Gordon Ramsay's upsetting trick to feed meat to vegetarians & Paul McCartney row (2024)

Gordon Ramsay has shown a strong hatred to non-meat lovers over the years.

The foul-mouthed celebrity chef has gone to war with vegetarians on countless occasions - and even claimed his worst nightmare would be one of his kids announcing they were one.

Gordon once claimed he was part of PETA, but mockingly added: "People Eating Tasty Animals".

He also caused outraged when asked if he had any allergies, telling his Twitter followers: "Vegans".

Gordon has made it clear he is certainly not a fan of vegetarians and may have gone too far, once tricking a group into eating meat for his TV show.

But he has made a slight U-turn in recent years and even tried going vegan.

Tricking vegetarians into eating meat

Gordon has liked to play particularly nasty pranks on vegetarians in the past - causing a lot of controversy along the way.

While promoting the BBC's Comic Relief programme in 2003, the chef was asked what had been his most recent lie.

He replied: "To a table of vegetarians who had artichoke soup. I told them it was made with vegetable stock when it was chicken stock."

In one of his most controversial stunts, Gordon once tricked a vegetarian into eating meat while filming the second series of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares in 2005.

Members of the public were invited to sample pizzas at a struggling Italian restaurant in Hertfordshire.

When one of the volunteers revealed he had been a a vegetarian for eight years, Gordon claimed the chefs had prepared a special vegetarian pizza for him to try.

Once he had eaten a slice, Gordon revelled in telling him: "Unfortunately, that pizza has got a lot of mozzarella and tomatoes, but underneath all that there is parma ham."

When the vegetarian complained that a "mean" trick had been played on him, Gordon hit back by claiming he "hasn't come out in a big rash".

Ramsay laughed at the man while asking if he would like more and told the restaurant's chefs that they have "converted a vegetarian".

As the man walked off, Gordon called out: "Good luck with the Vegemite!"

The controversial prank infuriated vegetarians - with many blasting his 'offensive and unethical' actions.

At the time, Tina Fox, the chief executive of the Vegetarian Society, said: "I am amazed that Gordon Ramsay can find the discomfort of a fellow human being so amusing.

"It can be deeply upsetting for vegetarians to find they have eaten any part of an animal in error. Would Gordon find it equally amusing if an anaphylactic customer died at the table due to eating nuts?"

A Channel 4 spokesman said: "We believe this was a genuine mistake and that Gordon Ramsay did not deliberately set out to give meat to a vegetarian."

Mocking vegan recipes

Gordon has proven he can adapt to the times, so he now spends a lot of time critiquing food on TikTok.

The foul-mouthed chef isn't afraid to go hard on people's cooking in real life, so he really loves exposing dodgy meals to his 20 million followers.

While Gordon usually dedicates most of his time to calling out those who don't prepare meat in the right way.

But back in January, he turned his attention to a Canadian TikToker called That Vegan Teacher.

"Eating animals is wrong, Gordon Ramsay. Hurting animals is wrong, Gordon Ramsay," she sang on the social media platform.

"Share this song, and if you call me a donut that's fine, as long as you're vegan from now on."

Gordon responded by watching the video back while mockingly chewing on a piece of lettuce.

At the end of the tune, Gordon spat out the lettuce and hit back by calling the woman a "vegan donut".

Then to really rub it in he picked up a juicy beef burger and started chomping away.

Uploading the same clip to Instagram, Gordon wrote: "Nothing wrong with being vegan. Everything wrong with trying to force people to convert."

In another edition of his #RamsayReacts series, Gordon roasted an amateur chef who shared a video of his cucumber Wellington.

The first step in his cooking process was to place two lettuce leaves onto a piece of cling film, before adding the mushroom crumb.

Gordon was less than impressed with what he was witnessing and stunned viewers with a dirty reference.

"Oh dear, that looks like one of my wife's toys from under the bed," exclaimed Gordon.

When the TikToker user rolled the parcel in pastry and popped it into the oven, Gordon cried: "No, stop it. Is there a raw cucumber in there?

"How dare you insult Wellington. You need to get back to the vegan teacher's classroom you donut."

Fears kids will be vegetarian

From an early age, Gordon educated his kids on where their food comes from.

He even caused controversy in 2005 by making them say say goodbye to their turkeys - when daughter Tilly was just a toddler.

"Bye bye turkeys," said Gordon, before adding: "See you in the oven!"

One of Gordon's very worst fears is that one of his children will announce they no longer eat meat.

So much so that Gordon has already come up with a pretty harsh punishment if one of them ever did decide to become a vegetarian.

He explained: "My biggest nightmare would be if the kids ever came up to me and said 'Dad, I'm a vegetarian.'

"Then I would sit them on the fence and electrocute them," he said.

Ramsay also said he would "never forgive" his daughters if they came home with a boyfriend who did not eat meat.

Paul McCartney row

Gordon's controversial comments managed to upset a Beatle.

Sir Paul McCartney, who has not eaten meat for 40 years, blasted "stupid" Ramsey for his outspoken remarks against vegetarians.

"I think it's a case of live and let live," the legendary singer told Sainsbury's Magazine in 2008.

"I will talk to people about the advantages of vegetarianism, and it will upset me if we've had a good conversation and they turn around and say something stupid.

"I just read a quote from Gordon Ramsay... 'If my daughter ever grew up and married a vegetarian, I'd never forgive her'.

"But even that I would forgive because it's not my affair, it's not up to me if he talks stupid or not."

U-turn on veganism

Despite vowing he would never go vegan, Gordon did dabble back in 2018 as part of a major U-turn.

"Going to give this #vegan thing a try … Yes guys you heard that right. Gx," he tweeted in April 2018.

This coincided with Gordon launching a vegan pizza at his restaurant, leading some to think it was a gimmick, but others praised him for embracing new things.

Once Gordon got a taste for the vegan life he couldn't go back as he took part in a vegan cook-off on MastherChef.

Then in a sensational twist this year, Gordon launched his own vegan 'beef' Wellington as part of Veganuary.

He began promoting the meat-free meals being sold at his restaurants and many people have praised the move to add inclusive options for vegans.

Sharing the recipe, he wrote: "A vegan twist on our classic beef welly… try making @breadstkitchen’s delicious beet welly at home this #Veganuary."

While the introduction of a vegan dish excited a few of his fans, it riled many who thought there were better ways to cook vegetarian recipes than by just adding beetroot.

Gordon Ramsay's upsetting trick to feed meat to vegetarians & Paul McCartney row (2024)

FAQs

Did Gordon Ramsay trick vegetarians into eating meat? ›

Gordon Ramsay seemingly tricked a dedicated vegetarian into eating hidden meat on top of a pizza.

Is Gordon Ramsay a vegetarian now? ›

In the clip, Ramsay admits that “it's taken me 20 years to get to this point”. He added in a further statement to People: “Thanks to the kids, I've realised it's OK to be vegan…

Why do most vegetarians go back to eating meat? ›

There are countless reasons someone might start eating meat again. One person might need to get more calories and protein, while another may simply miss the taste. Regardless of the reason, no one should feel ashamed or guilty for deciding to reintroduce meat to their diet.

Does chef Ramsay cook anymore? ›

Although Ramsay does not often work in the kitchen professionally anymore, he still loves to cook.

Why do vegetarians choose not to eat meat? ›

Some want to eat more healthy foods. Others have religious or economic reasons or are concerned about animal welfare. “Vegetarian diets are also more sustainable and environmentally sound than diets that rely heavily on meat, poultry and fish,” says NIH nutritionist Dr.

Who was the vegetarian who became a butcher? ›

Jered Standing, 40, who owns Standing's Butchery in Los Angeles, never stopped longing for meat during the five years he was a vegetarian. He eschewed meat after working as a conventional butcher in a supermarket right out of college. “I was really turned off by what I saw,” he said.

Is Guy Fieri a vegetarian? ›

Guy Fieri and Veganism

Although Fieri is known for promoting meat and other animal products, he is also very in touch with his plant-based side. When Guy's sister Morgan was battling cancer, she adopted a vegetarian diet. She challenged her brother to make her plant-based meals, and he did.

Has Gordon Ramsay ever like the food? ›

Gordon Ramsay professing his love for everything he is served rarely happens on "Kitchen Nightmares." There have been certain occasions, however, where Ramsay likes some of the food, or even just one dish, though the praise usually gets lost in his contempt for everything else he has to eat.

Are there any famous vegetarian chefs? ›

1. Isa Chandra Moskowitz. As an author, restaurant owner, and vegan chef, Isa Chandra Moskowitz is a big name in the plant-based and vegan worlds. She has authored or co-authored ten books including Veganomicon and Vegan with a Vengeance.

Do vegetarians live longer than people who eat meat? ›

A team of researchers at Loma Linda University in the United States has shown vegetarian men live for an average of 10 years longer than non-vegetarian men — 83 years compared to 73 years. For women, being vegetarian added an extra 6 years to their lives, helping them reach 85 years on average.

What happens if you eat meat after not eating it for years? ›

"Meat is high in protein and can be high in fat. It also doesn't have fiber. So all those things can impact your GI tract and can cause constipation or just general changes in ease and frequency when it comes to poops," explains Valente.

What happens if you eat chicken after being vegetarian? ›

Vegetarians or vegans won't get sick when they eat meat, but they might feel sluggish or have a stomachache if they eat too much too quickly. How do vegetarians start eating meat again? Start slowly and with small amounts. Some people might find it easier to eat fish or ground meat to start.

Does Gordon Ramsay have a condition? ›

But a recent diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis means he may have to take a step back soon. “I'd never heard that word in relation to me before. He told me I needed to start slowing down,” Gordon told the outlet: “It was a case of 'Imagine you've got 1.5 million steps to run over the next 30 years… pace yourself.

How much does Gordon Ramsay weigh? ›

How tall is Gordon Ramsay? Fans once discussed barefoot height of Michelin-star chef
Full NameGordon James Ramsay
Age56 (as of 2023)
Place of BirthScotland, United Kingdom
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) approx
Weight80 kg (176 lbs) approx
5 more rows

Does Gordon Ramsay have a vegetarian restaurant? ›

Gordon Ramsay's newest Hell's Kitchen restaurant in DC offers dedicated meat-free menus with tofu scallops, vegan risotto, and more. Famed chef Gordon Ramsay has opened a new location of his Hell's Kitchen restaurant in Washington DC—and its menu is 60 percent meat-free.

Does Hells Kitchen have vegetarian options? ›

We have many menu items that are vegetarian by design, or can be made vegetarian through simple substitutions or omissions. For vegans, we are proud to offer the Impossible Burger, which can easily be made vegan by request.

Did Gordon Ramsay ever like the food? ›

Gordon Ramsay professing his love for everything he is served rarely happens on "Kitchen Nightmares." There have been certain occasions, however, where Ramsay likes some of the food, or even just one dish, though the praise usually gets lost in his contempt for everything else he has to eat.

Can a chef be vegetarian? ›

There are plenty of chefs that practice a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle while still being able to cook using animal protein because they have learned the techniques of cooking with animal proteins and what they should look and taste like.

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