Marco Pierre White has claimed that producers of the BBC documentary The Rise of the Rockstar Chef, starring Gordon Ramsay, offered to drop Jamie Oliver to secure his involvement in the series.
The three-episode programme, made by Gordon Ramsay's Studio Ramsay Global, charts the journeys of Marco, Gordon and Heston Blumenthal. According to Marco, the initial proposal included four episodes with Jamie featured as well.
Marco's original refusal
During an appearance on Spooning with Mark Wogan, Marco, 64, alleged he originally rejected the project as he didn't believe Jamie belonged in the same "three-star world" as the other culinary figures. Describing what transpired following his refusal, he stated: "And then they rang me the next day and said, 'If we drop Jamie, will you do the show, Marco?' I said 'Fine'. I mean, Jamie should be with James Martin, Matt Tebbutt, Nigella, that's their jigsaw. Build that jigsaw."
Marco revealed the proposal had originated from the chief executive of Gordon's studio, who met with him to outline the documentary. He explained: "They interview Heston and they interview Jamie Oliver and then they come to me. So they tell me it is going to be the four of us and four shows. I say no to it. And they said, 'Why?'" His reasoning revolved around Michelin stars. "It's very simple," he stated. "Heston worked hard for his three stars, Gordon worked hard for his three stars and I worked hard for my three stars. How many stars has Jamie won?"
Defending Jamie
Mark Wogan came to Jamie's defence, highlighting that he "works very hard". Marco, who became the first British chef to secure three Michelin stars, recognised Jamie's achievements but maintained: "But he's not part of our jigsaw. He's not part of the three-star world."
When Mark suggested Jamie wouldn't dispute this, Marco responded: "I said 'Do the show without me, do the show without me'. For the simple reason is, he's very successful, and he's very good at what he does and he's the best at what he does and you can't take that away from him... but he's not part of that three-star party."
Mark also contended that Jamie might have secured his position in that elite circle had he pursued a different route. Marco, though, proceeded to distinguish between television presenters and chefs' culinary expertise. He explained: "You watch people who are on TV, and you can see they're there for their personality, and not for their technical ability or their understanding of food. When you see Gordon, you can see that he's classically trained. When you see Heston, you can see he has a great understanding of food."
Long-running feud
These comments represent the most recent instalment in a turbulent relationship spanning many years. Marco delivered his "fat chef with a drum kit" barb to The Sun back in 2007, while Jamie has openly discussed his dismay at encountering a culinary hero he once worshipped.
Speaking on The Louis Theroux Podcast last year, Jamie said he remained baffled as to why Marco had consistently kept him at arm's length. He remarked: "I have no shared history with him, working under him, so, he doesn't have a sense of control." Jamie remembered what he believed was a pleasant day alongside Marco, only to be blindsided by the aftermath. He explained: "We went on a shoot one day, spent a day with him and it was perfectly lovely, and then a week later he just destroyed me on a double-page spread."
Yet despite that setback, Jamie insisted Marco's impact on him as an aspiring chef remained intact. He added: "I still think he was a game-changer. He was still my hero for that period of my life. But, that's life and it's not just Marco, it's lots of people it's happened to," he said.
Jamie won't appear in The Rise of the Rockstar Chef, which is understood to be scheduled for broadcast later this year. Unveiling the programme, Catherine Catton, BBC Head of Commissioning, Factual Entertainment and Events, stated: "Decades ago, Marco, Gordon and Heston ripped up the rule-book of British fine dining and changed the world of restaurants forever. I'm delighted they're reuniting to bring BBC audiences the truly extraordinary story behind their fierce rivalry, uncompromising ambition and, at times, truly outrageous antics." Gordon Ramsay was contacted regarding the allegations prior to publication. Jamie Oliver was similarly approached but chose not to provide a statement.
