London:In an unusual statement, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has come out thanking COVID-19 for wiping out bad restaurants, saying that the pandemic killed off the “crap“ restaurants. The total impact of the national lockdown in the UK was devastating to the dining industry with the UK Trade Association saying that at its peak, the pandemic affected over 700,000 jobs. Promoting his new BBC One primetime show, Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars, in which 12 food and drink entrepreneurs vie to go into business with Ramsay, he said the pandemic had taught everyone in the industry to “raise their game”. Dozens of independent businesses and restaurant chains were severely hit with some even closing operations such as Carluccio’s, Byron Burger, Ask, Zizzi, Bella Italia, Café Rouge, Frankie & Benny’s, Chiquitos, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Pizza Express. Asked by Balls if business was returning to the hospitality industry, Ramsay said “The business was on it’s a, but it’s getting better … It’s been devastating the last two years. Landlords don’t say, ‘Take a holiday for two years’. But I think what has been evident for all of us is the c‘s gone.” Ramsey was further pressed with people asking him if he was referring to any particular chains, Ramsay said “Well, just s*holes in a prime position and taking advantage because they’re in a great location, and they’ve got the footfall. But now we’ve wiped the slate clean, which is good.” He added “Customers have got so much smarter in the last two years. They know a lot more about food than they ever have done and have been making their own sourdough, so it’s taught everyone [in the restaurant industry] to raise their game … It’s wiped the arrogance from the industry.” The celebrity chef later went on to defend his trip to his home in Cornwallis saying that it gave him some very precious time with his children adding “God knows why we took so much st from the Cornish. We lived down there; we just hadn’t been down there for a long time. We didn’t sneak down there at all. We got there at an appropriate time and had an absolutely amazing time. “When the kids started disappearing again, I didn’t want it to end – as a dad, not a chef.” UNI ANV RN