Brothers in arms
Matt Moran tells us about his friend and the whirlwind of energy that surrounds Gordon Ramsay
Why do people like Gordon? He's a character, he's passionate and he gets others passionate. He inspires because he's a fucking hurricane.
I've been around a lot of famous people - I hung with INXS at their peak - but even that was nothing like the Gordon-mania in London last time. We hit some bars one night, and seriously, there were 20 paparazzi everywhere!
In Sydney, when he's visited in the past, apart from the diehard foodies who watch cable he's gone unnoticed. But this trip is going to be totally different. I said to him, "You don't realise what it's going to be like when your out here. You're massive here. It'll be bedlam - you're not going to be able to go out fucking anywhere." "Yeah, I will," he says. "How do you figure that?" "You'll sort it," he says.
We've been friends for ten years now. He and I met through a mate of mine in London in 1998. He'd just opened Aubergine and we had dinner there and, for the next nine days, hung out, going go-kart racing and water-skiing, as well as me spending a day in his kitchen. We became mates. I'm his spy in Sydney!
He rang me the week before I started filming the first season of The Chopping Block. That was sweet. "Good luck," he said, "but lose some weight you fat c**t!' He added: "Look, I'll get the ratings for you, mate.
Your only job is not to fuck it up for me, OK?"
"Classic Gordo."
Matt Moran's Chopping Block 2 on Channel Nine is calling for contestants! Call 02 9383 4300 or email
thechoppingblock@granadaproductions.com.au for an application.