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Ramsay takes on produce, obesity and Delia

9th May 2008, 9:58am

Gordon Ramsay has hit out at chefs using out-of-season produce on their menus, going as far to say that restaurants should endure a fine if they are found to be serving food outside their season.

Speaking to the BBC the Michelin-starred chef described locally-sourced produce as fundamentally important: "Fruit and veg should be seasonal. Chefs should be fined if they haven't got ingredients in season on their menu. I don't want to see asparagus on in the middle of December. I don't want to see strawberries from Kenya in the middle of March. I want to see it home-grown."

The BBC report says Ramsay has raised the issue with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and added: "There should be stringent laws, licensing laws, to make sure produce is only used in season and season only. If we don't restrict our movements within this industry of seasonal-produce only then the whole thing will spiral out of control."

Ramsay's rant also took on the issue of obesity laying blame with parents who do not have the control to say no to their children.

Delia Smith and her book of cheats also came in for a roasting from Ramsay: "I would expect students struggling on £15 a week to survive eating from a can but the nation's favourite, all-time icon reducing us down to using frozen, canned food. It's an insult. And it makes our lives, from a chef's point of view, a lot harder. Here we are trying to establish a reputation across the world for this country's food and along comes Delia and tips it out of a can. That hurts."

Words Clare Riley 2 comments

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Phil Bowen

12 May 2008 at 8:13am

Having eaten at Ramsay's flagship restaurant, I spoke to his chefs in the kitchen, they said that as long as the product is in season in the UK, if they could get a better quality version of this product they would source it from anywhere in the world, although he is still technically using in season British produce, he is being a little hypocritical. Besides this fact, if everybody sourced locally, the british market would not be able to cope with demand, drive prices up and make eating out a luxury only a small amount of people would be able to afford, sending many businesses bust. He is right for the mid to top end of the restaurant trade, but the value establishments should carry on being that making food accessible to everbody. Be aware but don't take it as far as he is suggesting.

Keith Miller

12 May 2008 at 9:45am

I think Gordon Ramsey has lost the plot, does he not know that most canned and preserved products are packed off when the ingredients are in season, so that consumers can enjoy them out of season (just like your gran used to do). So called imported fresh ingredients are a different matter.

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