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Gordon Ramsay Explores the Medina of Fez | Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted


3m read
·Nov 11, 2024

[Music] I'm in Morocco, North Africa, to discover the hidden colony secrets of this incredible country. I've always loved Moroccan food because every bite is steeped in history. Over the centuries, the Arabs, Spanish, Ottomans, and French have all left their mark on the cuisine of the indigenous Berber people.

My journey of discovery begins in Fez, northwest Morocco, the country's culinary capital, located on the edge of the Middle Atlas Mountains. The medina of Fez is one of the oldest walled cities in the world. It feels like I've been transported back in time. Incredible and beautiful, and confusing all the same freaking time, man. So, this place is like a labyrinth. This is crazy! There's over 9 thousand alleyways, and I think I've been down every one. The most confusing maze ever!

I'm supposed to be meeting one of Morocco's finest chefs, Najib Canaan, but finding our rendezvous point is proving trickier than I expected. Okay, I'm pretty sure this is the spot. Oh my God! How are you?

Najib is one of a small band of pioneering female chefs changing the face of Moroccan cuisine. After earning her stripes at a string of Michelin-style establishments across Europe and America, her own restaurant in the heart of the medina is already gaining quite a reputation.

"The first thing I thought about was what would it be like to have a restaurant here with all this product on your doorstep? Look at all this amazing! It's local; this is what people eat. Do you ever get lost down here?"

"You get lost even if you live in here. You get lost."

"It is chilly, it is! I get lost and I used to walk in this medina barefoot, so imagine in perfect barefoot! It's so nice to meet you, thank you."

"Now I'm dying to get really underneath this incredible oasis. Thank you very much. Can you lead the way because I'm useless?"

"Okay, straight up, my God, thank you! This place is crazy."

Tells me this has been a food market since the 9th century. [Music]

"This is the flavors of Morocco! Wow! Like here, just the colors, the colors. Try this one."

"Thank you! You know, cheerless! Are you too whitey for hotness? I understand, I'm too white for hotness!"

"Did you just say that to me? Because I just gave you a chili that is very hot."

"You know, let's focus on this. Yeah, delicious! Pretty good, thank you. Thank you, amazing!"

"Look, look at this neat, man! You like to speak French, way? And what is that?"

"This is the—They are better! I need you to smell. Bloody hell, this woman. Oh, you know the French people think that I invited pillow. Yes, I've made filo, but that's not feeling that I know. There's no phyllo, this is worker."

"Okay, right, okay. It looks like my grandma's curtains. Um, so is it flour and water?"

"You're hilarious! This is water and flour. That is beautiful! I think you should go inside and try that. Yes, and I'm going to correct you because I'm allowed to do that today. Would you tell her I'm a cook in England? Because you look at me like I'm an idiot!"

"You have to stretch it without brushing."

"Bravo! She said it's so wonderful to see you do this!"

Yes! When Najib finally stops laughing at me, I managed to finish my pastry.

"May I stretch it and bring it in here?"

"Yeah, let's go!"

"Wow, Mr. Gordon, mate, awesome, huh? Yeah, you like this more. It's the needles! So now hello, now you have to be careful when it cooks, you gotta bring it up, take it up. Oh man, it's a lot harder than it looks, let me tell you! I'm not very good at being crap at doing something, so I felt a little bit awkward. That was difficult."

"Well, not difficult; it's all about practice!"

Chef Nadjet is a little firecracker! That's how feisty she is! Right now, I feel like a fish out of water.

"Want to see more from my uncharted adventures? Please click here to watch more clips."

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