Gordon Ramsey sends help to school dinner lady live on BBC Radio 2
On the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show this morning, Vernon Kay (sitting in for Zoe who has Covid) was speaking to his guest Gordon Ramsey when a school dinner lady called in to ask for help.
Gordon was on the show to talk about Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars, which starts Thursday 31 March at 9pm on BBC One.
School dinner lady Tina from Edward Peake Middle School in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire called in needing help as she was short-staffed today. She said: “I’m cooking here on my own. I’m working here in a school kitchen and my chef has gone off sick, I’ve got another one off with Covid and just wondered if Gordon would help me today, give me a hand after his interview?”
Gordon asked what was on the menu, to which Tina answered that it was roast turkey, roast potatoes, honey roast parsnips.
“That’s nice, but Tina, we’re still in March my darling. We’re a bit early for Christmas – turkey?!” Gordon joked.
He continued: “Darling if I did have the time I’d be in Bedfordshire, I promise you, in a heartbeat, but I can send a chef there if you wish?”
Tina told him that would be great, and he quipped: “Gino’s (D’Acampo) on his way!”
Vernon remarked that school dinners now aren’t what they used to be.
“No, nowhere near it no,” Gordon replied, then continued, “Look Tina, I’ve got nightmares from school dinners. I used to go in and smell liver… and then we’d have leftovers the week after, it was grim. But listen if you are in desperate need of help, I will call one of my chefs and send them to Bedfordshire in the next hour if you do need help.”
Vernon asked if he was serious. “Course I’m serious,” Gordon answered, “I don’t want the kids to go [hungry]. Honestly, I’ll make a call now and send one of my guys there. I promise you.”
Overwhelmed, Tina thanked Gordon and told him she was working by herself but had made 195 muffins, was prepping the veg and had put potatoes in. “I’m on it,” she said, “And he can help me serve as well because I’m on my own serving so that’d be great,” she added.
Vernon then said: “This is like the A Team – ‘if you’ve got a problem that no one else can handle, then maybe you should call Gordon Ramsay!’ That’s the next show in America – ‘Ramsay solves all your problems’. Forget cooking, forget the kitchen, it’s Ramsay on life, Gordon’s answer to everything, without swearing. Thank you very much Tina. Listen, have a great day and I’m hoping, fingers crossed, Gordon’s people will be in touch so stay on the line and then our lovely producer… will sort that out.”
And Gordon did sort it out, by sending chef Rob Roy Cameron to the school, who not only helped out Tina in the kitchen, but also gave a cooking demonstration to the kids!
Here’s an appreciation post for @GordonRamsay @BBCRadio2 and Chef Rob Roy Cameron for helping us out in the kitchen today! 🙌🏆🍴#TeamPeake #AppreciationPost #ThankYou pic.twitter.com/qqnYVD6gI1
— EdwardPeake (@EdwardPeake) March 23, 2022
Everyone enjoyed the lovely roast made by our brilliant team and our latest addition – Rob Roy Cameron🙌🍗👀 @BBCRadio2 @GordonRamsay #TeamPeake #GoodFood #Chef pic.twitter.com/lGh9YnUMSk
— EdwardPeake (@EdwardPeake) March 23, 2022
Action shots of the team and Chef Rob Roy Cameron preparing the school dinner📸🍽 #TeamPeake #foodpreperation pic.twitter.com/uyN00ghxMS
— EdwardPeake (@EdwardPeake) March 23, 2022
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 #BBCRadio2 pic.twitter.com/1tFML7xklG
— EdwardPeake (@EdwardPeake) March 23, 2022