The One Food Gordon Ramsay Refuses To Eat - 'The Smell Is Disgusting'

As a world-renowned chef, Gordon Ramsay is mostly open to trying anything and everything palatable under the sun. However, like most of us, the "MasterChef" star also has foods he avoids at all costs. And among those, there's one that he wouldn't even dare try. In a 2015 Reddit AMA, a fan asked him to name the food he's unlikely to put in his mouth, and he mentioned overcooked food — especially if it's Brussels sprouts. "I'll eat absolutely anything," he explained. "The only thing I draw the line at ... is eating overcooked food. There is NOTHING worse than an overcooked Brussels sprouts. The smell is disgusting."

If you haven't encountered the smell of overcooked Brussels sprouts yet, you might think that Ramsay is overreacting. But if you have, then you already know how pungent they can get. Here's why: These tiny cabbage-like buds contain sulfur compounds or glucosinolates. Subjecting them to prolonged heat will cause these compounds to break down and escape in gas form (hydrogen sulfide), leaving your kitchen with a horrid smell. The stench is comparable to rotten eggs, open sewers, and even farts, and that's because those same compounds are responsible for their characteristic scent. Even when not overcooked, this vegetable may end up smelling foul when not stored properly. To prevent their sulfur content from breaking down in your kitchen, you should learn the best way to store Brussels sprouts so they last longer.

In the same Reddit AMA, Gordon Ramsay admitted that he makes an effort to taste ingredients from different parts of the world, so he'd know what to do and not to do with them. He has even braved unusual regional dishes from Southeast Asia, including the beating heart of a cobra and deep-fried tarantula. To many of us, these foods may be gag-inducing, but for Ramsay, being served overcooked Brussels sprouts seems much worse. But it's worth nothing that he doesn't necessarily loathe or avoid Brussels sprouts. He has even featured recipes using this vegetable on his shows and social media, including Brussels sprouts with pancetta and chestnuts.

Unfortunately, not everyone can be as skilled in the kitchen as the celebrity chef. So, while the idea of not overcooking Brussels sprouts may seem easy, it takes practice and careful timing to ensure they don't end up smelling foul or tasting bitter. One of the most common methods of cooking Brussels sprouts is blanching, which Ramsay employed for his pancetta and chestnut recipe. But other chefs would argue that the key to making the most delicious Brussels sprouts is roasting them. However, this method typically requires cooking in the oven for 45 minutes. To cut down on prep time, a simple trick for crispy roasted Brussels sprouts is to peel off their leaves. Doing so will reduce cooking time to around 20 minutes.