Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge has named the worst thing he has ever eaten: a rotten burger at a waterpark in Portugal. With over 30 years in the food and hospitality industry, Kerridge made the confession on the Good Food Tasted podcast hosted by comedian Patrick Spicer.
Kerridge's Worst Culinary Experience
When asked what the worst food he had ever tasted was, Kerridge responded without hesitation. He said: "It was a burger in a, it was 100 percent the worst thing I have ever eaten, in a waterpark somewhere in Portugal and it was beyond. It was the most rotten thing I've ever put in my mouth."
He elaborated: "It was just the worst because it was just like. It was so bad, without doubt. Now, I've eaten lots of daft, bad things, like century egg or...like fermented fish and I mean shark fin and all of that sort of stuff. This is something that you buy going 'Yeah, great, I'm going to have burger and fries at a water park somewhere in Portugal' and it was the worst the thing. It was so bad."
Kerridge's Advocacy for Hospitality
Beyond his culinary confessions, Kerridge has been a vocal supporter of the hospitality industry amid economic challenges. He has campaigned for a VAT cut for hospitality firms, a measure that could save some businesses millions. Speaking to City AM, he argued that businesses are not just entities that pay taxes and that small enterprises deserve support.
He said: "No successful business has ever been built on the accountant. Businesses are not built on tax experts. Communities don't operate on tax experts. And that's not even a pleasant title, that shows you what that sort of person is. Without allowing small businesses to grow, you're never going to get to that point. So yes, their profit margins will be bigger, but it isn't about them [...] it's about the survival of your local pub."
While England's World Cup involvement provided a temporary boost with extended trading hours, the tournament's conclusion has renewed calls for lasting measures to support the sector.
