Gordon Ramsay shafts Toronto by opening his first Canadian restaurant in Montreal
Gordon Ramsay, the blond British ball of rage with the vast culinary empire, is finally expanding into Canada. In February 2009, the master chef told CBC’s The Hour he would open a restaurant in Toronto, and while that might still be the case, Montreal is getting a Ramsay resto first. The chef is taking over Rotisserie Laurier BBQ and subtly redubbing it Rotisserie Laurier BBQ by Ramsay. It sounds like Toronto won’t even be next on the list. After filming a season at Araxi, Whistler’s most acclaimed restaurant, Ramsay gushed that he wants to retire in the ski town.
Toronto might not have the honour of being graced with a Ramsay-approved eatery, but at least the chef will be in the city on November 20 to host Chef’s Challenge: The Ultimate Battle for a Cure at the Carlu. And while Montreal may have a Michelin-starred chef and a winning hockey team to boast about this week, at least Toronto has Lake Shore.
• Montreal, not Toronto, lands Gordon Ramsay’s first Canadian restaurant [Toronto Star]
Well boo hoo but I think he has lots of financial and family problems at the moment, an open letter to his mother in law in the press this week so it is no loss…
Did he really have an open letter to his in law? I love Gordon as he is a man who practise what he preaches on TV. Having eaten at 5 of his restaurants in UK, reasonably priced, good quality food and excellent service. Wish him all the best – he possibly went to montreal due to lower rent verus overpriced overhype Toronto areas- SAY OSSINGTON AND KING WEST!!
Honestly, what is the big deal? Don’t people realise that he’s never in any of his restaurants anymore? He is losing michelin stars and all his best chefs left, right and centre because he has over-extended himself. Why, oh why should Canadians be fighting over a restaurant that is a product of a man who has stopped being a restaurant chef years ago? Anyways, has anybody been to Gordon Ramsay at Heathrow Airport? His name means nothing anymore. Next topic please.
Anyway it will be shut down in Montreal unless he puts by ‘le’ Ramsay. I lived there for two years and I can honestly say Toronto has better food.
Ramsay has really overextended himself and now just seems like another “brand” -like Martha Stewart.
Gordon Ramsay even has his own brand of chocolates that I saw for sale at the Bay.
I did not try them just because there are so many good local chocolate shops around here.
I will try his restaurant when I am in Montreal!
Such insecure neediness is unseemly. We don’t need Ramsay to bestow his presence upon us to know we’re a grownup culinary scene.
He’s done us a favour.
Who…..cares?
This is for Nic nov 13th….are you out of your mind??? Toronto is so far behind Montreal when it comes to great tasting food…one can enjoy it’s culinary skill at an affordable price almost anywhere even at small restaurants.
I’m not sure where people are eating in Montreal, but there is no comparison between Montreal and Toronto restaurants. I go to Montreal just to eat in their fabulous restaurants. As for Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant beating out Toronto and being put in Montreal, he’s made the right choice. People in Toronto are unsophisticated when it comes to service and wonderful food that doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars per person. I had the pleasure of dining in Chef Ramsay’s restaurant in NYC this summer with my husband and 2 sons, who are foodies too. It was outstanding in all areas. I would go to Montreal just to dine in his restaurant again. It’s nice that chefs have standards and live up to their excellent reputations that they have worked years to attain. Thanks for coming North Chef Ramsay!
The only way this is a shaft to Toronto is that it deprives the city from possibly bettering it’s meager offering to local Foodies. Toronto may need Ramsay more than Montreal does, but if you’re a chef looking to buy a business in an town that knows – and is known for – its food, then Montreal is the place to go. Friends from Toronto come visit me in Montreal just because it has such an exotic, varied, and exceptionally *good* selection of restaurants. French, Lebanese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Ethiopian, Iranian, Pub food, fusion, junk food, Tibettan, local Quebecoise… the list goes on and on, and you can literally find any number of the above within walking distance of the downtown core.
He obviously is up for the challenge Montreal presents.
Now, why Ramsay chose a chicken rotisserie is another question :)
Wahh Wahh Wahh. More Toronto whining.
I think he likes to rub shoulders with people who like to enjoy thier time and entertain clientelle to procure more business(Montreal, Whistler, Vancovuer). This is opposed to the stodgy accountants from Toronto who like to over scrutnize accounts to make themselves look good, and consequently curb business sales potentials.
aahhh yes the gold ol days when WINSTONS used to rule the roost for well defined service, such days are a long gone piece of history in Toronto. Toronto has tried to keep afloat on harbourfront and adelaide nightclub district for some time now but appealing to American dollars, one problem, now that the US dollar is almost parr with the Canuck buck, why would Americans want to come here to Toronto? For more glorified American eastside marios junk??
on the Ramsay side of things, this man has enough problems now trying to bail himself out of 17 million english pounds, that I doubt montreal or toronto restaurants both together even would bail him out, but hey he is the guy always harping and yelling at others HOW to manage a restaurant, the shoe is on the other foot now, right GORDON? Add to all this his family problems with firings and alleged adulteries and father in law press coverage, doing a COSCO like sales event at the Bay last night I doubt will salvage his business or reputation… Gordon is washed up PERIOD… the Hells Kitchen yelling bag gets tiring after awhile.. its all about the FOOD anyways Gordon NOT You.. but shhhh don’t tell him that… heck even his wife tana has a cookbook out now.. yawn…
Completely disagree with Shirly, Nic and those who think Toronto’s food is better than Montreal’s. Because of its French and European influence Montrealers are much more demanding when it comes to great food! Toronto may have more Canadian celebrity chefs and higher priced restaurants but but the food it produces is also more generic, conservative and well boring. Montreal based chefs and Montrealers are more willing to experiment and their palettes are much more sophisticated. No doubt Toronto’s the financial capital of Canada but Montreal’s the food capital.
The absolute WORST place for chicken i’ve ever eaten in.The chicken was dry and tasteless… the fries tasted like and looked like Mcain frozen fries and even worse was the sauce, a putrid concoction of vile tasting brown liquid that i nearly gagged on .I do not consider my self a picky person but i swear that i would NEVER eat in that restaurant ever again even if the whole meal was totally FREE… including alcohol The owner of that place should be completely embarassed….The Worst In Montreal !!!!! Never mind that it is also the most expensive chicken in Montreal. What a joke!! Overall a zero out of ten……not even a one.
Well I’m European and neither Toronto or Montreal are up to scratch but as a food haven Montreal is over rated and as a city it barely functions over and out…
For the European…always nice for a guest to complain about their host (sarcasm)
As for Toronto vs Montreal. Montreal comes second only to NY in N America. Now I am sure that Toronto has great restaurants, but overall Montreal beats Toronto hands down. We have more restaurants per capita, we have choice, we have variety, and so on…. now service!!! well that I’m sure we lose at.