Gordon Ramsay's Family Fare: And Other Recipes from the F Word

by Gordon Ramsay

In his new cookbook, superstar chef Gordon Ramsay takes a more casual approach to fine dining - the leisurely brunch with family and friends. Drawing on different culinary traditions, he offers home-cooked dishes that range from traditional roasts to lighter summer fare, from easy 30-minute meals to Italian, Indian, and Moroccan-influenced family feasts. As always, Ramsay is right there to help at every stage - buying the ingredients, guiding in preparation and serving, and helping to ensure that all dishes arrive on the table at the same time. Featured are 25 menus derived from his popular TV show, The F-Word, each with a starter, main course, and dessert, plus an invaluable timetable and a plethora of handy hints. Alternative recipes and menu suggestions are provided for those who want to pick and choose. With spectacular color photography throughout, as well as expert culinary advice and techniques, the book is a must-have for any home cook.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food

255 pages, Paperback

First published April 13, 2010

About the author

Gordon James Ramsay is a British celebrity chef, restaurateur, television presenter, and writer. His restaurant group, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, was founded in 1997 and has been awarded 17 Michelin stars overall and currently holds eight. His signature restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea, London, has held three Michelin stars since 2001. After rising to fame on the British television miniseries Boiling Point in 1999, Ramsay became one of the best-known and most influential chefs in the world.
Ramsay's TV persona is defined by his fiery temper, aggressive behaviour, strict demeanour, and frequent use of profanity, while making blunt, critical, and controversial comments, including insults and sardonic wisecracks about contestants and their cooking abilities. He combines activities in the television, film, hospitality and food industries, and has promoted and hired various chefs who have apprenticed under his wing. He is known for presenting television programmes about competitive cookery and food, such as the British series Hell's Kitchen (2004), Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares (2004–2009, 2014), and The F Word (2005–2010), with Kitchen Nightmares winning the 2005 British Academy Television Award for Best Feature, and the American versions of Hell's Kitchen (2005–present), Kitchen Nightmares (2007–present), MasterChef (2010–present), and MasterChef Junior (2013–present), as well as Hotel Hell (2012–2016), Gordon Behind Bars (2012), Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back (2018–2020), and Next Level Chef (2022–present).
Ramsay was appointed an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 New Year Honours list for services to the hospitality industry. He was named the top chef in the UK at the 2000 Catey Awards, and in July 2006 he won the Catey for Independent Restaurateur of the Year, becoming the third person to win three Catey Awards. Forbes listed his 2020 earnings at US $70 million and ranked him at No.19 on its list of the highest-earning celebrities.

Reviews

[Gigi · Rating 1 out of 5]

What surprised me was that when I see Gordon Ramsey cook on a TV show, he really prepares fresh things quickly, yet most of these menus, meant for families, are long and involved. Over and over the timeline calls for the cook to eat the appetizer, then get up and finish the main course. The opposite of what you would want for a family meal. Also, this book does not explain many of the techniques that are needed, it seems as if he assumes you know the definition of every cooking term. I think a glossary would have been helpful. The photos never clearly show the dish, so it is difficult to infer how it should look. And finally, the publisher was fond of using white type on light paper, so i could hardly read some of the text. A few recipes looked interesting, but overall too complicated and not worth trying to make.

[Mickey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love to watch Gordon Ramsay on TV and I could listen to him talk for hours, but I've just never been that fond of his recipes. I appreciate his apparent passion for food, and quality food at that, and his desire to see people use more fresh ingredients in their cooking. (something I have been trying to do better with, myself) However, I just can't see the avearge American family making some of these meals. There is just no way most children are going to eat Baby Squid in Tomato Sauce with Chard, for example. That's an appetizer.

For that matter, most families that I'm familiar with don't have time or inclination to sit down to meals that include appetizers, main course/sides, and dessert. Those are special occasion type meals and are usually eaten in restaurants...like Hell's Kitchen. (yes, I crack myself up- it's my review, I'm allowed to)

To be fair, both American & British measurements are included for the ingredients. But that's where reality ends with a lot of these recipes. The timelines for prep work are a nice inclusion, but show his lack of knowledge to what resources many of us have...for example, the time line for meal 7, A Classic Sunday Lunch, starts with this :

A FEW DAYS AHEAD...
Order the pigeon (you need 8-12 breasts from large wood pigeons ?!? oh sorry, you can substitute squab for the pigeon if it isn't available where you shop...riiiiight....) from your butcher or poulterer and get him to carve out the breasts. Reserve the rib of beef too.

The timelines for most of the fish dishes contain this advice:

Order the fish from the fish supplier. (get him to fillet it for you) Arrange to collect it on the day if possible, or the day before.

Um, Gordon? We're cooking AT HOME. Most of us don't have a butcher/poulterer/fish supplier. We're lucky if we have anything resembling a fresh meat counter at the grocery since most stores have swtiched to vaccuum sealed pre-packaged meats from THEIR suppliers.

Anyway, I can tell you that while most of the meals didn't apeal to me, the instructions ARE clearly written out and the food pornographers did a wonderful job of photgraphing some of the dishes. Instead of assuming that everyone knows how to make various stocks or keeps them onhand, Ramsay includes simple directions for how to make & store them. The timelines are concise and helpful, if you overlook the kind of thing I mentioned above. There are also a few bonus tips & tricks listed here and there throughout the book.

Oh, and among the handful of recipes that I intend to try? Gordon's Apple Pudding, Prosciutto Sage & Parmesan Puffs, Gordon's Beef Wellington, and a variation on Salmon En Croute. Most of these looked delicious, have ingredients that I can easily get, and won't keep me in the kitchen for an eternity!

[Krystal Esmi · Rating 2 out of 5]

God knows that I love Chef Ramsay (especially on Hell's Kitchen), but this book is NOT for the home cook. Monk Fish! Passion Fruit! I mean seriously. Where am I supposed to find these ingredients. This book was much too advanced for a modest home cook such as myself. The techniques were advanced, and the ingredients weren't your everyday grocery store stuff. I will not be reading this again, and I will not be recommending this. I think I'll leave the Ramsay recipes to Ramsay.

[Kat]

There are some really great recipes in here! Can't wait to try them all!

[Beka · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like the format and none of the recipes called to me.

[Lara Maynard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some nice recipes, but many require ingredients that are not easy to find in my region.