Keeping it in the Ramsay family
Tilly Ramsay, daughter of Gordon, meets Ella Walker to talk food and fame Roasting know-how
FOOD & DRINK
Tilly Ramsay is only 15 and already has her own TV show and cookbook, but she’s still not in charge of the kitchen at home.
In fact, when it comes to doing the washing-up, she says: “I try, but mum always says, ‘You’re doing it wrong’, then she takes over!”
Youngest daughter of sweary, hot-headed celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, 50, and former school teacher turned cookery book writer Tana, 41, Tilly’s Kitchen Takeover is her first book and combines recipes from Tilly’s CBBC series, Matilda And The Ramsay Bunch.
It’s been designed for complete cookery beginners, whether they’re kids or not, so don’t expect the pages strewn with Michelin star-worthy dishes this is food Tilly-style, with only the occasional practical hint from her dad (who apparently doesn’t swear at home) woven into the book.
“My dad wasn’t overly involved, he just helped me with a few things. There were a few recipes I couldn’t quite nail, and I said, ‘What would you do? How would you improve this?’ and he really helped me there, but he wasn’t pushing me to do any of his stuff,” explains Tilly, who lives in London and California. “I would come to him for help, instead of him coming and telling me what to do.” It’s just as well they didn’t create the book together; when they do join forces in the kitchen, things can get out of hand. “I’d say it’s utter chaos when we’re together. There’s a lot of mess, we’re very loud together, we sing, we have a lot of fun, we boss each other around.”
“I once told him to, ‘Please get out of my kitchen!’” says Tilly with a grin. “He nearly made me set stuff on fire because he was distracting me. I shut the door and just said, ‘Excuse me!’”
Tilly started in the kitchen when she was still tiny, chipping in when her parents made dinner, and that hasn’t stopped. However, you won’t find her eating out at any fancy restaurants.
“We’ve only ever been to my dad’s Michelin-starred restaurant once. That’s because it’s a very special restaurant for him, and he keeps us as normal as he can. We just go to Wagamama with friends.”
Staying normal seems key for Tilly, who says her family is “just like any other family”.