Gordon Ramsay leaves fans divided over 'toxic' stance on 'rude' restaurant habit

If there’s one person you probably wouldn’t put at the top of your list of shy and retiring celebrities, it's Gordon Ramsay.

The world-famous chef, decorated with a whopping 17 Michelin Stars across his decades-long career, is well-known for his thunderous approach to criticism alongside his fine touch at the chopping board.

Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, The F Word, and Hotel Hell are just a few examples of his hit TV shows centred largely around meeting sub-standard chefs and tearing them limb from limb. Verbally, of course.

Ramsay on Kitchen Nightmares (FOX / Contributor/Getty Images)

He’s as expletive-laden as he is no-nonsense, making for some thrilling telly when clearly-wrong victims dig their heels in and fight back. It’s particularly fun when they suggest he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, not least when he’s won so many Michelin Stars. You don’t get those by accident, that’s for sure.

For all his contributions to the culinary and entertainment worlds, there’s no denying that he’s one hell of a blunt dude.

The softer side has been on display on MasterChef Juniors, and you don’t become one of the world’s greatest chefs without having bucketloads of finesse.

Speaking with The Times, he recently laid out one element of lacking decorum that he can’t abide by, and it’s ruffled a few feathers to say the least.

"Watching my mother work three jobs to put tea on the table for my sisters, brother, and me, I learnt never to waste anything," said Ramsay. "Those humble beginnings made me the person I am today."

With that in mind, he finds it ‘rude to leave anything on your plate’.

Now, there’s some sense to this. Clearing your plate is a sure-fire sign that you appreciated the meal, and for someone who slaves away over a stove it must be galling to see half-eaten meals get scraped into the bin.

However, suggesting that people should eat beyond satiety has seen a fair bit of backlash on social media.

"Complete bollocks,” said one comment on an Instagram post from Delish - with a knack for adopting Ramsay’s turn of phrase. “Restaurant servings are often way too big… and I’ve had half my gut removed, I just can’t eat a full meal, dine-in or take away!"

"I love you, @gordongram, but no,” said an Instagram comment.

“If I'm full, I'm not gonna gorge myself,” said another. “I will take it home, though."

"Your unfinished plate can go in the fridge to finish later," said another.

"Leaving food on the plate means the diner is done. He's not entitled to know why or judge," posited yet another comment.

Someone simply labelled Ramsay’s comment as a ‘toxic statement’.

It's fair to say that Ramsay has failed to clear his plate on many Kitchen Nightmares occasions (FOX / Contributor/Getty Images)

However, some saw some of the good intentions behind his views.

"I 100% agree," said one Ramsay defender. "It’s hard to waste especially when you pay for it yourself."

Considering how much food gets wasted in the UK, there’s certainly a conversation to be had around how we can all curb how much food we throw away. Of course, clearing our plates isn’t likely to move the needle in the way that smaller portions, more intentional food purchasing, and better storage can.