Ramsay wants to outlaw out-of season vegetables in restaurants

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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."