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Gordon Ramsay near ruin

chef des chefs — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 15:30:06 +0000

DESPERATE telly chef Gordon Ramsay’s entire career and business empire is hanging by a gossamer thread. Only David Beckham can save his fortune and his reputation.

Gawd-awful Gordon’s father in law has dramatically quit the management of the holding company which runs the Ramsay restaurants allegedly owing it over £1m. Ramsay’s wife Tana is distraught, but is standing by her husband, as she did when Ramsay had the alleged affair - though even that is now looking like it was a clever subterfuge to mask quite a different story (more of that another time).Gordon has brought in Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones to help stop his beleaguered restaurant empire turning to toast. But his master stroke will be a new business venture togethwer with football star David Beckham that is set to keep the cashflow coming in to service the mega-debts run up by Tana’s dad.

In an emotional meeting, he begged Jones to help rescue his sinking company which is a massive £17.8 million in debt.

Hell’s Kitchen star Ramsay, 43, made his sensational move after a week in which his family has been torn apart by the financial disaster.His devastated wife Tana, 36, has left the country to stay with their friends the Beckhams in America after Ramsay blamed her father Chris Hutcheson—his long-time business partner—for bringing his empire to the brink of collapse.

“Gordon is a TV star,” said the News of the World. “He’s not got any experience in building an empire. He’d left that to his father in law. Now he’s paying for his decision. The company’s a complete mess.”

The chef demanded that dad-in-law Hutcheson, 62—who became his mentor after he started dating Tana at 16—quit as chief executive of Gordon Ramsay Holdings last week as the pair’s relationship turned toxic.

Restaurants across the globe have flopped, been sold off or closed altogether as the business nosedived with millions in investments written off. A string of top staff also quit. Ramsay—-worth £50 million in 2008—quickly dropped off Britain’s Rich List.

Our insider said: “Gordon blames Chris for the state the company is in. There’s a chance they’ll never speak again.”

It has emerged that Hutcheson took legal loans from the business totaling nearly £1.5 million. Yet before he got involved with Ramsay’s business, he was temporarily banned from acting as a company director after running up a £900,000 tax bill in 2003.

“Tana is in bits about this. She had to cope with Gordon’s affair and now her dad has put the family under immense strain.” Tana certainly looked strained as she dined with Posh and Becks at a Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles on Friday night and made calls on her mobile.

The Beckhams are also planning to help in a high profile bid to rescue Gordon’s business reputation.

Former England ace David will team up with the chef to open a pie and mash shop in London. But it is Jones, 44, who is the key to Ramsay’s survival. The self-made businessman made his fortune after setting up his own business Phones International Group in 1998. By 2005 its turnover was £150 million.

The two held crisis talks at new London restaurant Tinello—doing well and not owned by Ramsay.

HOW Ramsay’s restaurant empire went downhill:

Royal Hospital Road: Turnover down 1.5%, net profits down 9.5%

Claridges:Turnover down 4.6%

Maze/Maze Grill:Turnover up 44.4%

Boxwood:Turnover down 16.6%

Petrus:Closed September 2008 (new Petrus since opened)

La Noisette: Trading ceased January 2009.

The Narrow:Net loss £134k.

Murano:Profit-making.

Plane Food:Profit-making.

Foxtrot Oscar:Loss-making.

Devonshire: “Not lived up to expectations”. Ceased trading August 2010.

York &Albany:”Revenues not been as envisaged”.

” Prague: Closed February 2009

Versailles: Closed February 2009.

New York: Ditched, no longer owned.

Florida: Ditched, no longer owned.

West Hollywood: Ditched, no longer owned.

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution sparks change in America

The Glutton — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:59:59 +0000

All over America, the TV show Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution has sparked hundreds of ideas and events based on the same principles as his show.

***Danville’s Children’s Choice is taking a page out of Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution,” with a series of classes on cooking whole, healthy foods, from homemade pasta to handrolled sushi. The classes run through Aug. 7 in the Children’s Choice kitchens at 569 San Ramon Valley Blvd., Danville. For details, visit www.choicelunch.com.

In April,the School Board increased the prices of lunch and breakfast for the first time since 1999 to provide more fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains and less processed food.

Once the next school year starts, the chefs plan to return to the schools to chat with students and see how well their recipes are received.

Dashama’s Mission: To educate and inspire the viewers about global unity, encourage them to get involved in eco-tourism to lend a hand or send donations to each village or region that we visit, as well as involving them directly through a 10 minute yoga session (yoga, meditation and centering exercises that they can do to connect within.) Dashama will be offering real and effective techniques to help the viewers and families selected to transform their lives, over come addictions, and awaken to their best lives right now.

Celebrity guest appearances will add spice and appeal to all audiences. Those who already practice this lifestyle may include: Russel Simmons, Alicia Silverstone, Christy Turlington, Woody Harrleson, Leonardo Di Caprio, Jennifer Aniston, and Gwenyth Paltro.

*** In SF’s South Bay, tweens and teens can learn the kitchen ropes at the Professional Culinary Institute of California this summer. A bakeshop camp for tweens and teens, for example, includes not just cupcakes, but also homemade marshmallows, eclairs and cream puffs. And a kitchen basics class explores the delicious world of fried chicken, jerk chicken, pho and spaetzle. 700 W. Hamilton Ave., Campbell; www.professionalculinaryinstitute.com.

***Chow Bella’s weeklong summer camps in Lafayette include a Mediterranean food fest that includes baklava, hummus and thin-crust pizza; a forkless wonders week with kebabs, mini turkey meatballs, chocolate bonbons and other kid-friendly finger foods; and an all-day buffet that includes DIY omelets, crepes and dessert classes. Founders Grove, 584 Glenside Drive, Lafayette; http://www.chowbella.net.

(box) And San Jose’s Cucina Bambini offers camps for kids on such themes as “Around the World in 5 Days,” and an appetizer class for teens that includes dips, rolls, avocado egg rolls and tuna tartare on crispy wontons. 1041 Lincoln Ave., San Jose; http://cucinabambini.com.

Dashama is an internationally known yoga teacher and author who has been teaching this holistic lifestyle for years, incorporating yoga, meditation, diet, and sustainable living, globally through the internet, books, and instructional DVDs. This show will expand her currently popular internet reality TV series.

To show your support of this wonderful holistic lifestyle TV Show, please do the following:

* Click on this link: http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&respons…

* Click the play arrow to watch the video

* Click the vote button and vote

* Post a comment

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution sparks American revolution
All over America Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution has sparked hundreds of ideas and events based on the same principles as his show.

***The school district in Crown Point Indiana will institute a variety of healthy eating programs beginning next school year as part of a recent push, inspired by first lady Michelle Obama and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution” TV show, to make school food as healthy as possible.
In April,the School Board increased the prices of lunch and breakfast for the first time since 1999 to provide more fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains and less processed food.
Once the next school year starts, the chefs plan to return to the schools to chat with students and see how well their recipes are received.

***Brook Burke’s travel show meets Oprah’s talk show meets Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Reality Show, with a ‘Unite the World’ global peace, yoga, lifestyle, humanitarian, and environmental sustainability theme.
Dashama’s Mission: To educate and inspire the viewers about global unity, encourage them to get involved in eco-tourism to lend a hand or send donations to each village or region that we visit, as well as involving them directly through a 10 minute yoga session (yoga, meditation and centering exercises that they can do to connect within.) Dashama will be offering real and effective techniques to help the viewers and families selected to transform their lives, over come addictions, and awaken to their best lives right now.
Celebrity guest appearances will add spice and appeal to all audiences. Those who already practice this lifestyle may include: Russel Simmons, Alicia Silverstone, Christy Turlington, Woody Harrleson, Leonardo Di Caprio, Jennifer Aniston, and Gwenyth Paltro.

***Belmont’s Kids Culinary Adventures hosts weeklong summer sessions for all ages, including an Ace of Cakes camp for teens, a Green Eggs and Ham camp for young grade schoolers, and a barbecue extravaganza for tweens. 951 Old County Road, Belmont; http://www.kidsculinaryadventures.com.
(box) And San Jose’s Cucina Bambini offers camps for kids on such themes as “Around the World in 5 Days,” and an appetizer class for teens that includes dips, rolls, avocado egg rolls and tuna tartare on crispy wontons. 1041 Lincoln Ave., San Jose; http://cucinabambini.com.
Dashama is an internationally known yoga teacher and author who has been teaching this holistic lifestyle for years, incorporating yoga, meditation, diet, and sustainable living, globally through the internet, books, and instructional DVDs. This show will expand her currently popular internet reality TV series.
To show your support of this wonderful holistic lifestyle TV Show, please do the following:

Click on this link: http://myown.oprah.com/audition/index.html?request=video_details&respons…
Click the play arrow to watch the video
Click the vote button and vote
Post a comment

Gordon Ramsay’s mum heart attack hell

marrianestrat — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:32:21 +0000

Hell’s Kitchen chef Gordon Ramsay has cancelled all engagements to be at his mother’s bedside after her recent heart attack.

Despite his turbulent upbringing, a heroin addict brother and an abusive father, The F Word star Ramsay, 43, remains close to his social worker mum Helen Cosgrove. ‘My mother is my bedrock, my foundation in life and, along with my wife Tana and my daughters, equally the most important woman in my life,’ says the dad-of-four. T get my determination from her,’ he adds. ‘My mother has never once taken advantage of my success – I’d like to do more for her, but she won’t let me.’ While the chef has a fiery reputation, his mum reckons that behind the scenes he is just ‘a gentle giant’. ‘He’ll always finish a call by saying: “I love you,” and I say it back,’ she added in a recent interview.

Jamie says fight for your allotment

bigtipper — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 15:41:00 +0000

Jamie Oliver has urged gardeners to be more ‘aggressive’ with local councils that fail to provide new allotments.

The celebrity chef is partly responsible for the recent craze for grow-your-own as people follow his advice to eat more healthily.

But few of his fans have enough land to grow fruit and vegetables. The latest figures show almost 200,000 keen gardeners are on waiting lists for allotments, with some set to wait 40 years.

Jamie, 33, said keen gardeners should be lobbying their local authorities using little known legislation.

He pointed out that the Small Holdings and Allotments Act forces councils to provide allotments if more than six people make a request.

The television presenter and author said people need to “get noisy” and force councils to convert unused land like disused car parks or building sites into new plots.

“Nothing seems to happen in this country any more unless you’re a bit renegade about it,” he said.

“If gardeners want more plots they should all get together. It was the same with my campaign for school dinners.

“People thought their voice couldn’t make a difference. But the minute people got together, things started to happen.”

Mr Oliver said councils that drag their feet could be breaking the law.

“There is an old law which states that if there is civic land that’s not being used, and all allotments are full, then they must hand it over,” he said.

“Councils have a lot to deal with. So gardeners need to shout loud and clear. People need to be more aggressive about it.

“They should go on to the Land Registry, identify council land that’s doing nothing, then go to the council with a clear vision of what they want.”

But Mr Oliver said that a television campaign for more allotments, similar to his Jamie’s School Dinners initiative, was unlikely due to his workload.

Donna McDaid, of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, said some councils are using a loophole in the law instead of providing land.

“Some councils are dragging their feet – they seem to think that grow-your-own is just a bit of a fad,” she said.

Jamie Oliver has urged gardeners to be more ‘aggressive’ with local councils that fail to provide new allotments. The celebrity chef is partly responsible for the recent craze for grow-your-own as people follow his advice to eat more healthily.But few of his fans have enough land to grow fruit and vegetables. The latest figures show almost 200,000 keen gardeners are on waiting lists for allotments, with some set to wait 40 years.
Jamie, 33, said keen gardeners should be lobbying their local authorities using little known legislation.He pointed out that the Small Holdings and Allotments Act forces councils to provide allotments if more than six people make a request.The television presenter and author said people need to “get noisy” and force councils to convert unused land like disused car parks or building sites into new plots.”Nothing seems to happen in this country any more unless you’re a bit renegade about it,” he said.”If gardeners want more plots they should all get together. It was the same with my campaign for school dinners.”People thought their voice couldn’t make a difference. But the minute people got together, things started to happen.”Mr Oliver said councils that drag their feet could be breaking the law.”There is an old law which states that if there is civic land that’s not being used, and all allotments are full, then they must hand it over,” he said.”Councils have a lot to deal with. So gardeners need to shout loud and clear. People need to be more aggressive about it.”They should go on to the Land Registry, identify council land that’s doing nothing, then go to the council with a clear vision of what they want.”But Mr Oliver said that a television campaign for more allotments, similar to his Jamie’s School Dinners initiative, was unlikely due to his workload.Donna McDaid, of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, said some councils are using a loophole in the law instead of providing land.”Some councils are dragging their feet – they seem to think that grow-your-own is just a bit of a fad,” she said.

Heston speaks – the kid in the sweet shop

Nick Rosen — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:05:30 +0000

FROM A RECENT TALK BY HESTON BLUMENTHAL:

“I’ve had developed a short animated film— a dream-like journey through intricately choreographed kaleidoscopic images of lime glaciers and swirling turtles and dissolving fob watches and playing cards dancing a Busby-Berkeley style routine that leads the viewer to the door of the most magical and enticing-looking sweetshop you can imagine, with tall arched windows flanked by pillars with candy-cane stripes and a door knocker in the shape of a duck’s beak.

As the door opens you can hear, but not see, a shopkeeper offering sweets that you might have wished for as a kid but never believed possible: apple pie caramels with edible wrappers, aerated chocolate that somehow has the savour of Jaffa cakes … This is designed in part as a reward for broaching the regrettable, but inevitable, difficulties of booking a table at the Fat Duck. (It’s a small restaurant that can serve only 40 people a time.) Once diners have made their reservation they’ll get the password to access a website showing this film, which will generate excitement and whet the appetite for the meal to come. Many of the details in the film — the turtles, the cards and the watch, among others — are covert references to dishes on the menu, so when the diner actually comes to the restaurant there’ll be the pleasure of recognition, of spotting these visual cues and allusions. A playful extra dimension to the whole experience.

I’ve also worked with a perfumer to develop a “Smell of the Sweetshop” scent: a heady blend of, among other things, caramel, liquorice, vanilla and citrus. (Citrus is what perfumers traditionally use to introduce an “upbeat” note to their creations.) The sense of smell is probably more potent than any other in triggering emotion and memories. I’m wondering about wiping a trace of it on the doorframe of the restaurant. The diners’ pulses might quicken a little with excitement as they enter, without them even knowing why.

And a vial of Smell of the Sweetshop will be part of a pink-and-white-striped paper bag of goodies that is given to diners when they leave (no sweetshop experience would be complete without a goodie bag), containing some of those impossible sweets the shopkeeper suggested — that apple pie caramel; the aerated chocolate — along with others: an edible playing card with the flavour of jam tarts, coconut baccy in its own pouch, a miniature sherbet dab. There’s a strong retro element at work here, provoking the kind of nostalgia we find both emotive and relaxing and comforting.

The audience at my Sweet Shop presentation will be given one of the bags. It’s a bit of fun but it introduces people to the kind of development that I think will be part of restaurant-going in the future. A modern restaurant needn’t just be a place to satisfy hunger. Cooking and eating should be about fun and pleasure, and all sorts of creative possibilities can help to bring that about. As long as it forms a natural part of a menu’s logic, restaurateurs should make use of technology such as holograms, lighting design and soundboxes. Or of magicians, artists, musicians, designers and scriptwriters, to produce a sensory experience as powerful as a trip to the cinema or theatre.

I’ve had developed a short animated film— a dream-like journey through intricately choreographed kaleidoscopic images of lime glaciers and swirling turtles and dissolving fob watches and playing cards dancing a Busby-Berkeley style routine that leads the viewer to the door of the most magical and enticing-looking sweetshop you can imagine, with tall arched windows flanked by pillars with candy-cane stripes and a door knocker in the shape of a duck’s beak.As the door opens you can hear, but not see, a shopkeeper offering sweets that you might have wished for as a kid but never believed possible: apple pie caramels with edible wrappers, aerated chocolate that somehow has the savour of Jaffa cakes … This is designed in part as a reward for broaching the regrettable, but inevitable, difficulties of booking a table at the Fat Duck. (It’s a small restaurant that can serve only 40 people a time.) Once diners have made their reservation they’ll get the password to access a website showing this film, which will generate excitement and whet the appetite for the meal to come. Many of the details in the film — the turtles, the cards and the watch, among others — are covert references to dishes on the menu, so when the diner actually comes to the restaurant there’ll be the pleasure of recognition, of spotting these visual cues and allusions. A playful extra dimension to the whole experience.I’ve also worked with a perfumer to develop a “Smell of the Sweetshop” scent: a heady blend of, among other things, caramel, liquorice, vanilla and citrus. (Citrus is what perfumers traditionally use to introduce an “upbeat” note to their creations.) The sense of smell is probably more potent than any other in triggering emotion and memories. I’m wondering about wiping a trace of it on the doorframe of the restaurant. The diners’ pulses might quicken a little with excitement as they enter, without them even knowing why.And a vial of Smell of the Sweetshop will be part of a pink-and-white-striped paper bag of goodies that is given to diners when they leave (no sweetshop experience would be complete without a goodie bag), containing some of those impossible sweets the shopkeeper suggested — that apple pie caramel; the aerated chocolate — along with others: an edible playing card with the flavour of jam tarts, coconut baccy in its own pouch, a miniature sherbet dab. There’s a strong retro element at work here, provoking the kind of nostalgia we find both emotive and relaxing and comforting.The audience at my Sweet Shop presentation will be given one of the bags. It’s a bit of fun but it introduces people to the kind of development that I think will be part of restaurant-going in the future. A modern restaurant needn’t just be a place to satisfy hunger. Cooking and eating should be about fun and pleasure, and all sorts of creative possibilities can help to bring that about. As long as it forms a natural part of a menu’s logic, restaurateurs should make use of technology such as holograms, lighting design and soundboxes. Or of magicians, artists, musicians, designers and scriptwriters, to produce a sensory experience as powerful as a trip to the cinema or theatre.

Delia and Heston sales surge

veg-head — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:14:43 +0000

Waitrose has a great advertising campaign running at the moment featuring receipes from Heston Blumenthal and Delia Smith.

The TV ads show Heston and Delia making the recipe of the week, and you can go online to see the full version of the recipe – these are brilliantly edited so you can see exactly how to make each dish. There are also recipe cards in shops and each week, special offers on the ingredients for that week’s recipe.

The campaign has been a fantastic success. How did Heston’s Tagliata recipe, impact on May bank holiday sales? “Sirloin steak sales increased by more than 900%, rump steak by more than 550% and rocket by more than 700%,” says the manager of Waitrose Cheltnham, where chef.co.uk is based.

“Each weekend we see a surge in demand for the ingredients that were featured the Thursday before. Sales uptake seems to keep growing with every new tip, recipe card and advertisement fronted by Delia and Heston.

“It’s incredible to witness.”

Waitrose has a great advertising campaign running at the moment featuring receipes from Heston Blumenthal and Delia Smith.
The TV ads show Heston and Delia making the recipe of the week, and you can go online to see the full version of the recipe – these are brilliantly edited so you can see exactly how to make each dish. There are also recipe cards in shops and each week, special offers on the ingredients for that week’s recipe.
The campaign has been a fantastic success. How did Heston’s Tagliata recipe, impact on May bank holiday sales? “Sirloin steak sales increased by more than 900%, rump steak by more than 550% and rocket by more than 700%,” says the manager of Waitrose Cheltnham, where chef.co.uk is based.”Each weekend we see a surge in demand for the ingredients that were featured the Thursday before. Sales uptake seems to keep growing with every new tip, recipe card and advertisement fronted by Delia and Heston.
“It’s incredible to witness.”

Fish TV

The Glutton — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:01:41 +0000

A new British TV series takes the idea of the camper van tour of Britain and adds a new lemon twist – two chefs on a fish-cooking tour of Britain.

Young’s Seafood is funding the new prime time series about fish and how to cook it on one of Britain’s digital TV channels.

“Mitch and Matt’s Big Fish” is planned to TX on the UKTV Food channel and features Mitchell Tonks, British fishmonger and restaurateur. Tonks, founder of Fishworks restaurant chain, will partner rugby player and ‘Masterchef’ winner, Matt Dawson. The pair travel the country in a beaten up camper van on a fish fuelled roadtrip – enjoying all kinds of seafood and finding out more about responsible fishing

As a break from the banter of two lads on a roadtrip, the programme will see the pair immerse themselves in the landscape, seascape and people that make up Britain’s fishing communities.