This Is Gordon Ramsay's Favorite Midnight Snack

In the world of snacks — the afterschool snack, the noshing-while-making-dinner snack — the midnight snack is undoubtedly king. There's just something so satisfying about sneaking down to the kitchen when you should be in bed sleeping and slathering some toast with peanut butter, or frying up some bacon in a pan, or staring dead-eyed at the contents of your freezer as you spoon cold ice cream into your maw. It feels naughty — and then again, it feels so nice.

We always love to learn what chefs snack on in the middle of the night. Aarón Sánchez, for example, keeps it simple with wine and chocolate (via Food Network). Ted Allen goes for cheese and charcuterie. Alex Guarnaschelli opts for layer cake. And then there's celebrity chef and "MasterChef" host Gordon Ramsey, who doesn't seem capable of doing anything by half-measures. His favorite midnight snack is a little more complicated, and requires at least some basic cooking chops. Read on to find out what it is.

Like a true Brit, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey is apparently partial to baked beans on toast when the late night craving hits, according to an interview with Bon Appétit published in 2015. But while many of us might be content, at midnight, to just grab some leftovers out of the fridge, Ramsay, like a true chef, actually incorporates some cooking into his midnight snack routine.

He starts by grilling a slice of sourdough bread. He flavors his baked beans with "chili flakes, garlic, Tabasco sauce, hot sauce." Then he loads the beans onto the sourdough toast, tops them with a duck egg he's fried, then showers the whole with grated Parmesan cheese and "gratinates" it under the grill.

So let's get this straight: This chef's snack involves grilling, frying, and gratinating — all at the heady hour of midnight. The result sounds delicious, but we think we'll stick with our bleary-eyed PB&J's, thank you very much.