Online outrage machine flames Gordon Ramsay’s new show

Fans of the late Anthony Bourdain have found a target on whom to take out their grief and anger, directing their vitriol at UK celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s upcoming National Geographic series.

The fact that no one has actually seen it yet hasn’t stopped the mob from launching an online broadside to the potty-mouthed chef for what they say is colonialism and cultural insensitivity.

"Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted" has been described as both an anthropology trip and a competition show, pitting Ramsay against local chefs cooking in their cultural cuisines. To be fair, at first glance it smells a little like ‘rich white guy tells people of colour how to cook their own food better’.

The online blowback has forced National Geographic to go into damage control over the show which hasn’t even started filming yet!

“We are disappointed that the announcement of our upcoming series with Gordon Ramsay was taken out of context,” the network stated to Eater. “With National Geographic’s storied history of exploration, our plan with this series is to celebrate and learn about local cultures around the world. In partnering with Ramsay — a well-known adventure enthusiast — we are going to fully immerse viewers and give them a glimpse into surprising and unexpected cultures and local flavors. We have not gone into production on the series yet, so this perspective is premature. We’re looking forward to working with Ramsay, who’s been making food and travel documentaries for well over a decade, to share the series when it premieres sometime next year.”

The reason so many people have had their feathers ruffled is because it appears to closely resemble Bourdain’s highly respected shows, No Reservations and Parts Unknown. The difference, Bourdain had enough sense to step back and let the destinations do the talking, while Ramsay’s competitive streak wants to beat them at their own game. The show is slated to premiere next year.

2nd August 2018