Hearno

But how can a chef as lauded as Ramsay chase the cheap dollar? How can he justify churning out pre-made food given the money and profile he derives from spouting - very, very loudly - the exact opposite? Perhaps it's because I guessed the guy had more pride. And I don't agree with the insinuation that going down the 'cheap' route is the only way to create a successful business model for gastropubs. That's patently not the case. People are willing to pay for quality and indivduality, and I think it's a little patronising to suggest people simply think with their wallet. I think the claim that you cannot get individuality at pubs, that somehow it is the preserve of just high end restaurants, is also wide of the mark. I find that attitude worrying. That completely misses the point - a Little Chef is not an expensive gastropub in London. That you even drew the comparison between that and Ramsay effectively proves my point. And, to be honest, anyone who expects Blumenthal magic at the side of an A road is a fucking muppet.

I don't at all. Maze may bear the Ramsay branding, but it's defiantly Jason Atherton's restaurant. He has won the awards and developed the reputation. That's what I expect in these gastropubs. As above - Ramsay shows he can do it in other places, with Atherton and Hartnett as two prime examples. Why not at the gastropubs? I can walk into RHR and Maze and legitimately expect two totally different meals. Having a culinary empire is de rigeur these days, and it would be futile to rally against it. But Ramsay himself demonstrates that you can let chefs exercise their own creativity with the confines of being part of a group. Why not here?

I know all about that Gary - I worked in a similar pub. Everything was fantastic at first, with great produce locally sourced cooked in a fresh, vibrant an interesting way which was different to all its nearby rivals. But that soon changed, slowly at first but as soon as the ball was set in motion the was no going back. The Brakes truck and cash-and-carry lorry soon started turning up and the food changed - a combination of the chefs laziness and the desire to hit the huge margins. It depends what you want. The pub in question started making bigger margins, but locals and people noticed the difference. What was a cracking reputation soon diminshed, and the place essentially turned into a microwave-lead carvery restaurant that parped out low quality food at affordable prices. Some people liked that, others not. If even Ramsay, a vocal and much publicised supporter of the British restaurant, wants to operate this way, what chance is there for anybody else?

I have absolutely no problem with the mark-ups being made. Restaurants across the country are striving for that, and it is a clear indication that his restaurants are hitting a good GP. Good on him. But come on now. Do you really want pubs in this country to start following the Wetherspoon's model? Homogenised, generic food served in supposedly 'individual' locations across a broad area. Don't we want individuality, difference and variation? Don't we want the chance to go to different pubs where we know there will be a genuine variation in choice? However little these places are branded is irrelevant - they still bear his name. And how seriously should we take him in his plethora of shows urging kitchens and chefs to cook fresh, seasonal food, from scratch, every day. Is this not rank hypocracy? That's fine. The kitchen is still preparing it. Stews et al are dishes that benefit from a few days 'resting'. But don't the head chefs at these places want to inject a bit of their own individuality? Don't they want to make a name for themselves? Or are they merely content to churn out pre-made food which they evidently have little or no responsibility for? Where is the pride in that? This model of running restaurants genuinely worries me. We all talk about clone towns, and how Tesco etc are destroying the individual identities of high streets. Is this not exactly the same? A one-size-fits-all solution for restaurants which may give people a sense of comfort in conformity, but will irrepairably destroy the variation and individual style many of us crave in restaurants?

Tim - I think that is absolute nonsense. I think diners have every right to demand - an expect - that food is prepared freshly on the premises. That is hardly a radical concept - it should be the benchmark for any half decent eaterie. If he wants to create souless, corporate cafeterias churning out pre-made food from a conveyor belt manufacturing system, then fine. But don't sell as anything more than that. How, morally, is what he is doing different places like Wetherspoons? Food cooked in large central kitchens and reheated by people manning microwaves. If that is what Ramsay is after then fine. But I think we as customers should absolutely expect pubs and restaurants to serve things from scratch. Especially with the money being charged. As I said before, it's hardly the most outlandish of expectations.

From The Sun: Is this really any different to the thousands of gastropubs across churning out Brake Bros frozen bilge at inflated prices? This deception of the customer seems to be taken place at even 'high end' places - is it really so much to ask that a restuarant/pub cooks food from fresh? Especially with the prices being demanded. Never has Ramsay's empire looked so cynical and corporate.

Coq au Vin

Indeed, it's a crying shame. But is the UK audience so simple minded that all we demand in a food based show is flashy camera work and clever editing? I'm sure that a large percentage of the audience are tuning in because they have an interest in food. It's patronising that TV companies think otherwise - you only have to look at food shows in the states to see where the inevitable slippery slope leads to.

Anyone see last night's episode? Marco is hamming it up like a seasoned thesp, although seems to be genuinely terrifying the slebs which is nice. Apart from Ade Edmondson and Grobelaar, the others are truly weak and I think that smarmy git Bovey is well on his way to a slap. Unfortunately, I think the Americanisation of food shows means that food will play very little part in the series. I expect a sub plot/romance between the slebs, but absolutely no focus on the actual cooking. Which is a gross waste of MPW's talents, in my opinion.

Indeed. Haven't see The Chopping Block, but heard a lot of the horrific reviews. It seems strange for someone who built so much of his persona on being distant, reclusive and narky to whore himself out so spectacularly to television. That said, he was a truly great chef and is a fascinating character. For those reasons alone he is superior to most TV chefs.

Marco Pierre White is back. Have a look! Same format as last time, with such celebs as Anthea Turner, her hubby Grant Bovey, Ade Edmondson and Ms Dynamite. What are your views on this? I quite liked the last series - Marco came across well, despite his made-for-television customer ejections - but I think it lacked the rivalry elemnet of previous seasons. Should provide some interesting viewing, whatever.

My friends did, but then I would place too much on their knowledge. Apparently it has been going for years, bit of an institution by all accounts. It did seem to be catering for the drinkers - a carbo-load before a night of the booze. Shame, really. Thanks for the recommendation, will try it out.

Went to the Tokyo Diner, in Newport Place, on Saturday night after seemingly endless recommendations from friends. I was disappointed, if truth be told. I loved the dress down decor and simplicity of the place. The atmosphere was buzzing and the service exemplary. But the food wasn't great. After opting for a Bento box, I found almost all the compartments disagreeable - even the sticky rice wasn't great. The generic, tasteless salmon sushi seemed like a mere afterthought, while the deep-fried chicken escalope which came with it was terrifyingly similar to that of a McChicken sandwich. The salty, bitter seaweed verged on the offensive, and even the pickled vegetables lacked the vibrant piquancy you would normally expect. My girlfriend's meal - a Katsu curry - was a bland disaster, frankly, although perhaps that's what you get for ordering a curry in a Japanese restaurant. Is it me? Everybody seems to rave about the place, but evidently I have completely missed the point...

It wasn't what I had in mind when I planned a Valentine's meal - a restaurant seeimgly specialising in great slabs of dead animal, with a certain disregard for finesse and pomp. But then it's nice to challenge your pre-conceptions sometimes and veer from the well trodden route, and Hawksmoor restaurant provided a near perfect location for a romantic tryst. Mercifully devoid of the schmalz and general wankery that dominates this time of year, the restaurant manages to capture the essence of the American steakhouse without falling into the cliches and stereotypes that have ruined so many of its predecessors. The decor is eclectic and busy, without being overbearing and retains an appealing lightness - it's noisy, but not offensively. We arrived just before eight and we're met by a charming waitress who, judging by her welcome, had been waiting her entire life for this moment. It seemed apt to have a cocktail or three, so we ordered a French 75 for me, and a Peach Thunderbolt for her. At least I think we did - my memory has never been sharp, and they are the ones I seem to remember when I check their website. To start, we shared some belly ribs which were, well, marvellous. Fatty, sticky and indecently tasty, they disappeared amid happy murmurings at a slightly undignified speed. Always one to defy the norm - it's nice to live life on the edge - I opted out of having a steak and instead plumped from the Mutton with spiced mint jelly. Like many people, and in no small part due to HRH's insistent bleatings, I have recently had a revelation with this most underrated of meats and this plate was no exception. A deep, elegant flavour packed into the firm, juicy flesh made me snort in rapture and wonder again why it's not held in greater affection in this country. Her chicken with watercress and fennel was a little bland for me, lacking the aniseedy punch the menu so enticingly offered. She loved it, though, and devoured it with an alluring gutsiness. Dessert was, sadly, beyond us but two espressos - which, if I'm being picky, could have been slightly warmer - rounded off a cracking meal. A lovely venue, with a genuine ambience which avoids both pretension and stereotype without forfeiting elegance and class. We will, without question, return.

Hi Matthew, I shouldn't really be replying as I don't have a clue where you could go. But I just wanted to say I think it is fantastic that you are going for it - given my time again I would love to have a crack at working my way up the kitchen hierarchy. Hope it goes well mate, all the very best and keep us posted.

Absolutely cracking meal - many thanks for the recommendation! Today is press day, but tomorrow I'll have a proper report up.

Thanks very much for the advice guys, much appreciated. Given that it got two recommendations, I think we'll give Hawksmoor a pop - sounds great, and I'm sure I'll be able to stretch to it. I'll certainly let you know how it went - I'll have to divert from all the hard-hitting copy I normally produce (lost dogs and parish council planning stories don't write themselves), but I'm sure I'll enjoy it!

Morning, It's my first post here, so please excuse my ignorance! I'm a country boy from the home counties who, as a young journalist, doesn't have a huge amount of money. But tonight I am going to London to see my girlfriend and have promisd to take her out for dinner. Blessed as I am with a food-loving father, I have been lucky enough to visit some of the capital's best known restaurants, from RHR to Le Gavroche. But given that I'm paying tonight, these, unfortunately, are a bit out of my league. So I was wondering if anyone could give me any pointers about where to go on a reasonable budget - £50 a head appx - tonight? Not fussy about which cuisine, although definitely want to avoid any generic chains or the such like. She lives in Hackney, so anywhere not a million miles from there would be an added bonus, but not essential. Thanks ever-so for your help.