Gordon Ramsay gives young fans food for thought at Q&A session

Chef Gordon Ramsay take photos with the participants of an In Conversation With session hosted by Marina Bay Sands at the ArtScience Museum, on Jan 16, 2017.
PHOTO: MARINA BAY SANDS

SINGAPORE - Sixteen-year-old Delfina Yong whips up a mean batch of macarons and the odd sirloin steak.

A fan of hit series MasterChef and Hell's Kitchen, the aspiring pastry chef cites the shows' caustic host Gordon Ramsay as her culinary idol.

"I've loved him since I was five," she enthused.

She has now got to meet Mr Ramsay in the flesh.

The Michelin-starred chef was in town for an In Conversation With session hosted by Marina Bay Sands at the ArtScience Museum on Tuesday (Jan 16).

He spoke to 80 young people from organisations such as Students Care Service and At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy.

The session featured personalities from creative sectors spanning art, film, food and music. Past speakers include Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae and Bollywood star Aamir Khan.

Mr Ramsay spent an hour interacting with fans, answering questions about his career.

"I've made more mistakes than all of you put together, and I have had to sit there and take the flak. Picking yourself up and dusting yourself down - no one can ever teach you that in life. More importantly, you need to come back twice as strong," he said.

Mr Ramsay's rousing speech struck a chord with Mr Josiah Teoh, a 24-year-old student of At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy.

"Hearing him speak from his heart, speak unscripted - it's amazing, and it's something I'll definitely carry with me," he said.

Mr Teoh, who is finishing his first year at the culinary school, is well aware of the stress that comes with a job in the kitchen.

"But even if you do make a mistake, you're not the most horrible chef in the world. Even Gordon Ramsay himself makes mistakes. It's just how you move on from them, how you learn to fix it."

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