The 'Stupid' Menu Trend Gordon Ramsay Is Sick Of Hearing About

Trends come and go, and if Gordon Ramsay had any say about it, the "Mounjaro menu" fad would be on its way out the door to retire in defeat. Originally designed as Type 2 diabetes medications, GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro caught the world by storm once individuals realized they are effective at helping people lose weight. Now that many have jumped on board the Mounjaro train for that reason, some restaurants are catering to those folks by offering tasting menus comprised of tiny portions of food. But don't expect to see such offerings in any of Gordon Ramsay's many popular restaurants.

"If I ever hear that word again, the 'Mounjaro menu,' I will f***ing flip my lid," Ramsay said in an interview with Tasting Table. "I've never heard anything so stupid in all my life." The Michelin-starred chef is seldom bashful about sharing his unfiltered opinion about everything from eating airplane food to restaurants featuring Wagyu meatballs, but the Mounjaro menu really seems to have struck a nerve. For Ramsay, the issue isn't necessarily people taking the drug to assist with weight loss. In his opinion, these pint-sized menus are an affront to the spirit of dining out.

In his interview with Tasting Table, Gordon Ramsay laid out specifically what he finds so offensive about the Mounjaro menu trend by describing his take on a proper dining experience. "Dining out and breaking bread is a celebration. It's a reconnection. It's a moment of no politics. It's a moment of neutral ground, having fun, catching up, and enjoying," he said. In other words, it's the time and place to leave your troubles at the door and create lasting memories with loved ones around the one great unifier: food. "To supplement those menus with tasting menus that are Mounjaro-kitted out for small portions, I find it embarrassing."

However, as is often the case, not everybody feels the same way about the Mounjaro menu trend as the opinionated chef that many have come to know and love. Some folks are grateful to see smaller portions of food being served, as it limits temptations. Even if someone as credentialed as Ramsay disagrees with the notion, you can't blame chefs and restaurant owners for trying to keep customers coming in the doors while they aren't dining out as much as they used to. Despite Ramsay's fierce opposition to the "stupid" trend, even some Michelin-starred chefs are now getting in on it, signaling that Mounjaro menus might be around for a while.

Static Media owns and operates Tasting Table and The Takeout.