Gordon Ramsay is not known for holding anything back, and the celebrity chef is at it again while promoting his new show Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted. This time, Ramsay is speaking out regarding the critical assertions some have made that Uncharted is cribbing from Anthony Bourdain’s award-winning series, Parts Unknown.
While taking part in the Uncharted panel for the Television Critics Association summer press tour, Gordon Ramsay spoke out about the issue, saying this:
That was incorrect. Judge [this] program with integrity. I totally respect what he did and how he did it, but this journey began in 2004, discovering India, Vietnam and Cambodia and literally getting away from the three Michelin star setup with 25 chefs, what’s it like to be at the coal face. That’s what this is all about.
There you have it. Not that Gordon Ramsay was expected to deliver a 20-minute admission about secretly copying Anthony Bourdain's work, though it would have made his answer (per Deadline) as spicy as some of the food he eats during his various series.
Will this be the last time the Hell’s Kitchen star has to weigh in about his show's comparative qualities to Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown? Probably not. Last year, Ramsay addressed the critique with some pretty strong words, but that was before Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted had even gotten a chance to air.
The series recently premiered on Nat Geo, though, which has accordingly renewed the conversation. For those who don't even understand why the comparisons between Gordon Ramsay’s new show and Anthony Bourdain’s final series exist, it's because Ramsay travels to locations far and wide on his series, testing out local delicacies that are vastly different from what many people are used to. Essentially, it's a travel show that focuses on food, putting it squarely in the same genre as Bourdain’s series.
In his latest statement addressing his critics, Gordon Ramsay did acknowledge his respect for Anthony Bourdain, as well as for how the chef-turned-author-turned-host crafted Parts Unknown. However, Ramsay points out that “this journey” that got him to Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, began back in 2004. Why does that matter?
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown premiered almost a decade later in 2013. Making it impossible for Gordon Ramsay to have just cut, copied, and pasted Parts Unknown’s formula for himself. The same goes for Bourdain's earlier series No Reservations, which debuted in 2005.
In Ramsay’s previous statement addressing the comparisons, the chef also asserted how his activities pre-dated Bourdain’s on his series.
Anthony Bourdain passed away last year at the age of 61. His show concluded after airing one more season on CNN following his death. At the time, Ramsay told EW that his friend would be “happy and impressed” with the amount of jeopardy taken on in Uncharted.
Gordon Ramsay also urged people to reserve judgment until they had seen his new show. Now that curious minds are able to do so, the tide may change regarding comparative feedback.
If you are ready to enjoy the excitement of travel and cuisine, Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted is currently airing its first season. Nat Geo has already renewed the series for Season 2. So, there will be even more episodes to look forward to in the future.
New episodes of Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted premieres air Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on Nat Geo, which will soon be home to The Right Stuff series aka the television adaptation. You can still watch Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown on Netflix with a side dish of upcoming premieres. Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted airs on National Geographic,
