Gordon Ramsay has got a busy 2025 ahead of him, with his opening early in the year of three restaurants, a cookery school and a bar in a skyscraper near Liverpool Street in London. The 12-seat chef’s table on the 60th floor will be the highest restaurant in Europe and he describes the project as “the biggest launch I’ve done, not just in the UK but the world”. But any hopes of a quiet Christmas to prepare himself have fallen by the wayside.
He had thought it was just going to him, his wife Tana, and their two youngest sons, Oscar, 5, and Jesse, 1, at home in southwest London, but his older children had other plans. “We’ve been out of the house for the last three years and it’s undergone a complete refurb, including digging three metres down, so obviously [his older children] Meg, Jack, Holly and Tilly all moved out. Lo and behold I found out last week that they’ve all put their apartments up for rent and they’re going to be moving back in. It’s going to be crazy.”
He calculates that there will be 25 of them for Christmas dinner, including girlfriends, boyfriends and fiancés (24-year-old Holly announced her engagement to the Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty recently). There will be a party for the couple and 300 guests on Christmas Eve. “Not in the house,” the chef, 58, hastens to add, but in one of his London restaurants, Bread Street Kitchen. “Oh my God, just the thought of the house being trashed …”
The next day, Oscar will be bouncing on Ramsay’s bed by 6am. “So we’ll go downstairs together and do presents for the boys. I never like to rush Christmas Day. For us it is all about enjoying the day and not stressing out.”
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Most of the kitchen prep will have been done the day before, with each of the older children specialising in their own area. “The rule for a happy Christmas is delegate, delegate, delegate. Everybody will muck in. Meg and Tilly love their vegetables so they’re brilliant on veg prep. Holly takes care of decorations and Jack’s obsessed with cooking meat. He does it brilliantly.”
On Christmas Day there will be a late breakfast at about 11am of scrambled eggs on homemade brioche with smoked salmon and, as a real treat, thinly shaved white truffle. “We’ll be there around the table for at least 90 minutes and enjoy a couple of glasses of buck’s fizz or champagne before heading out on to the common for a long walk.” Finally they’ll sit down to dinner at about 5.30pm. “We like to stretch the day out and enjoy as much daylight as possible because it goes quickly.”
Not too quickly. Celebrations in the Ramsay household continue until New Year’s Eve, when there will be a lunch party to celebrate twins Holly and Jack’s 25th birthdays, and it’s only then that the chef can properly relax — that’s when he, Tana and their younger two will head down to their house in Cornwall for a week. “There’s something so nice about getting that wetsuit on and getting in the cold water,” he says.
He may feel he needs the practice. Ramsay, who is a keen Ironman triathlete, can’t help but feel the competition of having an Olympic athlete in the family. Talking of the 140-mile swimming, cycling and running competition, he says, “He may spank me on that swim but I will absolutely kill him on that bike. No one will catch me on the bike.”
Gordon Ramsay’s favourite festive tips and recipes1. Up your brunch game
The thing about eating on Christmas Day is it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Don’t try to cram too many meals and too much food into one day. By having a proper brunch at about 11am, it will see you through to dinner later. There’ll be some in our house wanting waffles with berries and honey, but for me it’s got to be smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. People cook their eggs too fast — the key is to take your time, and use a very gentle heat. The pan should never get too hot to touch. Then keep folding the eggs with a spatula rather than stirring them to create beautiful soft curds.
2. Everyone loves roasted nuts
A few days ahead of Christmas, I’ll make a bit batch of spiced roasted nuts, and when the smell of the cayenne pepper and smoked paprika fills the house it signals Christmas is here. Put 250g mixed nuts in a frying pan over a medium heat and toast them with a couple of pinches of salt. Then sprinkle ½ tsp each of cayenne pepper and sweet paprika and finally add a sprig of rosemary. Give the pan a good toss to make sure they are all coated and they are done.
3. Have fresh figs, beetroot and ham to start
I’ve already had salmon for brunch, but I want a starter to be something equally light, easy and vibrant. So we’ll put plates of ham — San Daniele and Pata Negra — in the middle of the table and garnish it with some lovely ripe fresh figs and beetroot that’s been peeled and roasted in advance with balsamic vinegar and olive oil so it is beautifully caramelised. Then everyone dives in and helps themselves.
4. Ditch the turkey
Beef Wellington is the new Christmas Day turkey. There, I’ve said it. Bin the bird and go all-in for a proper showstopper. My mum will be furious because she loves the Christmas traditions, but a beef Wellington is such a thing of beauty, a table centrepiece and so much more delicious. If you are making it yourself, for four to six people you’ll need 1kg beef fillet (ask your butcher for a centre cut so it’s an even thickness) and don’t even think about making your own pastry, not when there are so many other tasks to do. Then you’ll need a mushroom mix called a duxelles. Don’t get too bogged down about which mushrooms to use — any type will do.
Beef Wellington
SHUTTERSTOCK
Beef Wellington recipe
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
• 2 x 400g beef fillets
• Olive oil, for frying
• 500g mixture of wild mushrooms, cleaned
• 1 thyme sprig, leaves only
• 500g puff pastry
• 8 slices of Parma ham
• 2 egg yolks, beaten with 1 tbsp water and a pinch of salt
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the red wine sauce
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200g beef trimmings (ask the butcher to reserve these when trimming the fillet)
• 4 large shallots, peeled and sliced
• 12 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 thyme sprig
• Splash of red wine vinegar
• 1 x 750ml bottle red wine
• 750ml beef stock
Method
1. Wrap each piece of beef tightly in a triple layer of clingfilm to set its shape, then chill overnight.
2. Remove the clingfilm, then quickly sear the beef fillets in a hot pan with a little olive oil for 30-60 seconds until browned all over and rare in the middle. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
3. Finely chop the mushrooms and fry in a hot pan with a little olive oil, the thyme leaves and some seasoning. When the mushrooms begin to release their juices, continue to cook over a high heat for about 10 min until all the excess moisture has evaporated and you are left with a mushroom paste (known as a duxelles). Remove the duxelles from the pan and leave to cool.
4. Cut the pastry in half, place on a lightly floured surface and roll each piece into a rectangle large enough to envelop one of the beef fillets. Chill in the refrigerator.
5. Lay a large sheet of clingfilm on a work surface and place four slices of Parma ham in the middle, overlapping them slightly, to create a square. Spread half the duxelles evenly over the ham.
6. Season the beef fillets, then place them on top of the mushroom-covered ham. Using the clingfilm, roll the Parma ham over the beef, then roll and tie the clingfilm to get a nice, evenly thick log. Repeat this step with the other beef fillet, then chill for at least 30 min.
7. Brush the pastry with the egg wash. Remove the clingfilm from the beef, then wrap the pastry around each ham-wrapped fillet. Trim the pastry and brush all over with the egg wash. Cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 30 min.
8. Meanwhile, make the red wine sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan, then fry the beef trimmings for a few minutes until browned on all sides. Stir in the shallots with the peppercorns, bay leaf and thyme and continue to cook for about 5 min, stirring frequently, until the shallots turn golden brown.
9. Pour in the vinegar and let it bubble for a few minutes until almost dry. Now add the wine and boil until almost completely reduced. Add the stock and bring to the boil again. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour, removing any scum from the surface of the sauce, until you have the desired consistency. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve lined with muslin. Check for seasoning and set aside.
10. When you are ready to cook the beef Wellingtons, score the pastry lightly and brush with the egg wash again, then bake at 200C/gas 6 for 15-20 min until the pastry is golden brown and cooked. Rest for 10 min before carving.
11. Meanwhile, reheat the sauce. Serve the beef Wellingtons sliced, with the sauce as an accompaniment.
From Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course (Hodder & Stoughton £30). To order a copy go to timesbookshop.co.uk. Free UK standard P&P on orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members
Roast potatoes with thyme and garlic
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5. The secret to the perfect roast potato
Simmer your potatoes in water with bay leaves, fresh thyme and garlic. Then, once they are parboiled, drain off the water, crank up the gas and put them back on the heat for 30 seconds, shaking the pan. Then leave them to steam, the longer the better. The edges will become fluffy and they will absorb more of the flavours of the herbs and garlic. Then roast them in hot oil — people get obsessed by goose fat but to be honest, vegetable oil is just fine — but don’t use too much. You want the potatoes to roast, not to deep fry.
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Roasted sprouts
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6. Roast your sprouts
This is a game-changer. Sprouts get a bad rap because no one, and I mean no one, likes an over-boiled sprout, so roast them instead. Blanch the sprouts the day before and plunge them in iced water so they keep their colour, then dry them between two tea towels. On the day, add a little oil and a few chunks of pancetta to a roasting tray, tip in the sprouts and cook them for 15 minutes or so alongside the potatoes, until they are slightly charred on the outsides.
7. Add clotted cream to your bread sauce
You don’t have to be a super-confident chef to add something special that will elevate the flavour of the accompaniments. Try whisking a good dollop of clotted cream or mascarpone into bread sauce before finishing it with a grating of fresh nutmeg, or add a splash of port to the gravy or cranberry sauce to get things a little richer.
8. I’m not a big drinker but at Christmas I do like a glass of …
Champagne. I mean, it’s a time for celebration, isn’t it. It’s been a big year for the Ramsay household, what with Meg joining the police, Jack coming home on leave from the Royal Marines and Holly getting engaged to Adam [Peaty]. There’ll be sauvignon blanc and pinot noir on the table too, but I won’t overdo it. I don’t want to fall asleep on the sofa and wake up to find Oscar has drawn whiskers all over my face.
Mint-flavoured ice cubes
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9. Up your ice game
A simple way of making drinks a bit more special is to make herb and fruit-flavoured ice cubes to garnish simple cocktails or soft drinks. You can use anything from raspberries, mint or even rosemary to jazz up a G&T or a glass of sparkling water. Alternatively, add a few pomegranate seeds and a splash of juice to a glass of fizz to create an instant festive cocktail with a lovely red colour.
10. Christmas pudding is too rich
I have a sweet tooth, and I do love a great dessert, but much as I love flambéeing a Christmas pudding, it’s so rich I can normally only manage a small spoonful. One thing I do love to finish a meal with is my Christmas bombe, made with shop-bought Swiss roll, cherries in kirsch and meringues and cream. You can make it a month in advance and keep it in the freezer for when you want a hit of creamy, chocolatey, boozy goodness.
Gordon Ramsay’s christmas bombe
CHRIS TERRY
Christmas bombe recipe
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
• 400g good-quality chocolate Swiss roll (jumbo size)
• 390g jar cherries in kirsch-flavoured syrup
• 180g caster sugar
• 75ml water
• 2 large egg whites
• 300ml double cream
• 50g preserved stem ginger in syrup, chopped, plus 1 tbsp syrup from the jar
• 1 tbsp Grand Marnier or Cointreau
• 50g chopped mixed glacé fruit
• 30g marron glacé (optional), chopped
• 30g shelled pistachio nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• Few redcurrant sprigs, to finish (optional)
• Icing sugar to dust (optional)
Method
1. Line a 2-litre bowl with a double layer of clingfilm, leaving some excess overhanging the rim. Cut the Swiss roll into 1cm slices and use to line the base and sides of the bowl, cutting a few of the slices into pieces to fill the gaps as necessary. Drain the cherries, reserving the syrup. Drizzle the Swiss roll slices with the kirsch syrup, saving a few tablespoonfuls for the top. Set aside.
2. Put the sugar and water into a small heavy-based saucepan and stir over a low heat to dissolve. Increase the heat to high and boil until the syrup registers 120C on a sugar thermometer. Meanwhile, in a clean large bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.
3. When the sugar syrup is ready, gradually pour onto the egg whites in a steady stream, whisking as you do so. Continue to whisk until the meringue has doubled in volume and the sides of the bowl no longer feel hot.
4. In another bowl, whisk the cream to soft peaks. Fold in the ginger syrup and orange liqueur, followed by the meringue. Taste and sweeten with a little more ginger syrup if required. Stir through the cherries, chopped ginger, glacé fruit, marron glacé, if using, and chopped pistachios. Spoon into the Swiss roll-lined bowl and level the top.
5. Cover with the remaining Swiss roll slices, cutting them to fit as necessary. Drizzle with the rest of the kirsch syrup, then fold the excess clingfilm over the top to seal.
6. Place a flat plate on top (one that just fits inside the rim) and weigh it down with a heavy tin. Chill for an hour, then remove the weight, wrap and freeze the bombe.
7. To serve, unwrap the bombe and place on a flat plate or cake stand. Decorate with sprigs of redcurrants dusted with icing sugar if you like, or serve it just as it is. Let it stand at room temperature for about 15 min before slicing.
From Christmas by Gordon Ramsay(Quadrille £15). To order a copy go to timesbookshop.co.uk. Free UK standard P&P on orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members
11. End with a British cheeseboard
Britain makes some of the best cheese in the world, so rather than cramming my board with loads of inferior cheeses, I like to offer a few of my favourites: stichelton, which is similar to stilton but made from unpasteurised milk; a mature farmhouse West Country cheddar; Baron Bigod, which is like a British brie, and a soft goat’s cheese such as Ragstone, Dorstone or Rosary.
12. Leave enough for leftovers
With so many youngsters in the house, things you had your eye on can disappear overnight. The older kids will go out to see friends and come back at midnight with the munchies and the next day you find the beef Wellington’s gone. But no waste! That’s the Ramsay mantra. Boxing Day will be cold meats with piccalilli and nice salad, or my favourite, a kind of hash brown made with grated potato and finely sliced sprouts, and then a fried egg on top.
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High, Lucky Cat Bishopsgate and the Gordon Ramsay Academy open from February 3. gordonramsayrestaurants.com