In the current issue of the New Yorker, culinary scribe Bill Buford uncaps his pen on Gordon Ramsay and throws down twelve pages titled, "The Taming of the Chef: Can Gordon Ramsay Make it Here?" Buford was afforded all-area access to the pugilistic chef from the pre-opening of his eponymous NYC restaurant last November to post-reviews in March. Buford paints the portrait in his usual style, current events interspersed with the historic bio, many details of which come via Ramsay's autobiography Roasting in Hell's Kitchen.
a
The article notes that Ramsay arrived last fall with a film crew in tow, recording his quest for another three Michelin stars. I'd hazard a guess to say this article was sold on a similar pretext. Suffice it to say the film is not going to be made, but Buford has documented a story very rarely seen - the stuggle and denouement of a high-profile restaurant and its chef. We've all read the reviews, but now we've a candid recount of the chaos (staff problems, theft, miscalculations, etc.) behind the scenes. Seemingly everything that could go wrong did. When strategizing the big media coverage, of course the interest is putting forth the best, most shining portrait. It was likely unforeseeable and unimaginable that this is the story that would be recorded.
a
An interesting point is Ramsay's confession of masterminding the notorious incident in 1997, when the reservation book for his restaurant Aubergine was stolen by a man on a motorcycle. The story made the rounds of the British papers, with Ramsey pointing the finger at mentor and rival chef Marco Pierre White. Ramsay now confesses to orchestrating the incident to create distraction and give himself the edge during a difficult period of negotiations with his partners. The reservation book in fact resides in a safe in Ramsay's home.
a
I'm sure Marco Pierre White will respond with some very colorful remarks and gestures.
a
To wit, Marco's autobiography hits stores in May. Ramsay and White have a shared history, though each recounts their own version. Knowing the British media's penchant for a good dust-up, I'm sure it's only a matter of time before we start to see the articles that deconstruct the stories into a battle of the memories. Welcome to the gastrodome. Two chefs enter, one chef leaves.
a
PS: At the tail end of the article, Buford writes..."Alain Ducasse is the last foreigner with a reputation to open a restaurant in New York." And Robuchon? Seems he's doing just fine.
UPDATE 3.27.07: Marco Pierre White responds to Ramsay on the fabricated resy book theft [via The Daily Mail]:
"If that's how you pay back your friend, and people who've helped you, that's sad...But I've always said ambition is one of the most dangerous preoccupations in the world."
As a Brit, I hope you're right about the fight in the press. However, I reckon that MPW is no longer high profile enough to result in a proper case of fists at dawn. If he was still cooking that might be another thing.
I wish he'd go back into the kitchen, I'd love to eat some of his food now.
Posted by: Silverbrow | March 26, 2007 at 01:13 PM