Roland Bóza, widely recognised in Hungary as the 2021 A Konyhafőnök champion, made his name with inventive dishes and sharp culinary skill. A former Gordon Ramsay protégé, he has now disclosed that the Scottish celebrity chef’s trip to Budapest wasn’t just a birthday jaunt.
Gordon Ramsay celebrates at a rooftop bar
Yesterday, we reported that Gordon Ramsay was in Budapest. The chef even posted a video from the terrace of a local restaurant called Hell’s Kitchen – a coincidence that clearly amused him, as it shares its name with his own hit TV series and restaurant empire, running since 2005.
Hungarian outlets reported that Ramsay marked his 59th birthday in style, celebrating at the St. Andrea Wine & Skybar – a glass-walled rooftop spot overlooking Vörösmarty Square.
Cold and distant demeanour
Roland Bóza has since offered more detail about the star chef’s unexpected visit. Having spent almost a year working under Ramsay in England around 2007, Bóza recalled that in the kitchen the famously fiery chef was, in fact, kind and supportive – teaching him more about the craft than many chefs learn in a lifetime.
However, during this visit to Budapest, the star chef was surprisingly cold and dismissive. He was seen wandering the streets flanked by two bodyguards, refusing photographs and allowing no one near him. Bóza suggests Ramsay’s cool manner might simply have been down to a bad day.
Ramsay reportedly stopped by the Hungarian Hell’s Kitchen (which, amusingly, is known locally as the Big Wooden Plate restaurant), exchanged a few words with the owner, noticed the absence of lamb sauce on the menu, but neither ate nor drank anything—only ordering a single cup of coffee.
Former colleague believes a secret plan lies behind the visit
Bóza is certain that Ramsay will visit one or two more restaurants in Budapest in the coming days, as he plans to stay in the capital for a while. However, his former Hungarian protégé did not reveal the actual reason behind Ramsay’s trip to Hungary, telling Blikk only that it was neither for celebration nor for a holiday—even though Ramsay did celebrate his birthday there, having just turned 59.
And it wasn’t just Ramsay—according to an Instagram post, his younger son, Jesse James, who was born in 2023, also celebrated his birthday yesterday.
Who knows – perhaps Ramsay’s visit hints at plans to open a restaurant in Budapest, adding his name to the city’s thriving food scene and its growing appeal to international visitors.
