Chef Gordon Ramsay Says Roasted Guinea Pig Is ‘Delicious’ But He Can’t Put It On A Menu
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is expanding his own palate with his new National Geographic culinary travel series Uncharted, but that doesn’t mean that diners in the United States and the U.K. are ready to try some of the more exotic and foreign dishes featured on the show.
Take the guinea pig, for example. As part of his travels, Ramsay went to Peru and tried roasted guinea pig, which is commonly found on menus, and called it “delicious” according to The Telegraph. In the U.S. and U.K., guinea pigs are exclusively thought of as furry pets, and the chef says he would be “taken down” if he put them on the menu as a protein source.
But Ramsay suggests that if given the opportunity, people should try roasted guinea pig.
“You do not know what you’re missing. I am telling you now, delicious.”
Ramsay, a native of Scotland, said he has even had to push his own limits when trying new food and drink around the world. In one clip, the chef apprehensively takes a shot of a spirit with a gecko preserved in it, and then says it’s not bad.
“With a gecko inside the flavor is extraordinary.”
Ramsay tells fans that the new show with National Geographic isn’t a cooking show, but more of a food travel program that investigates what different cultures eat.
“Food is the foundation,” says @GordonRamsay “It gives rounded insight into the actual culture of a place.” https://t.co/5XkCZzKr2E
— National Geographic (@NatGeo) July 18, 2019
Ramsay is receiving some criticism for his new project, with some suggesting that he’s trying to fill the gap left by chef and author Anthony Bourdain, who traveled the globe trying new food on his show, Parts Unknown.
Ramsay explains that it is an adventure into the world of food and cuisine, which he calls “the best connection in the world.”
“I am coming to an age now where like professionally it is amazing. That pursuit for the culinary connect keeps me alive.”
Bourdain had left the restaurant life behind and devoted the bulk of his time to weaving a narrative through documentaries and books, while Ramsay still keeps a foot in the restaurant industry.
There is little doubt that Bourdain was and continues to be popular, even after his death, per The Inquisitr. Bourdain took his own life last year, but for the second time, he’s been honored posthumously with Emmy Award nods for his CNN series. He was a big winner last year, garnering five awards. This year, Bourdain was once again honored with six Emmy Award nominations.
