10 Global Food Destinations Approved By Gordon Ramsay

Gordon Ramsay isn't the kind of chef who stays in one place for long. He has over 80 restaurants spanning multiple continents, travels frequently to host shows like "Hell's Kitchen" and "MasterChef," and has starred in several food and travel series in which he's traversed the globe in search of fantastic food. Along the way, Ramsay has visited some of the world's best food cities, many of which have left a lasting impression on the chef.

The U.K. is Ramsay's home base, so it makes sense that he has a deep affinity for British cuisine and the food scene there. At the same time, his work has taken him into kitchens and markets around the world, where he's discovered a myriad of unique ingredients and time-honored cooking techniques. Many of those places have blown the chef away with their vibrant and creative cuisines that have inspired his own cooking and some of his restaurant concepts.

Ramsay is rarely quiet about his opinions, which makes it relatively easy to pinpoint the places that stand out to him. From well-known European dining hubs to lesser-known destinations in Asia and beyond, he's praised a wide range of countries for their food. Based on comments he's made in interviews, on television, and via social media, these are some of the global destinations he rates most highly.

India consistently wows chefs with its incredibly diverse array of dishes, and Gordon Ramsay is no exception. The chef told Condé Nast Traveler: "Oh man, if there was one place I would move to tomorrow, I'll be honest, is India." He explained that his first visit was to cook for a wedding in Rajasthan, and that cemented his love for the country. Since then, he's traveled to several regions of India and sampled multiple dishes.

Ramsay has a particular fondness and respect for curries from the Indian subcontinent. In fact, on an episode of "Mythical Kitchen," he revealed that curry played a large role in shaping his career. He explained that at one of his first restaurant jobs, the kitchen porters shared a fish head curry with him that impressed him so much that he decided to take cooking seriously. The next day, he approached Marco Pierre White for a job. "That got me to where I am today," he said.

One of Ramsay's all-time favorite foods from India is butter chicken, which he included in his round-up of "last meal" dishes on "Mythical Kitchen." He also told Condé Nast Traveler that he loves dosas and spicy Indian breakfasts. In addition, he commented on how Mumbai has phenomenal street food and that he learned how to fine-tune his vegetarian cooking after visiting an ashram in Kerala, which he said had "some of the best vegetarian food I've ever eaten in my entire life."

France is another country that had a deep influence on Gordon Ramsay's culinary education. After working for Marco Pierre White at Harvey's in London for several years, Ramsay decided he wanted to delve deeper into French cuisine, so he studied under Albert Roux at Le Gavroche in London, then moved to Paris at the age of 22. There, he worked with mentors like Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon. "France was the backbone of my career," he told Condé Nast Traveler. "France was humbling."

According to Ramsay, he became obsessed with every aspect of French cuisine and culture. He learned French and immersed himself in all styles of cooking, from baking to slow-roasting and braising, haute cuisine, desserts, and aeration. He fell in love with the beautiful produce on offer at local markets and the regional styles of cooking. "There is something magical that comes from France every time you visit it," he said.

Today, Ramsay has two Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, and he still has several favorite spots he frequents when he visits the city. He told the Michelin Guide that he loves Mamiche bakery for its cream puffs, Le Bon Georges for its great wine list, and Le Voltaire for its laid-back atmosphere and seasonal French dishes. And, of course, he gave a shout-out to his mentor Guy Savoy for the chef's namesake restaurant in the Hôtel des Monnaies, which Ramsay called "a masterpiece in itself."

Gordon Ramsay has visited Australia several times over the years. He hosted "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars Australia," has made appearances on "MasterChef Australia," and once showcased Tasmania on an episode of "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted." But it's not just work that draws him there. He told Delicious that he believes the restaurants in Australia are worthy of attention from the Michelin Guide because the food is just that good.

"The Australian dining scene, for me, is one of the most exciting on Earth because of the ingredients," Ramsay told the magazine. He noted the abundance of fresh seafood and indigenous ingredients, and the care that Australian chefs take with them. He also pointed out the multicultural influences that make the cuisine truly unique. "What the rest of the world could stand to learn from Australia's cooks is the freedom to create," Ramsay said.

Melbourne is one of Ramsay's favorite food destinations in Australia, thanks to the abundance of top-notch restaurants. He was also suitably impressed with Tasmania for its top-notch meat and seafood. While visiting the island for "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted," he got to experiment with some of those local ingredients, using wallaby and crayfish to put an Australian spin on surf and turf. In addition, he told Condé Nast Traveler: "They produce some of the best whisky in the world in Tassie." That's pretty high praise, especially coming from someone with Scottish roots.

As a young chef, Gordon Ramsay spent a great deal of time in Spain, and that's when he became enamored with the country and the cuisine. Today, he often calls out Spanish food as being on par with some of the world's most celebrated cuisines. For example, he told Esquire: "For me, it's a cuisine as important as French cuisine, but without the arrogance. Spain is more content with itself and more understated about its success. I love that."

Like many chefs, Ramsay loves popping into tapas bars in Barcelona and exploring Michelin-starred restaurants in Madrid. But the one region that has left the biggest impression on him is Galicia. He told Esquire that you just can't beat the produce there and that the beef is simply spectacular. "There's a lot of talk about Japanese Wagyu A5 or Aberdeen Angus, but the best beef in the world is Galician," he said.

And when it comes to wines, Ramsay believes that Spain is one of the most underrated wine regions. "Spanish wines have been one of the world's hidden gems for years," he said. According to him, Galicia produces some seriously spectacular wines thanks to its ideal terroir. He's also a fan of Vega Sicilia, a wine producer in the Ribera del Duero region in northern Spain that's renowned for its Unico wine made with Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and aged for nearly 10 years.

Filipino cuisine has been gaining more worldwide attention as of late, and Gordon Ramsay thinks it's well deserved. In an interview with Esquire, he said: "I think it's one of the sort of sleeping beauties of Asia, and now some of the best restaurants in some of the most exciting cities in the world are Filipino." Ramsay himself recently opened the Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill at Newport World Resorts in the capital of Manila.

One of the things that Ramsay loves about traditional Filipino foods is their regional diversity and the history behind the dishes. With over 7,000 islands, the nation is home to numerous food traditions, and over the centuries, numerous cultures have put their mark on the cuisine. He also cited the complexity of the flavors thanks to ingredients like vinegar, fresh fish, and fragrant marinades.

As for his favorite dishes, Ramsay told When in Manila that he was particularly fond of sinigáng, a sour soup that gets its tangy notes from tamarind. It typically includes add-ins like fish or meat and leafy green vegetables, and it's often served with white rice. He's also voiced his love for sisig, which Anthony Bourdain was also a fan of. Sisig consists of pork that's simmered, chopped, and fried, then tossed with onions, chiles, and calamansi lime juice. It's often served on a sizzling plate, sometimes with a fried egg on top.

Gordon Ramsay has filmed numerous shows in the United States, several of which have taken him to far-flung spots all over the country. He's sampled a wide array of regional foods across the U.S., many of which he's grown to love. For example, he told Condé Nast Traveler: "I've eaten some of the best beef in the world in Texas," also stating that the quality of the ingredients in the state is second to none.

The chef has also waxed lyrical about the food scene in Miami, telling Time Out that his go-to meal there is "a Cubano sandwich with a Cuban coffee." In addition, he gave High Life a run-down of some of his favorite restaurants across the country, including Cote in New York City for Korean barbecue and Italian spot Bestia in Los Angeles for roasted bone marrow with gnocchetti that he said is "one of the best dishes in the city."

And like many of us, Ramsay isn't immune to the allure of fast food. He's often stated that one of his guilty pleasures is a double double In-N-Out burger dressed animal style. He even stated he would eat the fast food order as part of his final meal when he was a guest on "Mythical Kitchen." "These guys are incredible," he said of the burgers. "The fact that everything is sourced locally." He even said he used In-N-Out's burgers for inspiration when he opened his first burger restaurant in Las Vegas.

When Korean food blogger Cho Seung-yeon asked Gordon Ramsay what the number one foodie destination in the world was in a YouTube video, the chef listed not one, but three of his favorite food destinations. One of those spots was Vietnam, which he called an "extraordinary melting pot of great food," and said: "I love Vietnam. I fell in love. Such a humble approach to eating incredible food."

Ramsay also told Condé Nast Traveler that he was so enthralled by Vietnam that he actually had tears in his eyes when he had to leave. He said that one of the things that impressed him the most was the incredible markets offering fresh, locally sourced ingredients. In addition, he said he admires the fact that the food hasn't been watered down with too many foreign influences. "Vietnamese cuisine stands alone and it's freaking iconic," he said.

While filming "Gordon's Great Escape," Ramsay got to sample a wide array of Vietnamese dishes that he absolutely adored. A particularly memorable meal was a braised pork belly noodle dish with broth called hu tieu. He told Condé Nast Traveler that he remembers cooking the pork belly and broth for 12 hours in separate clay pots, then serving it to local fishermen from a boat. "It was one of the most inspirational moments of my culinary career," he said. He's also a fan of fresh spring rolls, barbecue duck, and stuffed squid. 

The state of Oaxaca in Mexico is renowned for its unique cuisine, which includes a mix of pre-colonial dishes, as well as innovative modern creations featuring indigenous ingredients. In fact, the capital of Oaxaca City is home to two of Mexico's 23 Michelin-starred restaurants. With that in mind, it's not surprising that Gordon Ramsay was thoroughly impressed when he visited the region for an episode of "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted." 

Ramsay's main goal on the trip was to unlock the secrets of mole. This rich sauce can be made a variety of ways, but typically includes a mix of nuts, spices, fruits, and sometimes chocolate. The chef learned how to roast the ingredients, grind them by hand, and incorporate them into a rich paste. He also learned how to make tortillas to accompany the mole and prepare meats bathed in the sauce.

In addition to mole, Ramsay also tried his hand at making chilaquiles. This popular Mexican breakfast dish features tortilla chips cooked with salsa or mole and topped with items like fried egg, shredded meat, and garnishes like cilantro, queso fresco, and crema. He also loved tlayuda, which is a toasted tortilla with toppings like refried beans, avocado, and chorizo. Ramsay used chapulines (grasshoppers) for his protein. Overall, he was blown away by it all. "The complex flavors, the rich history is why this has to be one of my favorite destinations yet," he said.

National Geographic's "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted" sent Ramsay on some unique adventures in search of great food, and the Morocco episode was no exception. The chef rappelled down a waterfall in the Atlas Mountains in search of wild mushrooms, got lost in the labyrinth of alleyways at the Medina of Fez, and crushed olives with a traditional stone grinder to make olive oil. During his time there, he said he was reminded that "you don't need a fancy kitchen to produce truly outstanding cuisine."

Ramsay tried a variety of dishes in Morocco, but none seemed to impress him as much as the braised camel meat. Cooked with traditional Berber methods, the meat was slow-cooked in clay pots with onions, lemon, and spices. Ramsay said: "It's so delicious. Really nice and spicy, fragrant coating on the meat. The big surprise for me is how deep the richness of that meat is."

The chef also got to try medfouna, also described as a "Berber pizza." It featured flatbread stuffed with wild mushrooms that were sautéed with ras el hanout (a North African spice blend) and sprinkled with goat cheese. Everything was cooked in a skillet over a campfire fueled by olive branches. Ramsay appreciated the simplicity of the dish and the richness of the ingredients. "That was one of the best pizzas I've ever eaten," he said.

When it comes to Southeast Asian cuisine, Laos often gets overshadowed by its neighbors, Vietnam and Thailand. However, Ramsay believes that it's right up there with some of the top foodie meccas in the world. In fact, when food blogger Cho Seung-yeon asked him about the number one food destination in an interview posted on YouTube, he listed Laos first, followed by Vietnam and Madrid, Spain. "The food was just off the charts," he said of Laotian cuisine.

While filming the Laos episode of "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted", Ramsay explored the Si Phan Don region, where people source much of their food from the forests, rice paddies, and the Mekong River. He fished at Khone Falls, the widest waterfall in the world, foraged for insects and frogs, and shopped for fermented fish from market stalls. He also learned how to cook using traditional methods like barbecuing fish and insects on bamboo skewers over open flames.

Every turn in Laos brought Ramsay new surprises, like the barbecued water beetle, which he admitted looked unappetizing but was actually delicious. He said: "It's like a sort of cross between a sweet lobster and crab meat." He was also a fan of snails wrapped in lettuce and a fragrant soup seasoned with lemony ants. Overall, Ramsay was thoroughly impressed with the fresh, nutritious ingredients. "The Mekong River continues to give them something very valuable — a rich culture that thrills the taste buds and feeds the soul," he said. "That is priceless."