Welsh cook ‘frightened’ as he deals with previous employer Gordon Ramsay in ‘unique’ television chef off

ing head to head with any kind of cook in a food preparation face-off on tv need to be a difficult possibility for any person. Yet taking on intense food tale Gordon Ramsay is an entire various other another tune – particularly when you’re a previous protegee. Matt Waldron, that is the head cook at The Stackpole Inn in Pembrokeshire, is a previous mentee of the well-known television cook and also lately rejoined with him after greater than a years throughout the Heck’s Kitchen area celebrity’s brand-new three-part food preparation program, Gordon Ramsay: Undiscovered Face-off from National Geographic.

The episode, called the ‘Wales Stories’ saw Gordon Ramsay triggered on an experience – established by Matt – to discover the tough yet lovely components of Wales throughout the training course of a week, from the hills of Snowdonia, to the storm-crashed high cliffs of the west shore, in a proposal to discover every little thing there is to find out about Welsh food preparation – from ranch and also sea to table.

At the end of the episode, visitors viewed on as Matt and also Gordon reunited prior to becoming part of a cook-off in a proposal to see that had the ability to prepare Welsh create the very best, with Gordon implementing every little thing he had actually found out in the days leading up to it – a difficulty Matt informs us was “unique” and also “frightening”.

Find out more: Gordon Ramsay states he’s ‘ended up being Welsh’ after checking out Wales

We overtook Matt to see exactly how the experience went.

“It was rather overwhelming, to be straightforward. He’s such a large number in the sector and also in food preparation – and also every little thing else. It’s rather overwhelming. He’s rather a difficult individual to fulfill, I mean. And also it’s rather unique to fulfill a person like that,” he states over Zoom.

He includes: “It was frightening. [I was] out of my convenience area. Yet it was actually great. It was great enjoyable. And also it was rather unbelievable to function alongside him like that. It’s not something you do each day. So it’s absolutely something to bear in mind.”

Yet this isn’t Matt’s very first time dealing with the television character. When he was simply starting in the cooking sector, Matt Waldron was a Cook de Partie at the Gordon Ramsay Team 13 years back, yet the 33-year-old Usk-born cook, that is currently based in Pembrokeshire, had not seen him given that.

“[I saw] him in the cooking area back in London when I existed. Yet I indicate, I have not seen him given that. Just what you see on television and also social media sites and also things like that. Yet face to face, I have not seen him given that.”

He discussed of exactly how the program, which sees Gordon coordinating with previous proteges, and also him including on it transpired in a circumstance that had Matt in shock.

“Primarily, lockdown started [and I] simply had an e-mail and also a telephone call from someone from manufacturing of Uncharted, National Geographic in America, obtained the round rolling from that,” he states. “Clearly my history benefiting Gordon prior to several years ago assisted me too, since the entire program is based with type of protegees and more. Remaining in Pembrokeshire, and also this side of Wales, it’s a remarkable location, it’s so lovely down below, that additionally turned in my favour too, to be straightforward.”

Yet when he obtained the phone call, he describes: “It was unique to begin with, I mean. It was similar to ‘actually?’. ‘Was it simply some type of end up?’ It was lockdown too, so it was all a little bit up in the air. Every little thing was up in the air at the time. It was fantastic to have the possibility and also the possibility to do it.”

(Photo: Matt Waldron/Instagram)

Matt has had an outstanding occupation given that he dealt with Gordon Ramsay as a fresh brand-new cook on the London circuit and also has actually functioned under a wide variety of various other prominent cooks such as Helene Darozze, James Sommerin, and also Ynyshir’s Gareth Ward (“His design is so one-of-a-kind, he’s so various. There’s no one like that”). Having actually gathered a wealth of abilities over his time he went back to the homeland in 2014 – and also given that, it appears, as Gordon said in the program: “You’ve gone all Welsh on me since I last saw you in London”.

He explains that it was opportunity and family that brought him back to Wales: “There was an opportunity to work at James Sommerin’s when he was opening in Penarth. And it was a position that I wanted to go for, it was a step up and everything else. So it was good sort of career progression for me. And it was back home – close to my parents as well, which is good.”

Although he carved out a career in cooking early in his life, Matt reveals that his initial pipe dream was to be a pilot – a far cry from michelin-star kitchens – and one that is now “long, long, long gone. When you’re a kid, you don’t know what you want to do. I thought a pilot was quite cool. So I thought I could do that – nothing ever came of it,” he laughs.

A job in a kitchen during his teens turned his flying-dreams around and he “fell in love” with cooking so he followed his passion to culinary college before the bright lights of London town called where he worked under and taken inspiration from household names like Helen Derozze: “Her philosophy,” he muses, “and just the way she runs a kitchen was nothing I have actually seen, or experienced. I still haven’t experienced. Keeping thing head to head with any chef in a cooking showdown on television must be a daunting prospect for anybody. But going up against fiery food legend Gordon Ramsay is a whole other kettle of fish – especially when you’re a former protegee. Matt Waldron, who is the head chef at The Stackpole Inn in Pembrokeshire, is a former mentee of the famous TV chef and recently reunited with him after more than a decade during the Hell’s Kitchen star’s new three-part cooking show, Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted Showdown from National Geographic.

The episode, named the ‘Wales Tales’ saw Gordon Ramsay set off on an adventure – set by Matt – to explore the rugged yet beautiful elements of Wales across the course of a week, from the mountains of Snowdonia, to the storm-crashed cliffs of the west coast, in a bid to learn everything there is to know about Welsh cooking – from farm and sea to table.

At the end of the episode, viewers watched on as Matt and Gordon reconvened before entering into a cook-off in a bid to see who was able to cook Welsh produce the best, with Gordon putting into practice everything he’d learnt in the days leading up to it – a challenge Matt tells us was “surreal” and “intimidating”.

Read more: Gordon Ramsay says he’s ‘become Welsh’ after visiting Wales

We caught up with Matt to see how the experience went.

“It was quite daunting, to be honest. He’s such a big figure in the industry and in cooking – and everything else. It’s quite daunting. He’s quite a daunting person to meet, I suppose. And it’s quite surreal to meet someone like that,” he says over Zoom.

He adds: “It was intimidating. [I was] out of my comfort zone. But it was really good. It was good fun. And it was quite incredible to work next to him like that. It’s not something you do every day. So it’s definitely something to remember.”

But this isn’t Matt’s first time working with the TV personality. When he was just starting out in the culinary industry, Matt Waldron was a Chef de Partie at the Gordon Ramsay Group 13 years ago, but the 33-year-old Usk-born chef, who is now based in Pembrokeshire, hadn’t seen him given that.

“[I saw] him in the kitchen back in London when I was there. But I mean, I haven’t seen him since. Only what you see on TV and social media and stuff like that. But in person, I haven’t seen him since.”

He explained of how the show, which sees Gordon teaming up with past proteges, and him featuring on it came about in a scenario that had Matt in disbelief.

“Basically, lockdown kicked in [and I] just had an email and a phone call from somebody from production of Uncharted, National Geographic in America, got the ball rolling from that,” he says. “Obviously my background working for Gordon before many years ago helped me as well, because the whole show is based with sort of protegees and so on. Being in Pembrokeshire, and this side of Wales, it’s an amazing area, it’s so beautiful down here, that also swung in my favour as well, to be honest.”

But when he got the call, he describes: “It was surreal to start with, I suppose. It was just like ‘really?’. ‘Was it just some sort of wind up?’ It was lockdown as well, so it was all a bit up in the air. Everything was up in the air at the time. It was amazing to have the chance and the possibility to do it.”

(Image: Matt Waldron/Instagram)

Matt has had an impressive career since he worked with Gordon Ramsay as a fresh new chef on the London circuit and also has worked under a plethora of other renowned chefs such as Helene Darozze, James Sommerin, and Ynyshir’s Gareth Ward (“His style is so unique, he’s so different. There’s nobody like that”). Having garnered an abundance of skills over his time he returned to the homeland in 2014 – and since, it seems, as Gordon remarked in the show: “You’ve gone all Welsh on me since I last saw you in London”.

He explains that it was opportunity and family members that brought him back to Wales: “There was a possibility to operate at James Sommerin’s when he was opening up in Penarth. And also it was a placement that I wished to choose, it was an action up and also every little thing else. So it was great type of occupation development for me. And also it was back residence – near my moms and dads too, which is great.”

Although he took a profession in food preparation early in his life, Matt discloses that his preliminary wishful thinking was to be a pilot – an unlike michelin-star kitchen areas – and also one that is currently “lengthy, long, long gone. When you’re a youngster, you do not understand what you intend to do. I believed a pilot was rather amazing. So I believed I can do that – absolutely nothing ever before resulted it,” he chuckles.

A work in a cooking area throughout his teenagers transformed his flying-dreams around and also he “dropped in love” with food preparation so he followed his interest to cooking university prior to the brilliant lights of London community called where he functioned under and also taken motivation from home names like Helen Derozze: “Her viewpoint,” he muses, “and also simply the method she runs a cooking area was absolutely nothing I have actually seen, or experienced. I still have not experienced. Maintaining th