Let’s Set the Five-Star Table

Eating at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant carries a certain weight. After all, Ramsay’s name is built into the entire dining experience. But just because the chef is famous doesn’t mean every dish always hits the mark. Let’s dive into which plates dazzled guests, and which dishes didn’t earn a standing ovation.

1. Frenchie Burger

Topped with blue cheese, grilled onions, and aioli, the Frenchie Burger’s execution leaves much to be desired. The sharpness of the cheese clashes with the sweetness of the onions instead of blending, and the sauce overwhelms the bun until it disintegrates.

2. Fish and Chips

Classic British fare turned disappointing at York & Albany. The batter lacks crunch and clings to the cod-like soggy paper, while the chips lean closer to limp than crisp. For a chef who famously champions British classics, this rendition disappoints.

3. Sticky Toffee Pudding

This version of sticky toffee pudding veers off course with an overly dense base soaked in a sauce that's too sugary to enjoy. The dates vanish into a thick crumb, robbing the dessert of its fruity charm, so you get a dessert that clings to your palate and finishes heavy.

4. Crab Tagliolini

Pasta dishes demand finesse, yet this crab tagliolini fell flat. Its crab feels like an afterthought: barely present and oddly fishy. Worse still, the texture sits somewhere between soggy noodles and overcooked spaghetti. That’s why a critic even likened it to "cat food," criticizing its flavor.

5. Veal Chop

An awkward presentation is only the start of this dish’s downfall, as the veal chop arrives oddly shaped and inconsistently seared. Veal, prized for its tenderness, feels overworked here—dry in parts and mushy in others. Also, the seasoning lacks flavor.

6. Lobster Mac & Cheese

This dish attempts to fuse comfort food with fine dining, but the lobster gets lost in a bland cheese base that tastes more powdered than crafted. The pasta arrives overcooked, the sauce under-seasoned, and the lobster chewy.

7. Sea Bass

Airport dining faces hurdles, sure, but Ramsay’s name raises expectations. Sadly, this sea bass dish crashes before takeoff. Its skin lacks the desired crackle while the flesh suffers from uneven cooking.

8. Octopus With Borlotti Beans and 'Nduja

With a rubbery octopus, this dish suggests a rushed cook or a long sit under heat lamps. The ‘nduja, rich with chili and pork fat, bulldozes the already faint brininess of the seafood. It's really just a plate full of ingredients fighting for dominance.

9. Parmesan Skin Appetizer

Parmesan skin can work when treated delicately. However, here it arrives stiff, dry, and one-note. There’s no texture play, no contrast, just a salty shard meant to impress visually. Without balance, it feels like a concept left in development.

10. Lobster Ravioli

Few dishes carry more pressure in Ramsay’s portfolio than this. Yet, the ravioli skins often arrive too thick, hiding rather than highlighting the lobster. Inside, the meat feels sparse and muted, like it’s been handled too many times.

Now, here are the ten standout dishes that actually live up to the Ramsay name.

1. Beef Wellington

Here’s the dish that built Ramsay’s empire—and for good reason. The beef arrives medium rare, wrapped in a golden puff pastry that shatters at the touch of a knife. Inside, mushroom duxelles and prosciutto create layers of earthy, savory brilliance.

2. Lobster Risotto

Elegance comes naturally to this risotto, as the grains of rice arrive with a firm heart, never soggy, bathed in a creamy bisque that feels kissed by the ocean. Plump lobster meat sits atop like a crown, adding a sweet richness to every forkful.

3. Pan-Seared Scallops

Seared scallops are a litmus test for any chef’s precision, and here, they pass with flying colors. These beauties arrive golden on one side, releasing a steady stream of steam as you cut through them. Ramsay’s kitchen pairs them with a fresh pea purée that’s bright and sweet.

4. Wagyu Meatballs

Crafted from Wagyu beef, these meatballs feature a fat-to-meat ratio that converts each bite into a juicy, umami-rich experience. The surface is seared to a crisp mahogany, while the inside remains soft, and the whole thing is topped with grated Parmesan.

5. Roasted Pigeon

Roasted pigeon doesn’t often appear on mainstream menus, and that’s what makes this dish something else entirely. At the London flagship, the bird is treated with a reverence normally reserved for prime cuts of steak.

6. Roasted Fillet Of Turbot

At Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, the fillet is roasted until it glistens, gently flaking under your fork without falling apart. Often accompanied by beurre blanc, the dish doesn’t try to distract from the star, it only amplifies it.

7. Foie Gras

Golden on the outside and silky within, the foie is typically paired with a component like fig or gingerbread. You leave the dish feeling like you've been offered a glimpse into classic French cooking, filtered through the hand of someone who understands global taste.

8. Breton Lobster

This dish is served using a 19th-century Christofle silver lobster press right at your table. Once extracted, the lobster is finished in a saffron-based sauce that celebrates the richness without drowning the meat. The lobster itself is fresh, and its sweetness is intensified by butter.

9. Gascon Pork

Gascon pork hails from southwest France and is known for its marbled fat and intense flavor. Ramsay’s interpretation at Bordeaux pays tribute to this heritage while refining it for a luxury crowd. It’s an earthy dish that tells a flavorful story.

10. Aged Casterbridge Beef Fillet

Casterbridge beef is aged for weeks to develop richness, then pan-roasted until a crust forms that crackles under your knife. Its accompaniments are minimal—perhaps a truffle jus or charred shallots—because the meat doesn’t need much help.