function on Thursday regarding the launch of Maze in Melbourne next year. HE did inspect the restaurant which will be opened next year and is said to be happy with the progress (what could they have done??)

Reports state that Tana Ramsay will be joining her husband in Queensland, although her recently broken wrist may change her plans!

Gordon Ramsay is the headline chef, attracting a surcharge to see him at the Good Food and Wine Show this year.

We’ll be hearing a lot more from Gordon Ramsay while in Australia for the next month, here is the rather subdued press conference to kick of his national tour!

David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com

Still the amazing revelation (In case you can’t tell, I was being sarcastic – H. Simpson) about Gordon Ramsay which has no bearings on his entertainment value nor ability to cook! March 3 Gordon Ramsay News is here!

Same Old Stories about Gordon Ramsay’s (lack of) Football Career
So did Gordon Ramsay ever play for Rangers? – Reuters UK – UK
LONDON (Reuters) – Chef Gordon Ramsay has admitted there may have been “inaccuracies” in accounts of his football-playing past after a weekend newspaper report said he had lied about appearing for Rangers.
The News of the World said Ramsay, 42, never actually signed for the Glasgow club and questioned whether he had ever played in the first team.
The article quoted Ramsay — one of the world’s most famous chefs who runs a string of acclaimed restaurants and appears on reality television cooking shows — as telling a radio show in 2002 that he played three first-team games.

Gordon Ramsay admits claims about his Rangers career may be inaccurate = Telegraph.co.uk – United Kingdom
Knox told a Sunday newspaper: “The first time I ever saw Gordon Ramsay was in 1996 when he launched his first book. But he didn’t know me from Adam because we’ve never met.”
The only evidence of Ramsay’s Rangers career is a photo in his book of him in a Rangers squad which also included Rangers legend Ally McCoist.
However Allan Cairns, the photographer who took the picture in September 1985, said the photo was not one of Rangers first team but a side picked to play a testimonial match.

Ramsay explains football career errors – RTE.ie – Ireland
Gordon Ramsay has admitted there may have been inaccuracies in accounts of his football career, but attributed it to the passing of time.
Ramsay spoke out following allegations that he lied about signing for Rangers football club and playing in its first team.
The News of the World newspaper reported that Ramsay misrepresented his career both in his autobiography Humble Pie, in interviews and on BBC Radio 4′s Desert Island Discs in March 2002.

Ramsay ‘fabricated’ soccer career – Adelaidenow – Australia
CELEBRITY chef Gordon Ramsay has been accused of lying about playing professional soccer to fight his way to the top of the food chain.
The foul-mouthed chef allegedly fabricated his much publicised soccer career with top European club Glasgow Rangers, with club officials saying it never happened.

Tough love: Rihanna, Brown reunite – Arizona Republic – Phoenix,AZ,USA
A British tab says claims by TV chef and donkey spotter Gordon Ramsay of having been a budding soccer star for the Glasgow Rangers are as rotten as last week’s risotto.
News of the World quotes Rangers historian Robert McElroy as saying Ramsay never had a contract with the team.
The tab also says Ramsay once told chef Marco Pierre White that his Rangers career was nonsense.

Will Tana Ramsay and The Kids being Joining Gordon Ramsay in the USA?

Stateside calls for Gordon Ramsay and his wife Tana – Telegraph.co.uk – United Kingdom
After having to deny claims he cheated on his wife, and also being caught embellishing his early football career, Gordon Ramsay may be about to forsake this …
Tana, the chef’s long-suffering wife, says she has become rather partial to the United States where she has been filming a cookery programme and catching up with their close friends, David and Victoria Beckham.
She reckons the television programme could be the start of “something special” for the family.
“Our children are settled in the UK but the US has some great schools,” Tana tells Closer. “It would be great to work in America, but we’ll see.”

Gordon Ramsay Can Still Cook Says Michelin in France!!

Gordon Ramsay wins Michelin stars for first restaurant in France – Times Online – UK
Gordon Ramsay weathered the disdain of French critics today, emerging as one of the winners in the 100th edition of the Michelin Red Guide, the bible of gastronomy.
Ramsay, 42, was given two stars for his first French restaurant, Gordon Ramsay au Trianon, at Versailles, which opened a year ago. This makes him the first British chef to be awarded deux macarons on Michelin’s home soil in the 109 years since the guide was first published.

Newspapers Minding Gordon Ramsay’s Business!
Gordon Ramsay Holdings finally ‘files’ 2007 accounts – Quick Bites – London,England,UK
It seems that Gordon Ramsay Holdings (GRH) is finally getting around to filing its 2007 accounts, only a few months late. Correction: it seems that GRH has …
As to the sales figures for 2007 themselves, as reported by Bloomberg, they are a lot less impressive that they were said to be as recently as last October. Just four months ago, Chris Hutcheson – CEO of, and 31% shareholder in, GRH – told the Evening Standard that “turnover grew strongly again in [the year to 31 August] 2007 to reach £46 million”.
This would have represented growth of 20.7% from the £38.1m reported for 2006.

Ramsay’s Restaurants Report Profit Increase in Overdue Accounts – Bloomberg – USA
Gordon Ramsay, the chef known for his gourmet eateries and television tirades, said net income for the year ended Aug. 31, 2007, jumped to 1.37 million pounds ($1.92 million) from 112,103 pounds on gains for Maze and other venues.
Sales advanced 9.2 percent from a year earlier to 41.6 million pounds, Gordon Ramsay Holdings Ltd. said today

Where have you been Award – Little and Big Gordon Ramsay to Team Up

Gordon Ramsay : Gordon Ramsay hires 9-year-old ‘Little Gordon’ for … – Entertainment and Showbiz! – Baroda,India
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has hired a nine-year-old to be a part of his show after being impressed with the lad’s hilarious mimicking of him on cyberspace.
Child-actor Felix Light had done three videos in a “Little Gordon” advertising campaign for restaurant recruiting firm Caterer.com.

Come back tomorrow for all of the Gordon Ramsay news!

David Driscoll
The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
www.theplonkerclub.com