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| Ramsay orders seasonal-only menu | Ramsay orders seasonal-only menu |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay says British restaurants should be fined if they serve fruit and vegetables which are not in season. | Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay says British restaurants should be fined if they serve fruit and vegetables which are not in season. |
| He told the BBC that fruit and vegetables should be locally-sourced and only on menus when in season. | He told the BBC that fruit and vegetables should be locally-sourced and only on menus when in season. |
| Mr Ramsay said he had already spoken to Prime Minister Gordon Brown about outlawing out-of-season produce. | Mr Ramsay said he had already spoken to Prime Minister Gordon Brown about outlawing out-of-season produce. |
| He says it would cut carbon emissions as less food would be imported and also lead to improved standards of cooking. | He says it would cut carbon emissions as less food would be imported and also lead to improved standards of cooking. |
| 'Out of control' | 'Out of control' |
| The TV chef said it was "fundamentally important" for chefs to provide locally-sourced food. | The TV chef said it was "fundamentally important" for chefs to provide locally-sourced food. |
| "Fruit and veg should be seasonal," he said. "Chefs should be fined if they haven't got ingredients in season on their menu. | "Fruit and veg should be seasonal," he said. "Chefs should be fined if they haven't got ingredients in season on their menu. |
| "I don't want to see asparagus on in the middle of December. I don't want to see strawberries from Kenya in the middle of March. I want to see it home grown." | "I don't want to see asparagus on in the middle of December. I don't want to see strawberries from Kenya in the middle of March. I want to see it home grown." |
| HAVE YOUR SAYThe best food is seasonal and it should certainly be encouragedAlex, UKSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYThe best food is seasonal and it should certainly be encouragedAlex, UKSend us your comments |
| Ramsay, whose London restaurants include Petrus, The Savoy Grill and Maze, added that Britain had become a nation of lazy eaters, following trends and fads, rather than substance. | Ramsay, whose London restaurants include Petrus, The Savoy Grill and Maze, added that Britain had become a nation of lazy eaters, following trends and fads, rather than substance. |
| He also said chefs became "lazy" when excited by "frills", and making out-of-season produce illegal would raise "levels of inspiration". | He also said chefs became "lazy" when excited by "frills", and making out-of-season produce illegal would raise "levels of inspiration". |
| "There should be stringent laws, licensing laws, to make sure produce is only used in season and season only," he said. | "There should be stringent laws, licensing laws, to make sure produce is only used in season and season only," he said. |
| "If we don't restrict our movements within this industry of seasonal-produce only, then the whole thing will spiral out of control." | "If we don't restrict our movements within this industry of seasonal-produce only, then the whole thing will spiral out of control." |
| Canned insult | Canned insult |
| Meanwhile, Terry Jones from the National Farmers Union (NFU) said that, while he agrees with the chef's complaint, legislation would be going too far. | Meanwhile, Terry Jones from the National Farmers Union (NFU) said that, while he agrees with the chef's complaint, legislation would be going too far. |
| He said: "We've almost got too much legislation in food and farming as things stand. | He said: "We've almost got too much legislation in food and farming as things stand. |
| "Really what we need to see is that passion and that commitment to seasonality being pushed into consumer education and into this commitment on menu transparency." | "Really what we need to see is that passion and that commitment to seasonality being pushed into consumer education and into this commitment on menu transparency." |
| And the Soil Association's Food for Life Partnership director Emma Noble said the celebrity chef was right to suggest that "seasonal menus are a key step in cutting the environmental impact of our food". | |
| Famous for his bad temper, Ramsay also spoke passionately about another environmental concern - plastic bags - saying they simply "did not make sense". | Famous for his bad temper, Ramsay also spoke passionately about another environmental concern - plastic bags - saying they simply "did not make sense". |
| UK FOOD IN SEASON Spring: broccoli, spinach, watercress, asparagus, rhubarbSummer: tomatoes, salad leaves, courgettes, berries, apricotsAutumn: aubergine, beetroot, butternut squash, apples, pears Winter: apples, brussel sprouts, leeks, cauliflower, celery | UK FOOD IN SEASON Spring: broccoli, spinach, watercress, asparagus, rhubarbSummer: tomatoes, salad leaves, courgettes, berries, apricotsAutumn: aubergine, beetroot, butternut squash, apples, pears Winter: apples, brussel sprouts, leeks, cauliflower, celery |
| Speaking to the BBC before the start of the fourth series of his Channel 4 show The F Word, the father-of-four said he plans to get the nation back into the kitchen, cooking healthy, wholesome fare. | Speaking to the BBC before the start of the fourth series of his Channel 4 show The F Word, the father-of-four said he plans to get the nation back into the kitchen, cooking healthy, wholesome fare. |
| He says the obesity problem in the UK could soon rival that of the States, and he blames parents for giving into children and not having the discipline to say no. | He says the obesity problem in the UK could soon rival that of the States, and he blames parents for giving into children and not having the discipline to say no. |
| He also vented his anger at fellow TV chef Delia Smith, whose latest book, How to Cheat at Cooking, encourages people to mix together ready-made food rather than cook from scratch if they are short of time or on a tight budget. | He also vented his anger at fellow TV chef Delia Smith, whose latest book, How to Cheat at Cooking, encourages people to mix together ready-made food rather than cook from scratch if they are short of time or on a tight budget. |
| He said: "I would expect students struggling on £15 a week to survive eating from a can but the nation's favourite, all-time icon reducing us down to using frozen, canned food. It's an insult. | He said: "I would expect students struggling on £15 a week to survive eating from a can but the nation's favourite, all-time icon reducing us down to using frozen, canned food. It's an insult. |
| "And it makes our lives, from a chef's point of view, a lot harder. Here we are trying to establish a reputation across the world for this country's food and along comes Delia and tips it out of a can. That hurts." | "And it makes our lives, from a chef's point of view, a lot harder. Here we are trying to establish a reputation across the world for this country's food and along comes Delia and tips it out of a can. That hurts." |