The Famous Chef Who Made Anthony Bourdain One Of The Best Things He'd Ever Eaten

Anthony Bourdain didn't always get along with his contemporaries in the celebrity chef space, notoriously feuding with Guy Fieri and Paula Deen throughout his career. However, one person Bourdain had a great respect for over the years was none other than Gordon Ramsay, the man who made one of the best dishes Bourdain ever had back in the early 2000s.

Just a few years before Ramsay began hosting "Hell's Kitchen" and became one of the world's most famous chefs, Anthony Bourdain visited Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London to try Ramsay's shin of beef, a dish that the New Yorker found to be absolutely exquisite. This visit was documented in a 2002 episode of Bourdain's deeply underrated first travel show, "A Cook's Tour," and was one that Bourdain had been actively looking forward to. "There are few times in your life that you know you're going to have a good time [...] and you give yourself over to the experience," Bourdain began, "that's what I'm about to do at [Restaurant Gordon Ramsay]."

As for the meal itself, the star of the show was undoubtedly the aforementioned shin of beef, which served as Bourdain's main course. Ramsay successfully tenderized the tough cut of meat by braising it with red wine and a mirepoix of vegetables for 3 to 4 hours. It was then plated alongside spinach, black truffles, and foie gras on top, all of which came together to provide a flavor and texture that absolutely blew Bourdain away. "This is too good," Bourdain said as he tried the dish, "He's walking that tightrope between perfect and overkill [...] This is one of the best things I've eaten — Ever."

Before having his life changed by Ramsay's shin of beef, Bourdain was presented with a first course of ham hock tureen over celery root and a chilled consommé with caviar. The second course was lobster ravioli served on a bed of pea puree with truffles, accompanied by white asparagus and a lobster vinaigrette. Bourdain lauded both dishes as tremendous precursors to the main course. Then, for dessert, Bourdain was treated to a wild strawberry gelee with julienne orange zest and ice cream, which he said was a simply "extraordinary" way to conclude the meal.