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Ramsay wants to outlaw out-of season vegetables in restaurants
By Mark Blunden Last updated at 11:08am on 09.05.08
Gordon Ramsay: wants a ban on out-of-season vegetables being served in restaurants
Gordon Ramsay is demanding the Government bans non-seasonal fruit and vegetables in restaurants.
The TV chef says he hates being served asparagus in December or strawberries in mid-winter.
Ramsay, 41, claims the situation is "spiralling out of control" and has challenged Gordon Brown to implement "stringent new laws". He wants heavy fines on chefs who choose exotic fruit and vegetables flown in from around the world.
He also attacked fellow TV chef Delia Smith for using tinned and frozen food in her recipes, calling it "an insult" and "a kick in the goolies for the nation". Ramsay, whose restaurants include his new Heathrow Terminal 5 Plane Food venture, said: "Fruit and veg should be seasonal. Chefs should be fined if they don't have ingredients in season on the menu.
"I don't want to see asparagus in December or Kenyan strawberries in March. I want to see it home grown. It's a chef's job to ensure everything is locally sourced and, more importantly, when they haven't got it, take it off the menu."
In an interview with BBC Five Live to be broadcast today, he said: "The quicker we get legislation pushed through the more unique this country will become in terms of its sourcing and level of inspiration."
He added: "I was very fortunate to talk briefly with the PM. We didn't touch on the subject too much but it's something I feel really concerned about."
On Delia Smith he said: "For Britain's favourite icon to reduce us to eating frozen or canned food - it's an insult. Chefs are trying to establish a reputation across the world for British food and along comes Delia and tips it out of a can and that hurts."
Reader views (12)
Mr Ramsey has a fair point and I too am in agreement with him; in my opinion a chef should use local and seasonal produce where possible, the knock effect of this will be to support local farmers, so it has to be a good thing.
One point that seesm to be missed though is that supermarkets have brain washed us for years offering us out of season produce and have systematically turned us into (their phrase not mine) 'The cheapness worshipping public'.
- Lawrence, Brussels, Belgium, Brussels, Belgium
"Hates being served"? Doesn't that mean he must have ordered? Why not just not order? And then mind your own business.
- Ken D, LA CA USA
Someone needs to tell this man that he is a cook. And...there is no such thing as "out of season" with modern greenhouses.
- K. Tyson, Mobile, AL USA
Out of season fruits and vegetables certainly don't have the flavour as fresh, however, a person still needs to eat citrus fruits and a variety of vegetables in the wintertime.
- Lori Wacker, Wenatchee, Washington U.S.A.
When did this man's opinion become a matter of British national importance? Yes he's a better cook than most, but that's easy enough to accomplish in my case. It doesn't mean he can dictate what people have for their dining pleasure - people dine out not to suit him, but to suit themselves.
New laws? You mean there aren't enough silly, pointless and needlessly intrusive laws already?
April 1st has come and gone, so that rules out that excuse. Tongue in cheek comments are supposed to have the benefit of being amusing, so that rules out that excuse. Ramsay was seen as larger than life once he started his TV career. I just see him bigger than his boots.
- Rogan, DFW Texas
Has this hypocrite lost the plot?
- Neil Grinsell, london
This is the man who has ruined what were good local pubs with his Gastro pubs and says he would serve soups with Chicken broth to vegetarians because he doesn't like them. I don't care, Mr Ramsey, that you don't like being served asparagus in December at the prices you charge for fish and chips in your pubs you are not one to demand in this what should and should not be provided from overseas, that is for the consumer to decide.
- Charlie, London
A hobby horse for an excessively rich dilettante.
- Neil, london uk
Heavy fines on chefs who choose to have exotic fruit and vegetables flown in from around the world? And it's a chef's job to ensure everything is locally sourced and taken off the menu when not available?
Would this extend to his restaurant in Dubai where, according to his website they are regularly "flying in fresh ingredients from around the world".
- Md, London
The one thing that should have been banned a long time ago is Ramsay himself. He has ruined a number of the top London restaurants with his before the time no smoking and yes, no music, policy. Those who know what the Savoy Dining Room was like before being taken over by Ramsay will know what I mean. Ramsay's buying spree of old-establishment restaurants is yet another proof of the silent cultural revolution that has engulfed Britain since Nu Labour came to power. He won't last, but he will have had a field day!
- Joan, not important
Let's not forget that he also has a new TV show starting next week.
- Casper Slides, Ibiza, Spain
Better still, outlaw Ramsey. We don't need to take "advice" from scumbags.
- Frank, England.
