Gordon Ramsay lives up to his prickly reputation when it comes to discussing Halloween treats. In an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in 2016, Ramsay wasn’t shy about bashing a few traditional trick-or-treat candies. But what is the one sweet Ramsay despises most? Smarties, which for many, is an enduring favorite. As soon as one touched his tongue, Ramsay spat it out, scoffing at the bland, chalky taste. Describing the candy as a “perfect combination of aspirin and Tums”, Ramsay exclaimed, “Smarties are for … dummies.” While Smarties have been a trick-or-treat staple for over 50 years, Ramsay maintains his stance that, when handing out candy, “You can give [kids] something good to eat, or you can give them Smarties.”
Ramsay, who is infamous for his volatility and cutting comments, was perhaps more dismayed by this Halloween favorite because of its contrasting United Kingdom counterpart. There, as well as in several other countries and territories, Smarties are candy-coated chocolate pieces. The only similarity between the two candies seems to be their rainbow-like appearances.
Ramsay criticized several additional trick-or-treat handouts on the “Kimmel” segment, but his candy takedown doesn’t stop there. He’s dismissed other brands on social media and elsewhere. However, this is not to say Ramsay doesn’t have a sweet tooth: He shares numerous dessert recipes, including his favorite, on his website.
Gordon Ramsay’s sweet tooth spectrum
When talking about his least favorite Halloween candies on “Jimmy Kimmel,” Gordon Ramsay didn’t hold back. While Smarties earned the full force of his ire, Ramsay was also highly critical of circus peanuts and candy corn. Emphasizing how sad circus peanuts are, Ramsay didn’t even bother to taste one — instead, he threw it at the camera. As far as candy corn goes, Ramsay expresses his confusion with them being (in his opinion) neither candy nor corn. Additional, he describes candy corn as being “ear wax formed in the shape of a rotten tooth.” Perhaps most humorous of all, Ramsay was highly bothered by apples and pennies as trick-or-treat giveaways, adding that people shouldn’t even waste their time handing out these two items on Halloween.
Ramsay’s criticism of candy doesn’t end with Halloween goodies. He appeared with his son in an Instagram video in July 2025, where he underwent a blind taste test of three different Joyride candies. Gordon’s dislike of the brand’s products is evident throughout the video, as is his frustration with one being blue raspberry-flavored — as he asserts, “There’s no such … thing as blue raspberry.” With Gordon guessing only one out of the three flavors correctly, the video underscores the idea that candy might simply not be Gordon’s thing.
Nonetheless, Ramsay does have a major sweet tooth. It’s well-known that Ramsay loves a good sticky toffee pudding, while on his website, Ramsay also shares an array of other favorite dessert recipes. Calling attention to what he calls the world’s best brownies and a fresh mango cheesecake, among other sweet items on his site, Ramsey offers up recipes for numerous fruity, chocolatey, and even a few breakfast-themed desserts that are sure to delight.
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