Gordon Ramsay Trashes Deep-Fried Turkey as Disgusting

Thanksgiving in America is synonymous with turkey but when it comes to how that bird is cooked, even celebrity chefs can’t agree. While many Southern households swear by the golden crunch of a deep-fried turkey, world-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay has made his opinion unmistakably clear it's “disgusting.”

During a fiery exchange on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert back in 2017, Ramsay didn’t hold back when Colbert mentioned his fondness for deep-frying the Thanksgiving centerpiece. Ramsay, recounting a meal at a friend's Los Angeles home, described the experience with his usual bluntness:

“He wheeled this big bird down and deep-fat fried this thing, and it was f---ing disgusting... Dry turkey. There’s a reason we only eat that bird once a year.”

For Ramsay, proper turkey preparation involves herb butter, careful roasting, and even bacon, not a vat of bubbling oil in the garage. And he’s not alone in his disdain.

Chef Becky Geisel of Bex Kitchen & Catering also voiced skepticism, calling the method messy, dangerous, and wasteful. While she acknowledged that peanut oil creates a flavorful, crispy skin and speeds up cooking time, the risks outweigh the benefits:

• Burns and fire hazards are common, especially if the turkey isn't fully dry.

• Disposing of gallons of used oil is a logistical nightmare.

• One wrong move can turn Thanksgiving into a disaster.

Geisel, instead, advocates for a 36-hour dry brine and oven roast, noting that it enhances flavor, retains moisture, and delivers a perfectly crisp skin without risking the safety of your home or your guests.

Chef Danielle Vauthy from Hungryroot also chimed in, giving credit where it’s due. She agrees that deep-frying can create incredibly moist meat and ultra-crispy skin by sealing in juices fast. But like Geisel, she warns the process isn’t for the faint of heart:

• Improper prep or temperature control can result in serious injury.

• It requires specialty gear and a safe outdoor setup.

• It’s best left to professionals unless you're experienced and equipped.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the leading day for home cooking fires in the U.S., with over 1,600 incidents reported in a single day many directly tied to turkey frying gone wrong. That’s no small statistic when considering the risks of this increasingly popular cooking method.

And while deep-fried turkey has its defenders, it’s clear the culinary elite are far from convinced. Ramsay’s take? Skip the oil, stick with tradition, and focus on quality ingredients and proper technique because in his words, if it needs a fryer to taste good, it probably wasn’t a good bird to begin with.

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