Monday, June 23, 2008

Good Food & Wine Show starring Gordon Ramsay!

The last few years I've missed out on the Good Food and Wine show because I'm either overseas, or I've got something else on. This year, I was determined to go! And what better time to go than to see Gordon Ramsay!

I arrived at the show around midday, ready to taste test my way through the show. The moment we walked in, we were in the Wine area of the show. I picked up the free wine glasses that came with our tickets (Only $25!) and started hitting the wine and beer. After 20mins of wine tasting, we moved towards the food area and started hitting every stall, especially those that are steaming!

4 types of curry and rice

Ayam instant noodles

Peter Evans doing a demo

I saw the huge line of people waiting for the Gordon Ramsay book signing, and there was no way I would get anything signed. I decided to hit the food instead. After doing the rounds, we found front row seats at the Good Taste Theatre Kitchen. Initially we sat down because they were the only seats we could find in the whole exhibition centre, but we decided to stay for the next show. And what a great idea that was! Taste test!!

Hash browns with avocado mash and kumatoes

Italian garlic prawns with tomato and fettucine

Mocha brownie ice cream with hot latte sauce

The crowd

I was talking to one of the ladies who worked there, and apparently there were about 8,000 registrations for the show last year, this year there were 18,000! No wonder! Gordon Ramsay was here! ;)

I bought my bazooka of a DSLR with me to the show just so I could grab some good photos of him. Before he came out, they had a good 10mins of listing and promoting every sponsor of the show. They also had a game that got all the audience involved. I was actually left standing with a handful of people fighting for the prizes! Too bad they didn't managed to get to where I was seated! I got every question right!! GRRRRRRR!!

Finally, the star of the show arrived!

GORRRRRRRDON RAMSAY!!

In true Gordon Ramsay style, he came running out and then proceeded to take the mickey out of all the celebrity chefs. Including Jamie Oliver who was called a fat twat and how they sent him a treadmill for his birthday that was never used. He's also recommended that Australia, as the fattest nation in the world, should stop cooking out of the Jamie Oliver cookbooks!

Matt Moran also copped a few comments from Ramsay (They had to pull the curtains after the 4th row to make Matt's show looked full). Danni Minogue also didn't escape when Ramsay commented on how they had a cook off and half of her face melted off. ;)

Not only was he poking fun at all the celebrities, but he also had a go at the audience. Retelling his story of having a French girlfriend, he asked one of the audience members if her bush was as big as this:

Ramsay accompanied by his right hand man, Sarge (Mark Sargeant)

Apparently, hers was bigger.......

Telling us where to *beep**Beep*

There were quite a few fans there who had made masks of Gordon Ramsay. They ran on stage and managed to get a hug and kiss from him.

Fans running on stage


Ramsay demonstrated a 3 course meal in under 40mins. A Chorizo and bean soup, Balsamic Glazed lamb with bean salad, and a french toast like recipe.


Half way through the cooking demo, Matt Moran came running onto the stage brandishing a fire extinguisher. Next thing you know, he had proceeded to spray Ramsay, Sarge and the entire kitchen with it and done a runner!

The aftermath

Apparently Ramsay had attacked Matt Moran during his show, by hiding in the deep shadows of the back stage and hurling bits of food randomly at Matt throughout his whole demo! I guess that was Matt's revenge.

Ramsay was hilariously funny and everyone had a fantastic time there. Well, except for those who were dragged along by their other half! And probably the poor guy sitting next to me who had to endure my non-stop photo taking, the shutter going constantly off and the lens in his face!

At the end of the show, Ramsay gave out a whole heap of prizes, including anything that wasn't bolted down in the kitchen! All the electrical appliances, pots, pans etc. The organisers came running out by the time half of the kitchen was empty!


I had a fantastic time watching Gordon Ramsay, and it was well worth the $25 I paid! (Apparently they put the prices of the tickets up to expand the theatre to accommodate 2500 people). After the show, I did my last rounds of food and wine tasting, purchased all the show bags I needed before being kicked out of the place. Who knew the show ended so early?

4 comments:

NfOrCeR said...

For some reason I thort u were goin on the Saturday so i was surprised to see u there on Sunday! haha

I actually lined up after the show for the signing, got told it was already closed and roped off so left.. but came back 15mins before closing time to find about 15-20ppl standin tehre still after not being let in and was gonna cause a riot.. Security intervened and they got Ramsay to come to the back and signed all our books! woot :)

my gf's mum asked him for a hug and kiss, which he did after tellin her "hold on a minute! i gotta sign your book first" hahah

SoRMuiJAi said...

Damn! I should've gone and checked it out. But I was on a mission to get sloshed in the last hr of the show! Plus there were so many specials going on! Show bags going at 50% off!!!

NfOrCeR said...

hhah yup plenty of crazy specials.. didnt buy anything tho

nandos was selling any 5 bottles of sauce for $10 .. not that i eat nandos. only eaten at nandos twice and that was in the UK...

SoRMuiJAi said...

I probably would've bought a lot more if I got one of those trolley things. But during the day it was just too crowded to wheel that around. And by the end of the day, I didn't see the value in buying one! hehe I actually wanted to get the wine, but I would've needed a truck to get it home.