GORDON Ramsay may start calling his restaurants “donkeys” soon.
None of the bad-tempered, “Hell’s Kitchen” chef’s restaurants made it into The S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, according to the annual survey published by Restaurant magazine.
The list, chosen by 806 of the most influential food writers, critics and chefs, was established in 2002.
Only Ramsay’s London eatery, Maze, cracked the Top 100 to come in at No. 91. It was his only representation on the list.
Surprisingly, his flagship joint, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay — the only three Michelin-starred restaurant in London — didn’t even make it into the Top 100. Last year, it was ranked No. 13.
Restaurant magazine editor Paul Wootton told reporters that Ramsay’s snub this year “does seem to be a bit of an anomaly…I think there may be a feeling among part of the restaurant industry and the foodie fraternity that some of the superchefs with large empires of restaurants are spreading themselves too thin.”
The less-than-stellar showing comes hot on the heels of last week’s reports that Ramsay’s gastropubs have been relying on pre-packaged meals on wheels prepared at a “food factory,” sold at a 586 percent mark-up.
It’s just the latest in a scandalous five months for the foul-mouthed chef. Last November, rumors of a sordid affair between Ramsay and author-cum-“professional mistress” surfaced, followed by reports that his restaurant in the chichi Claridge’s Hotel suffered from a mouse and roach problem.