You don’t need to be a food critic or chef to know that Gordon Ramsay isn’t afraid to speak his mind. As the fiery host of several successful cooking shows, Ramsay is known for his sassy quips and intense commentary. And as you can imagine, the British chef is quick to defend anything he creates — including his new Asian restaurant in London.
Lucky Cat, Ramsay’s latest restaurant, has been causing a serious buzz in the food industry.
When he announced the launch of his new restaurant, people had mixed feelings. Some thought it was a cringeworthy move, while others didn’t see a problem. The restaurant, which is pegged as a “vibrant Asian eating house,” was allegedly inspired by Ramsay’s trips to Asian countries.
But according to food journalist Angela Hui, “It was nothing if not a real-life Ramsay kitchen nightmare.”
In Hui’s article for Eater London, she reviewed the pop-up dinner, mentioning that the spot “felt more seedy nightclub than Asian eating house.” She also shared that there were many famous folks at the event, ending her article with: “I was the only East Asian person in a room full of 30-40 journalists and chefs.” Additionally, Hui allegedly called the executive chef’s wife a “token Asian wife” on Twitter.
In response to the negative feedback, Ramsay took to Instagram to share his thoughts.
“Despite the very positive feedback from guests, there was, regrettably, one offensive response from the night which I have to call out,” said Ramsay’s caption.
“It is fine to not like my food, but prejudice and insults are not welcome,” said Ramsay.
“And Ms Hui’s comments around my executive chef and his wife, calling her a ‘token Asian wife’, were personal and hugely disrespectful.”
Ramsay ended his caption with, “I may not agree with all reviews, but if someone is going to be critical, then I expect them to be professional and have some integrity.”
The internet response to his response was mixed, once again.
“Shaming a young journalist for calling out cultural appropriation, all in attempt to heal your bruised ego,” said one Instagram user.
Another Instagram user asked, “Is this the right way for a famous white critic to respond to a person of color who has the temerity to question his Asian restaurant concept?”
Other users supported his statement, while some mentioned that he didn’t share the whole story.
To their point, Ramsay’s Instagram post didn’t acknowledge Hui’s observation that she was the only Asian at the event.
On Twitter, some folks think Ramsay should have had hired at least one East Asian chef for his Asian restaurant.
Seriously, if @GordonRamsay can’t stand the heat generated from his *Asian* kitchen, maybe he should get out of it and hire at least one East Asian chef to end this nightmare. https://t.co/jH6JRYqsnp
— Sarah Owen MP (@SarahOwen_) April 15, 2019
A few people thought Ramsay’s comment about insults was ironic.
Twitter users were quick to point out that Ramsay doesn’t seem to like any food.
One reason Gordon Ramsey shouldn't open an Asian restaurant is that he never gives the impression of actually liking food from any culture
— BLTP 🇺🇦 (@Gargarin) April 15, 2019
The pop-up dinner, which took place on April 11th, was simply a preview of what’s to come.
Lucky Cat is set to open during the summer of 2019.
It’s located in Mayfair, a swanky district of West End London.
Unsurprisingly, many of Ramsay’s followers are dying to check it out.
Despite the backlash against Lucky Cat, one thing is for sure: Chef Gordon Ramsay will always do as he pleases.
