How Gordon Ramsay Really Felt About Cooking For Vladimir Putin
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay certainly appears to ooze confidence, especially given his fiery persona. The "Hell's Kitchen" host might be described as having a no-nonsense, rough-around-the-edges personality, but some may argue that it's this demeanor that has helped his rise to fame.
In 1998, the award-winning chef opened his first dining spot in London called Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, which earned a three-star rating from Michelin and was known as a high-end foodie destination (via Biography). Since then, the iconic chef has opened several restaurants throughout England as well as internationally, and in 2022 he plans to open a market-style restaurant in Harrahs Cherokee Casino Resort in North Carolina. The "Kitchen Nightmares" star has had many successes, which some may see as surprising considering he is often shown as a stress-inducing personality.
Watching Ramsay through the years, it's impossible to think that anyone could intimidate him, however, there is one time he recalls feeling the pressure over cooking for a world leader.
Cooking for Vladimir Putin made Ramsay nervous
The sought-after Ramsay has cooked for numerous world leaders and celebrities, including the late Princess Diana, who the chef described as "one of the most gracious members of the royal family," (per Town&Country). With his tough personality and seasoned experience, it's difficult to picture Ramsay breaking a sweat over cooking for anyone, but that's exactly what happened when British Prime Minister Tony Blair invited him to prepare a meal for Vladimir Putin. According to TheThings, in April of 2000, Putin was visiting the Prime Minister in London after being elected president, and they called on Ramsay to cook lunch for them.
In 2018, while appearing on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," the host came out and asked Ramsay what it was like cooking for Vladimir Putin. Ramsay shared that this was one lunch he didn't want to mess up, jesting that he might "be in trouble" if he did. Per TheThings, the chef shared his thoughts of "...don't overcook the sea bass, don't overcook the sea bass! Make sure the seasoning's on point" and added that the experience was, "Quite nerve-racking, but at the same time instrumental." In classic Ramsay style, he did throw some more colorful words in the exchange, as you can imagine.
In addition to the sea bass, Putin's lunch menu also included tomato consommé with caviare, ham knuckle, and white asparagus.