What do you say when you’re one of the few people in Everett lucky enough to meet Chef Gordon Ramsay in person?
If you’re Robert Frank, Herald city editor, you say, “Will you call me a muppet?”
Seriously. That’s what Robert said. With a piece of barbecue shrimp stuck in his teeth.
I’m not so sure what Ramsay said in response, other than that he politely refused. I was too embarrassed by my editor’s goofiness — and star struck by the celebrity chef’s tight jeans, muscular arms, pretty blue eyes and niceness.
That’s right. Nice.
Not a word that comes to mind with the mouthy cussmonger chef. The one he plays on TV, that is.
On Wednesday’s visit to check up on Rishi Brown and her Prohibition Gastropub, Chef Ramsay was as smooth as the bourbon glazed pork shoulder that melted in my mouth. That’s one of the dishes he created for the menu when he revamped the Hewitt Avenue eatery last December for an episode of “Kitchen Nightmares.”
Ramsay dropped a lot of f-bombs on the Fox TV show that aired in April. So did Rishi. It was a freakin’ nightmare for sure.
What a difference this visit was.
This time it was a Rishi-Ramsay show made for the Hallmark Channel.
They laughed. They hugged. They kissed.
There was no belly dancing. No kitchen disasters. And there were two soups of the day.
Ramsay praised the food. He had the pork and shrimp, pronounced them delicious, and he didn’t get any stuck in his teeth.
Rishi had a few tricks up her sleeve and so did Ramsay. That’s all I can say. You have to wait to see the show when it airs later this year.
During lunch, Everett Mayor Ray Stephenson proclaimed July 31, 2013, as “Prohibition Gastropub Appreciation Day.”
The three-hour lunch was invitation only, but the fans on the sidewalk didn’t seem to mind waiting. They were happy to get a glimpse of the U.K. blond do a wrap-up in front of the restaurant. Not only that, they got to take pictures of Ramsay and some got autographs.
Kaleo Brandt, 17, brought an excellent charcoal portrait he did of Ramsay.
“When he went in I held it up and I saw him look at it,” the Everett teen said. “When he came back out he asked to sign it.”
That’s not all.
“He signed someone’s prosthetic leg,” Kaleo said.
Told you he was nice.
Were you there? Tell us about it or share your photos on our Facebook page.
Andrea Brown; 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com
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