Sydney's finest on the effing chef...
Myffy Rigby finds out what our local chefs make of Ramsay's ingredients
Top row: Mark Best of Marque, Brent Savage of Bentley and Luke Mangan of Glass; Bottom Row: James Kidman of Otto, Neil Perry of Rockpool, Sean Connolly of Astral
1 What you think of Gordon Ramsay?
MB A prodigious and effective self-promoter.
BS More showman than chef!
LM A chef who shows people what perfection (and stress) is all about.
JK Amazing business acumen.
NP An amazing character.
SC He beats people up emotionally, then brings the best out of 'em. I like him.
2 What do you think of Gordon's food?
NP You don't get 12 Michelin hats unless you're doing good stuff. The last time I went to Hospital Road, it was brilliant. The service was just outstanding.
JK His food is beautiful and shows immense command for quality, technique and skill
LM I've eaten in a lot of his restaurants and always had amazing food. Gordon's very passionate, very creative. I have a lot of respect for him.
MB The care, technique and attention to detail are obvious.
BS I haven't eaten in his restaurant and probably wouldn't. His food sounds very rich and a little old school for my tastes.
SC Gordon does simple food for TV but it's a lot more complex in his restaurants.
3 What do you think of Gordon's TV shows?
MB Love 'em! Nothing better than to put my feet up and watch Gordon give out fucking good bollockings. Incompetence makes me angry too.
SC The F Word I liked. It was about providence and more about food. Kitchen Nightmares I think is hilarious - did you seen where that young lad poisons him with black pudding and scallops? I don't really like his Hell's Kitchen - it's pretty ordinary and too staged.
BS I haven't seen many but I think they provide an insight into the personality type and attitude of Gordon Ramsay.
LM Incredibly entertaining. You can tell Gordon cares about the restaurants he's trying to help. Hell's Kitchen proves how demanding a chef's life is too.
JK Never watch them. I'm at work when they're on and, like Gordon I suspect, I'd prefer to watch Premier League football.
4 What does Gordon do for chefs' reputations?
BS I don't think he does chefs any favours...
LM Well, not everyone is like Gordon in the kitchen... I guess if people don't like that then they don't have to work for him or watch him.
MB A good chef is always intimidating (in fact most bad ones are too). A constant stream of invective does not necessarily a good chef make. In Gordon's case it's part of the package.
JK Gordon's a pro - he shows a desire to have customers leave a restaurant satisfied and happy with the experience they've paid for.
NP Nobody really takes that stuff seriously. If Gordon were as big an asshole as he is on TV, he wouldn't have any staff for 19 restaurants. That said, I don't think that level of abuse is great for the industry's image. But the Brits get a rough passage to the shit pit anyway...
SC Everyone's so flattened out and nicey-nice on TV, but Gordon's exciting - he gives us all a bit of an edge. I quite like that. The reality is, if you're really passionate about food, you're probably going to have a few ‘Ramsay moments'.
5 Do chefs really swear like Gordon does?
MB Yes, especially the English ones.
BS Most chefs do swear quite a bit.
LM Some do, but it's a high-pressure job.
JK Everyone is different
NP Some guys around Sydney get reputations for that, but we're working on getting people to cook beautiful food because they're excited about it, not necessarily because they're browbeaten into it - that's an English trait.
6 How would Gordon go in Sydney if he opened here?
JK Sydney is a cosmopolitan city and embraces top-end dining. It's Gordon Ramsay - he doesn't seem to fail at anything does he?
MB Very well, depending on the location. Sydney diners aren't exactly averse to the cult of celebrity or innovative food like Gordon's.
BS It would go off with a bang, providing he made adjustments to his menu to suit Sydney's climate, produce and clientele.
LM With his ability and enthusiasm, Gordon would make it work. Australians love great food and service and they know quality.
NP It depends on Gordon and how much time he wants to spend down here.
SC I think it'd be a big hit, but what would disappoint Australians is that he'd not be in the kitchen as often as he'd like. In Sydney we like the celebrity on our doorstep. I dunno anyone celebrity chef here that swans off around the world and comes back 12 months later to pick up the cash. Gordon's brought food to the masses and an interest in chefs. He's far outreached Jamie Oliver or that provocateur, the one that licks her fingers... Nigella Lawson. That's got to be a good thing!