A short-staffed lunch lady needed help feeding 300 kids. Gordon Ramsey stepped in to help.
Hot temper, big heart.
Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay is notorious for having a bit of a temper on his shows āHell's Kitchenā and āMasterChef.ā But that doesnāt mean he canāt have a big heart, too.
Ramsay was being interviewed on the BBC's "The Radio 2 Breakfast Show" in 2022 when kitchen manager Tina Clarke from Edward Peake Middle School in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England jokingly called in to ask for help. She said she was "cooking on her own here" because two of her co-workers were out sick.
She had to prepare 300 meals for the students while short-staffed.
"I'm cooking here on my own, I work in a school kitchen and my chef has gone off sick and I have another one off with COVID, and I just wondered if Gordon would help me today and give me a hand?ā Clarke asked jokingly.
He's not only the king of the kitchen, @gordonramsay is the king of kindness too! \n\n@vernonkay caught up with Tina from Edward Peake Middle School to find out how Gordon's generosity went down! pic.twitter.com/2CqYfy3DItā BBC Radio 2 (@BBC Radio 2) 1648129667
To her surprise, Ramsay agreed to help. "If I did have the time I would be in Bedfordshire, I promise you in a heartbeat, I can send a chef if you wish?" he asked.
How could Clarke refuse the help of a chef that works with Gordon Ramsay?
Ramsay called a cab and sent over a member of his team, chef Rob Roy Cameron from Ramsay's Lucky Cat restaurant in London, to help. Lucky Cat is in a wealthy neighborhood and is known for Asian-inspired small plates and sushi.
Clarke had no idea that Ramsay would send help so she was a little worried the school administration wouldnāt be too pleased with her inviting a stranger into the kitchen without permission. But she couldnāt have known that Ramsay would say yes to her half-hearted plea.
"When I got a message saying your chef will be with you in an hour, I thought, 'Oh my God, I'm going to have to fess up to the head and I hope she doesn't give me detention or lines,'" she admitted.
Here\u2019s an appreciation post for @GordonRamsay @BBCRadio2 and Chef Rob Roy Cameron for helping us out in the kitchen today! #TeamPeake #AppreciationPost #ThankYoupic.twitter.com/qqnYVD6gI1ā EdwardPeake (@EdwardPeake) 1648048696
However, the headteacher, Miss Linington, said it was fine with her and a jolt of excitement went through the halls of the school. When Cameron arrived, Clarke put him to work immediately making cauliflower cheese. "I'm sure he was terrified by having three menopausal women around him in the kitchen all day," Clarke joked.
We had a very exciting visitor today at Edward Peake. Rob Roy Cameron was sent to us by @GordonRamsay all thanks to our wonderful chef for asking Gordon Ramsey to come help her in the kitchen on @BBCRadio2 #TeamPeake #GordanRamsey #RobRoyCameron #HugeThankyou #BBCRadio2pic.twitter.com/1tFML7xklGā EdwardPeake (@EdwardPeake) 1648048641
Clarke said that the food tasted āamazingā even though Cameron was shocked to learn he couldnāt use any salt. The students were happy about their visitor, too. "The kids were so excited,ā Clarke said. "We've never had so many visitors [in the kitchen],ā Clarke said.
The next day, Clarke got the chance to personally thank Ramsay on the radio. "It sent a huge buzz around the school. So, thank you," she said through a pretaped message. She also thanked āher loyal staff," Andrea, Mandy, Sharon and Louise.
"Anytime, Tina," Ramsay responded.
Ramsayās generosity shows that when you have a true love of food and cooking, a kitchen is a kitchen, whether youāre preparing a meal at a 5-star Michelin-rated restaurant or you have hundreds of hungry students to feed.
Tina, Kitchen Manager of a school in Bedfordshire called for aid and @GordonRamsay answered! \n\nWe just loved this story so much.\n\n#TheOneShowpic.twitter.com/b6Z3V7Ydchā BBC The One Show (@BBC The One Show) 1648149097
This article originally appeared on 3.31.22