Gordon Ramsay on foreign food

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

Gordon Ramsay is one of Britain's best known chefs, largely for his TV appearances and his incessant profanity which is even worse than mine and that is saying something. Back in May, when I was in Africa, he apparently launched a polemic against the use of foreign food in the UK. He went so far as to say that restaurants using foreign food should be fined or even put out of business.

I have found, when surfing the net, that he has received considerable criticism on this, largely for his xenophobic attitude. Honestly, I cannot give a damn about that. If he wishes to hate foreigners, more fool him.

My objection to his stupid attitude is that his position would deny the third world the opportunity of exporting food to the UK. The poor countries have a difficult job already given the subsidies and protectionism which the EU and the USA offers local producers. Ramsay's ideas would cut them off altogther.

Oh sure, flying in fresh veg from Tanzania produces CO2 but does not the very same veg mop up CO2? The people growing these veg could not afford a single carrot in one of Ramsay's restaurants whilst he goes home every night to Tana and no doubt drinks La Tache.