Gordon Ramsay's Feelings On Frozen Food Are A Bit Snobbish

The foul-mouthed celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is a paradox. On one end of the spectrum that makes the man, there's all that famous swearing. But Gordon Ramsay also has some unexpectedly gentle advice for frustrated cooks. His finest restaurants have collected more than their share of Michelin stars, but Ramsay also operates more affordable burger spots. And years before he launched his own frozen entree line, he told Bon Appétit that he wouldn't touch the stuff.

When asked whether there were any foods he'd refuse, Ramsay replied, "Any ready meal. It's so easy to prepare a quick meal using fresh produce, such as a simple stir-fry, but people still resort to ready meals that all taste exactly the same." Whether there was some grand advancement in TV dinner technology, Ramsay simply changed his mind, or he identified an obvious new income stream, his own ready-meal line, By Chef Ramsay, includes two lasagna varieties, slow roasted beef in a red wine sauce, and a shepherd's pie.

There are two kinds of frozen food buyers: Those with the reasonable belief all they have to do is heat and eat and those who view it as a blank canvas on which to paint additional flavors. Both are fair stances, but the latter group will probably get a more flavorful plate. Just like there are plenty of hacks to elevate frozen pizzas, there ways to improve any formerly frozen meal.

You should give your frozen foods as much seasoning consideration as you would anything made from scratch. A lot of packaged dinners are already going to be high in sodium, so you may want to skip the salt, but a few shakes of pepper, paprika, or chili flakes can go a long way to jazzing up your ready-to-eat meal. The same goes for fresh herbs like basil or cilantro. Even grated Parmesan, a squeeze of citrus, or maybe a dollop of sour cream can also be terrific, depending on the cuisine's flavor profile. And heat seekers have a real edge here, as a good dose of hot sauce can enliven almost anything.