Gordon Ramsay's Pineapple Ramen Reaction On TikTok Has Sparked Debate

There are two types of people in this world. Those that like pineapple pizza, and those that view it as an abomination. Gordon Ramsay has made it clear that he is in the latter pool, going so far as to describe it as "salty sweet cardboard" (via The Daily Edge).

Apparently, Ramsay has the same opinion of pineapple ramen. The celebrity chef recently took to TikTok to duet a video posted by popular content creator Ivan McComb, who goes by @RamenKingIvan on the app. In the original TikTok, McComb is seen coring and then pureeing an entire pineapple; he then boils the pineapple mush with the raw ramen in a pot along with a seasoning packet. Once it's all cooked, McComb then adds everything back into the hollowed-out pineapple, and tops it off with sautéed mushrooms, an egg, and Dan O's seasoning.

There wasn't much Ramsay had to say in his video duet, except to utter "no" repeatedly, and to question McComb's seriousness over such a recipe. "Pineapple does not go with pizza, and it does not go with ramen!" he exclaimed. The comments section, however, seems to be somewhat divided. While some agree with Ramsay, others claim they would try it out. "They should make a pineapple-flavored one," one user said. Another added, "This looks amazing. As soon as you said pineapple ramen you had my attention."

According to Tokyo-based food blogger 5 AM Ramen on YouTube, though it's not a traditional part of Japanese cuisine, pineapple ramen isn't uncommon, and you can easily find it in Tokyo's ever-growing foodie community. Unlike Ivan McComb's TikTok recipe, however, the pineapple ramen made in Tokyo is neither cooked in pineapple puree nor is it served inside a pineapple, and it doesn't include mushrooms or a seasoning packet. 

Instead, as 5 AM Ramen explained, pineapple juice is simply added to the broth. The pineapple taste is prevalent, but it isn't as overwhelming as McComb's appears to be, because the ramen is also flavored with shrimp, shredded red pepper, seaweed, and soft-boiled egg and marinated in pineapple juice. The result is a unique balance of sweet, spicy, and savory that you won't get from any other type of ramen. 

5AM Ramen goes on to explain that you probably won't find pineapple ramen in any of Tokyo's traditional ramen shops, but you will find it in newer establishments that are willing to experiment with the trend. Perhaps if Gordon Ramsay actually tried the authentic kind in Tokyo where the trend started, he wouldn't be such a harsh critic of it.