What would you choose as your last meal? Chef Margie Nomura talks to a special guest about the seven dishes that have shaped their lives.
In this podcast you w...
S18 Ep4: Gordon Ramsay: One of the World's Greatest Chefs on the dishes that have shaped him
As Gordon prepares to open his most ambitious project to date, 22 BISHOPSGATE, Margie got the chance to sit down with him and talk about the dishes that have shaped his life.
He’s a chef, restaurateur and television presenter, known for Kitchen Nightmares, Masterchef and Hell’s Kitchen. He’s one of the most famous and recognisable chefs in the world with the kind of success most only dream of, and yet you may not know that he did not have the easiest start in life. Him and his siblings were on lunch vouchers at school, they moved house 15 times and a difficult relationship with his father marred his childhood.
With a strong sense of purpose from a young age, and a determination to make a better life for himself, Gordon was a talented footballer with a bright future ahead until an injury on the pitch changed things overnight and he was back to square one.
He set his sights on culinary school and it was the Banbury round table charity that bought him his first set of chefs whites and knives in order for him to start work.
He went on to open his own restaurant , Aubergine, at the age of 27 and within 3 years it was awarded 2 Michelin stars. He then opened his flagship restaurant Restaurant Gordon Ramsey in 1998 which very quickly earned him the most prestigious accolade in the culinary world – three Michelin stars and Today, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay is London’s longest-running restaurant to hold this award, and he is one of only four chefs in the UK to maintain three stars.
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S18 Ep3: José Pizarro
My guest today is José Pizarro.
José has been been cooking in the UK for over 25 years. He grew up in the outermost Western province of Spain and never thought of working in food, in fact he was all set to become a dental technician before fate intervened. He arrived in the UK in 1999 seeking to expand his horizons as a chef and has since become one of the industry’s best-loved characters.
He worked at several Spanish restaurants, including Brindisa, where he was executive chef. Then, in 2011, he opened two restaurants of his own on Bermondsey Street, south-east London: a tiny tapas bar named José and the larger Pizarro, both instant hits. Many more restaurants and cookbooks have followed all championing Spanish cuisine. In recognition of his “extraordinary services to Spain”, Pizarro was awarded the officer’s cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic by the Spanish ambassador in London.
He says when it comes to cooking, he has a mantra, “Buy the best and don’t mess it up” - often described as The Godfather of Spanish cuisine in the UK.
If you enjoy Desert Island Dishes make sure to subscribe and I will see you next week.
Thank you for listening!
This episode was a Rutherford Production.
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S18 Ep2: Ferne McCann, TV presenter and reality TV star on the dishes that have shaped her
Ferne is a TV presenter, reality TV star, social media sensation and entrepreneur. She shot to fame on hit reality series The Only Way is Essex where she quickly became a fan favourite. She’s gone on to front her own ITVBE series Ferne Mccann - First Time Mum which ran from 2018 - 2024 and documented her journey into motherhood with her two daughters. Since then she has graced our screens on shows like I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here and Celebrity SAS - who dares wins.
She made it to the semi final of Celebrity Best Home Cook and says that food is her love language.
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S18 Ep1: Gwyneth Paltrow, Oscar winning actress and founder of Goop on the dishes that have shaped her life
Gwyneth won an Oscar for her role in Shakespeare in love at the age of just 26 and she has since gone on to become an entrepreneur as the founder of the digital media, e-commerce and lifestyle brand and behemoth Goop. She founded Goop at the age of 36 which grew from a simple newsletter into one of the most influential businesses in the world.
She’s hosted TV shows, starred in some of the most iconic films and tv shows we all know and love, and has written multiple best selling cookbooks. We explore the story of how she got to where she is today and her passion for cooking, her love of food and the belief that family really is everything.
Thank you so much for listening. Don't forget to follow and subscribe so you don't miss an episode and I will see you next week.
Find me on instagram @desertislanddishes and @desertislanddishespodcast
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S16 Ep9: Superstar chef Nuno Mendes on the dishes that have shaped his life, his greatest success and the best dish he'd ever eaten
We have a bonus episode for you today in the form of Nuno Mendes. Described as the chefs chef, Nuno has had an incredible career. He thought of becoming a marine biologist but quickly changed direction and after enrolling at culinary school, he's never looked back. He has worked with some of the world’s leading chefs, such as Wolfgang Puck before moving to London and opening the cult ground breaking Loft Project and world famous Chiltern Firehouse. His latest restaurant Lisboeta is an ode to his home country and has already made waves since it’s opening.
Thank you so much to Comté Cheese for sponsoring this episode of Desert Island Dishes. Comté Cheese is genuinely one of my favourite cheeses in the world.
It’s a delicious cheese to eat on its own, worthy of any cheese board but it’s also so brilliant to cook with. I love it with baked pasta, or gratins or the most amazing toasted cheese sandwiches. The taste and texture changes as it ages - so you get some young Comté that tastes buttery and almost with caramel notes and then more matured Comté is a bit more nutty and slightly fruity. So incredibly good. And the best news is they are now available at all major supermarkets.
Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe if you enjoy today's episode and you can find me over on Instagram @Desertislanddishes or over on the website www.desertislanddishes.co. You can also sign up for my newsletter where I send you one easy and delicious weeknight recipe over at www.dinnertonight.substack.com
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What would you choose as your last meal? Chef Margie Nomura talks to a special guest about the seven dishes that have shaped their lives.
In this podcast you will find conversations with interesting people from the world of food and beyond uncovering the seminal dishes and experiences that have shaped who they are today. We will find out about their favourite childhood dishes, the dishes they eat the most often, and the dishes that mean the most to them. And of course we will also discover what their last dish would be before being cast off to the desert island.
New Zealand