Gordon Ramsay spoke to Screen Rant about his new project, Gordon Ramsay: Chef Blast, a mobile video game developed by Outplay Entertainment.
For decades, Gordon Ramsay has reigned supreme as one of the most famous chefs in the world. Through hit shows like Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, MasterChef, and MasterChef Junior, Ramsay has steadily built his brand and become one of the most recognizable figures in pop culture. His latest step in taking over the world arrives in the form of a video game for mobile phones, Gordon Ramsay: Chef Blast.
Developed by independent UK studio Outplay Entertainment, Gordon Ramsay: Chef Blast is unique in the mobile video game space in that it contains exclusive recipes from Ramsay himself. Every two weeks, players will have the opportunity to unlock detailed instructions on how to make some of the celebrity chef's most delicious dishes, ensuring the free-to-play title has a degree of authenticity beyond merely slapping a famous person's name and likeness onto the logo. To that end, the exclusive recipes add a real-world applicability to the game, and Ramsay himself recorded hundreds of lines of dialogue to remind players who's in charge. In addition to that extra touch of licensed authenticity, Chef Blast features all of the colorful brick-busting matching gameplay that has always been a favorite of mobile enthusiasts, as well as XP, leveling up, and avatar customization to round out the complete package.
While promoting the release of Gordon Ramsay: Chef Blast, the man himself, Gordon Ramsay, spoke to Screen Rant about expanding his influence within the video game sphere, as well as making sure Chef Blast lived up his infamously high standards. He also discusses how the ongoing worldwide Coronavirus pandemic has impacted his life and businesses, and shares his hopes on how 2021 might turn things around for all of us.
Gordon Ramsay: Chef Blast is out now on iOS and Android.
What was your initial reaction when you were first approached to collaborate on Chef Blast? Were you all in from the jump, or did they have to win you over?
Well I love anything in the technology space and I see how much time my kids spend on their phones. So when the idea of Chef Blast came to me, I jumped at the opportunity to put my own spin in the puzzle space. I've seen the kids play other competing games on their phones when they're ignoring me, so I figured this was the best way for them to actually listen to me!
What makes Chef Blast an authentic Gordon Ramsay experience?
There's so many unique touches in this game. From the exclusive recipes I've developed for it, to featuring some of my most iconic dishes and ingredients in the gameplay, it really feels like a game you'd play in a kitchen. And of course there's a few choice words from me! We couldn't not have it!
Do you think video games can be educational about the culinary arts, or is it okay if they're just entertaining escapism? Where does Chef Blast land on that spectrum?
Good question, I think Chef Blast is a combination of both. There isn't any game on the market giving their users exclusive recipes and opportunities to learn outside of matching ingredients. So yes, it's entertaining to play but we've put in culinary touches that I think the general public will come to enjoy, especially for everyone's newfound love of cooking during quarantine and lockdowns!
Are you a mobile gamer? Do you have any titles loaded up on your phone right now?
My phone is my office so I'm constantly responding to emails and making calls as well as checking the latest food trends. So what I like to do is steal Holly or Tilly's phone and see what they're playing.
A lot of folks have been kicked around by 2020 and are hoping to turn things around in 2021. Can you reflect on some of the adversity you faced in 2020? You have this game releasing to the public in January, but can you share a little bit of what else your fans can expect from Gordon Ramsay in 2021?
Yeah, 2020 was tough for a lot of us. For me in the UK, we've had to shut our restaurants down several times which has been very, very difficult, but at the same time has led to some of the best teamwork as we've all come together on Zooms to discuss ideas. 2021 will turn around, I have no doubt, and there's a lot of exciting things in the pipeline for restaurants, TV shows and more. The one thing I can guarantee in 2021 is that my TikTok dancing will not improve.
Gordon Ramsay: Chef Blast is out now on iOS and Android.
