Caines comments
The two Michelin star chef Michael Caines has revealed what he thinks of some of his fellow chefs.
Speaking after the opening of the Michael Caines Restaurant at Manchester’s new ABode hotel, he described his admiration for some of the industry’s big hitters, including his friend Gordon Ramsay, with whom he worked in Jo?l Robuchon’s Paris restaurant Jamin in the early 90s
“You’ve got to applaud what Gordon’s done and is doing,” said Caines. “It’s not without its problems but then nor am I. I worry about him because he’s a friend. It’s a very ambitious thing to go across to another continent with a brand but I love the way he sticks two fingers up and does it anyway. I admire that. I have a huge amount of respect for Gordon.”
He also spoke warmly about the three French chefs he worked with in the early part of his career: Robuchon, the late Bernard Loiseau and Raymond Blanc, whom he describes as “a mentor”.
Other international chefs he admires include Wolfgang Puck in the US – “a real trailblazer who opened the door to people like Thomas Keller” – and Ferran Adri‡.
Closer to home, his list of inspirational chefs includes Heston Blumenthal and the Roux brothers, along with Nathan Outlaw in Cornwall. “Rick Stein has also done an amazing job down there. And I admire Marcus Wareing for his tenacity and achievements at Gordon Ramsay Holdings and wish him luck for the future.”
He is also impressed with Jamie Oliver. “As a restaurateur he’s yet to prove himself but his contribution to the industry and what he’s done is amazing,” said Caines. “I admire his achievements. As for his detractors, I think there’s an element of jealousy in their comments.”
What riles Caines is the stick some chefs get for pursuing their business interests rather than staying in the kitchen. “It’s about time people started to realise that chefs can become entrepreneurs, can become businessmen. There’s this crazy notion that chefs should be in the kitchen cooking every meal. It’s never like that anyway. It’s a team sport,” he said.
“Why is it that in every other industry people can become brands or fundamentally connected to brands? Take Dolce & Gabbana, Richard Branson and Virgin, with Microsoft you think of Bill Gates. These are people with vision. But it’s different with restaurants. If a director who sits on five boards opens a chain of restaurants bankrolled by venture capitalists, that’s okay. But as soon as a chef puts their name to it, Carluccio or Jamie Oliver, it’s ‘Oh, hang on, what’s this? Well he doesn’t cook in it, that can’t be right.’ I don’t understand this mentality. But fortunately the times are changing.”
A full interview with Michael Caines appears in the current issue of Restaurant magazine which is available in all good newsagents from 4th June.
