It is clear that I am hardly the only viewer of the fifty or so programs on television featuring Gordon Ramsay who has observed that the chef/host/author/Malibu homeowner rather fancies the word “stunning.” He refers to stunning cakes and pies; stunning soups and sauces; stunning steaks and chops; stunning shellfish; stunning lamb’s tongues; stunning rice, barley and lentils; stunning pots, pans and cutlery; stunning whisking technique; stunning judging (by his Master Chef co-hosts); stunning bed linens (in the Hell’s Kitchen dormitory); and stunning negotiating (by his agents at CAA).
On an episode of Kitchen Nightmares he tried adapting the word into an adverb – “This prune whip is bad…stunningly bad” – but you could tell it didn’t fall very trippingly off his tongue. That was a one-off and, one hopes, taught him to stick with what he’s good at.
One time I heard him say, “Here I am in a stunning jet helicopter – that I could, by the way, buy if I wanted to – circling stunning downtown Los Angeles. The view is simply stunning.”
Mr. Ramsay’s limited vocabulary annoys more people than just me. I have signed the Change.org petition intended to stop the madness and I encourage my readers to do the same.
It is easy to complain but my criticism is of the constructive sort. I have compiled a list of words and phrases that Mr. Ramsay can easily merge with his current limited roster of descriptors. Here is that list, along with suggested applications:
- “I want you to make for me a saliva-generating key lime pie.”
- “For your next challenge you will recreate this quite attractive cheese enchilada.”
- “Now that is a strikingly beautiful plate of veal brains!”
- “You and your teammates will prepare an astonishing haggis.”
- “If you don’t shape up over there on garde manger I’m going to deliver a forceful blow to your head with a rolling pin.”
- “As winners of the Lightning Round you will all fly on a stupefying private jet to go jet-skiing on jaw-dropping Lake Mead.”
With just a little study time, Gordon Ramsay can surely improve his vocabulary and I am here to help however I can.