Gordon’s Gastro Getaways

The Narrow
Keep it simple and easy seems to be the mantra of all Gordon Ramsay’s pubs. This one’s located in a Grade Two listed building in the Limehouse area of East London, directly along the banks of the meandering River Thames. The sizeable outdoor area with parasols by the river, gives you the perfect opportunity to dine al fresco on summer evenings and witness the darkness descending only to be dispelled dramatically when the lights are switched on, illuminating the river. Muted coloured walls highlight the fireplaces while comfy lounge arm chairs that recline give you the feeling of warmth on chilly autumn evenings. Black-and-white photography on the walls adds a contemporary twist as do the quirky dishes that are listed along with traditional pub fare.

Savour the soothing panoramic view with traditional ales especially the St Edmunds Greene King, which is a particularly good blonde beer to try or watch the boats go by whilst sipping a glass of chilled Viognier, Secreto from Chile(2008) or try the red wine Toro, Dehesa Gago, Rodriquez from Spain(2007). And devour the smoked salmon and haddock crab cakes, beer battered fish with hand-cut chips and mushy peas and steamed treacle pudding with bay leaf custard.

At: 44 Narrow street, London E148DP
Tel: +44 207 5927950
Email: thenarrow@gordonramsay.com

The Devonshire
This one is set on a quiet residential corner in Chiswick. The Victorian building has characteristic high ceilings, roaring open fires, large windows with unique wood panelling that gives it a handsome cosily-pubbish ambience. For breezy summer afternoons, there is a small hideaway landscaped garden at the rear. Here, retro style British dishes have been given prominence with a strong focus on top grade fresh seasonal ingredients.

Stand by the bar and chat with a Fuller’s beer in hand or sip on the white wine, Gavi di Gavi Minaia, Nicolas Bergglio from Italy (2008) or even  the red wine Pinot Noir ‘Roaring Meg’ from Mount Difficulty, New Zealand (2007). Enticing bar snacks include ‘on toast’ options, with devilled chicken livers and kippers with chive and lemon butter sauce. Must-haves include the crisp fried quail with shallot, pork belly with baby leaves, followed by onglet steak with portobello mushrooms and peppercorn sauce. And for the grand finale try the bitter chocolate mousse with raspberry ripple ice cream.

At: 126 Devonshire Road, Chiswick, London W42JJ
Tel: +44 207 5927962
Email: thedevonshire@gordonramsay.com

The Warrington
Upon entering this pub one is immediately hit by the ‘Ye Olde World’ feel of the place with a sturdy carved Edwardian bar, marble pillars, stained glass windows, ornate wood carvings and fireplaces. An elegant cascading staircase enchantingly leads you to the first floor dining room which has a modern, airy and spacious feel, where Italian manager Luca greets his guests introducing them to the daily specials, quiz nights and live music evenings at the pub along with anecdotes about celebrities that frequent the pub. Jonathan Ryes Myers is dining adjacent to us.

Wines to try: Albarinio from Galacia, Spain(2008) followed by the red wine Spice Root Mourvedre (2007). For starters, try the delicious twice baked crab souffle and then for mains the pan fried fillet of black bream with crushed black olives and charlotte potato. And don’t miss the vanilla cheese cake with damson plum ice cream.

At: 93 Warrington Crescent Maidavale, London W91EH
Tel: +44 207 5927960
Email: thewarrington@gordonramsay.com

“I was dead set on being a footballer…!”

After months of pursuing, Gordon Ramsay takes a quicksilver break from his hectic travelling and tasting the cuisines of the world to speak to Nisha Paul

How did you get into cooking?
I was dead set on being a footballer but a knee injury prematurely put an end to my career on the pitch so I returned to college to complete a course in hotel management. It was there that my passion for cooking was ignited and as I began to develop my skills I realised that this was what I wanted to pursue as a career.

What inspires and influences you?
I’ve been travelling quite a bit in the past few years and tasting a huge variety of cuisines so that has really opened my eyes to different methods of cooking, flavours and textures. I’m constantly learning about food, I think no matter how successful a chef is there’s always still a learning curve and I enjoy the challenge of staying ahead of the game.

Which is your favourite cuisine in  the world?
I don’t have one particular cuisine that I favour above all others, although recently I visited Malaysia and I couldn’t get enough of the flavours in their food. It’s a relatively unknown cuisine but if you delve into it you realise that the mix of cultures living side by side has created some inspiring food.

Where do you go on holiday to unwind?
I don’t unwind often but I love going to LA with my family; it’s a great city with so much going on. We’re also lucky enough to have a restaurant in southern Sardinia which I visited in the summer. The produce out there is amazing, especially the seafood.