Marco Pierre White has revealed that he agreed to appear in a new BBC documentary with Gordon Ramsay only after the celebrity chef agreed to remove Jamie Oliver from the line-up.
The 64-year-old chef, regarded as one of Britain's most influential culinary figures, initially turned down the opportunity to take part in The Rise of the Rockstar Chef until Ramsay made an unexpected proposal.
Ramsay's Offer to Secure White
Speaking to The Times, White explained that Ramsay had contacted him personally about the documentary, which was produced by Ramsay's own company.
"Gordon called and asked me to be involved. [It was made by Ramsay's production company.] I listened, then said, 'No,'" White explained.
According to White, Ramsay called back the following day with a change to the line-up. "He called me back the next day and said, 'If we get rid of Jamie Oliver, will you do it?' And I said, 'Yes.'"
White's View on Oliver's Credentials
White explained why he had been reluctant to appear alongside Oliver, acknowledging his fellow chef's achievements while questioning how they compared with those of the documentary's other stars.
"I understand why you'd want Jamie. He's very good at what he does. But how many Michelin stars did he win?" he said.
When it was pointed out that Oliver had never received a Michelin star, White returned to the credentials of the other chefs involved. "How many did Heston and Gordon win? How many did I win?"
After being told that all three had earned three Michelin stars, White delivered his verdict: "Correct. Jamie has no stars. He belongs to a different jigsaw."
History With Ramsay
White and Ramsay first crossed paths in the late 1980s, when Ramsay spent three years working at Harveys, White's London restaurant. The establishment went on to earn two Michelin stars, while Restaurant Marco Pierre later secured another.
Their working relationship ended in 1989, with Ramsay recalling how emotional he had been during his final service under White. "I bawled my eyes out," Ramsay has said. "I was f***ing upset."
White offered little sympathy: "That's true. Gordon cracked."
Despite agreeing to revisit their history, White made clear that their reconciliation does not mean the grievances between them have disappeared. He revealed that one incident in particular had contributed to years of silence: Ramsay bringing television cameras to White's wedding to Mati Conejero in 2000.
"Gordon bringing TV cameras to my wedding [to Mati Conejero in 2000] - that's why I didn't speak to him for years. Would you be happy if I brought a camera crew to your wedding? Why bring it up? Let sleeping dogs lie. Not clever."
White also rejected the suggestion that their feud had been exaggerated or manufactured for television. "It's manufactured drama. I don't do manufactured drama," he said.
The documentary explores other episodes from their fraught history, including allegations involving a missing reservations book at Ramsay's restaurant Aubergine. Ramsay later acknowledged that he had orchestrated the incident himself.
When asked about stories surrounding his own rebellious reputation, White offered a brief explanation: "Most interesting boys are naughty."
The Rise of the Rockstar Chef begins on November 5 at 9pm on BBC2.
