Chef has to apologise to Ramsay for fake CV

Gordon Ramsay has received a written apology from a chef after he gave him 24 hours to say sorry or face legal action for lying on his CV.

Chas Venables from Paignton, Devon, wrote on his CV that he had worked with Ramsay as senior sous chef at London's Aubergine restaurant.

The two men have never met.

Venables said: "It was a stupid thing to do. I regret it fully and I am thinking of getting out of catering altogether."

Ramsay learnt about the CV when recruitment agency Ashdown in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, contacted him.

He said: "I was mortified someone had the audacity to do this. I put it in the hands of my solicitors and I gave him 24 hours to apologise, which he did."

The incident highlights a problem Britain's Michelin-starred restaurateurs are increasingly having to deal with. Michael Deane, owner of Deanes in Belfast, said: "It has happened at least 50 times to me. It is a form of fraud and it annoys me terribly."

Pierre Koffmann, chef-patron of London's La Tante Claire, added: "From time to time restaurants call me to say they have a chef who has worked with me and I have never heard of them."

Terry Laybourne, owner of 21 Queen Street in Newcastle, said another problem he had to contend with was chefs who exaggerated the truth.

He said: "People work here for two days from college and a few years down the line they start claiming that they trained with you."

Annie Schwab, owner of Winteringham Fields in Winteringham, Lincolnshire, added: "Some skip around the fact it was only work experience."

Aubergine restaurant, London, senior sous chef 1994-97. Michelin star:

"The most amazing standard of food I have ever produced. Hard, exacting work and long hours. Things started to change when Mr Gordon was reportedly going to leave. I decided a change was necessary and I took up a position as executive chef ata fine-dining restaurant in Boston, USA."

by Louise Bozec louise.bozec@rbi.co.uk