Gordon Ramsay's Complicated Take On Frozen Food

If you've ever watched "Kitchen Nightmares," you've probably heard Michelin star-chef Gordon Ramsay ask some version of "was this frozen?" You've also probably seen him sneer in open disgust and drop a choice four-letter word whenever someone admits his meal was microwaved. Over the years, he's made no secret that frozen food is something to be scorned, especially when eating out at a restaurant. While he's not above turning his nose up at luxurious foods, such as wagyu meatballs, one of his biggest gripes is when someone serves reheated food that could have easily been made fresh with quality ingredients.

However, does he always believe frozen food is the enemy? Perhaps surprisingly, no! Frozen food and Ramsay have a long and complicated history that's had some shocking twists along the way. There are times when Ramsay has signed off on frozen components or dishes and has even dabbled in using them in his own restaurants. In many of his YouTube videos, you might also notice that he instructs home cooks to use frozen corn, broths, or even fish on rare occasions. So, where exactly does he draw the line?

His biggest beef is with frozen meals

You won't find Gordon Ramsay getting bent out of shape when it comes to using specific frozen ingredients. For example, frozen peas, stock, and even phyllo dough are all okay in his book. He's also fine with frozen ingredients that are hard to find fresh regionally, such as kaffir lime leaves. Instead, he is most disgusted by the lazy idea of using fully premade meals. He's expressed that his personal hell would involve frozen dinners, further stating in Bon Appétit that "it's so easy to prepare a quick meal using fresh produce, such as a simple stir-fry, but people still resort to ready meals that all taste exactly the same." He criticized not only pros, but home cooks for taking shortcuts when fresh ingredients are so available.

Given his ire for frozen dinners, it came as a massive surprise when an investigation in 2009 revealed that a few of his restaurants were serving premade, thawed meals and sauces. Ramsay owns many restaurants worldwide, and this investigation specifically covered restaurant Foxtrot Oscar in London, as well as his other nearby pubs. After decades of vocal contempt for frozen entrees, this was a shocking revelation. The reasoning was that it "allows each establishment to control the consistency and the quality of the food served," according to a spokeswoman (via The Guardian). Nevertheless, Ramsay still espouses fresh ingredients as gospel for his and other restaurants.

Somehow, Gordon Ramsay has a frozen food line

With this in mind, Gordon Ramsay is one of the least likely people you'd expect to slap their name on a line of frozen entrees. Yet, shockingly, that's the world we live in. In 2023, Ramsay released his first line of frozen meals, including everything from risotto to mac and cheese. While this may sound like a morsel of hypocrisy, he seemed pleased to offer these ready-made foods, saying (via Business Insider) "it thrills me that these dishes are so widely available for anyone to experience, and I hope they inspire the home chef in everyone." Consumers seemed slightly less thrilled due to the high price point and varying taste quality. However, some of the dishes have received positive reviews, particularly the Wellington Bites. Whether you love it or hate it, this new line of premade meals does seem to show that Ramsay's frozen dinner contempt has a little wiggle room.

To say Ramsay has a complex relationship with frozen foods, one that has morphed and changed drastically over the years, is an understatement. He still firmly advocates for making your own meals at home, and has a series of YouTube videos showing how to make fresh dinners quickly. However, his ventures into frozen meals and ingredients demonstrate that this hard-boiled chef is willing to soften up on a few of his rules.

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