Ramsay’s Best Restaurants

Episode 1

Italian

After sifting through over 12,000 nominations, Gordon presents his two finest Italian restaurants. First up is Mennula, a traditional Sicilian restaurant in London. Sicilian-born head chef Santino opened his thriving business less than a year ago, and specialises in authentic, simple dishes from his homeland. He says 'you've got to be good to work with just seven ingredients, brilliant to use just five and a genius to use just three.' The opposition is Casamia, an innovative restaurant in Bristol. Head chefs and brothers Jon Ray, 26, and Peter, 24, are the youngest chefs in Britain currently holding a Michelin star. The food they create is both highly experimental and top class. And they are aiming for three Michelin stars.

Episode 2

Indian

Gordon pits a tiny Indian vegetarian restaurant from Bradford against one of the biggest establishments in London. Prashad in Bradford is run by a young husband and wife team with an infectious enthusiasm for vegetarian cuisine. The restaurant has just 30 seats but the family running it have big ambitions, and many meat-eating locals have been won over by the cuisine's quality and flair. But Prashad must go head-to-head with one of the most respected names in the Indian restaurant world, The Brilliant in Southall, west London. The Brilliant has been open for 37 years and has won loads of awards. Generations of regulars have come to love the restaurant's delicious, traditional Punjabi food. The owner runs the restaurant with his son and daughter, serving up to 250 customers each night.

Episode 3

Chinese

Gordon presents his two best Chinese restaurants, Kai, based in London's Mayfair, and Yu & You, a family-run outfit in Blackburn Located in the heart of London's Mayfair, Kai is currently one of only three Chinese restaurants in the UK with a Michelin star, and is reputed to serve the world¿s most expensive soup, at £108 per bowl. Yu & You is a family-run Chinese outlet nestled on the outskirts of Blackburn that has become a destination restaurant across the whole of the North West.

Episode 4

British

Gordon's British restaurant finalists pit a pair of Yorkshire young guns against a former rock musician with a Michelin Star. The West House in Biddenden, Kent is run by Graham and Jackie, who took a huge risk eight years ago by selling their family home to open their first restaurant. Ex-rock drummer Graham once toured with Queen, and only started cooking when he hung up his drum sticks at the age of 31. Despite this, Graham's talent for creating unpretentious British food was confirmed within 18 months of opening when he won a coveted Michelin Star. The Milestone in Sheffield is a gastronomic wonder located in what was once the heart of the city's red light district. Yorkshire born Head Chef Simon and his sous chef James serve up mouth-watering helpings of big flavoured, hearty British food.

Episode 5

Thai

The finalists in the Thai restaurant category are Nahm Jim from Scotland and London's Mango Tree. Sparks fly as the restaurants bid to be best of the best. Nahm Jim is a homely Thai restaurant hidden away in the golfing capital of St. Andrews in Scotland. Owned by Bee and her husband Sandy, Nahm Jim was crowned Britain's best Thai by The Times two years ago, and has ingredients flown in from Bangkok on a weekly basis.

Episode 6

French

An Edinburgh bistro goes head to head with a sumptuous fine dining restaurant in the battle of the two finest local French restaurants. At La Garrigue in Edinburgh head chef Jean Michel has turned his back on complicated and fussy cuisine, re-creating the unpretentious delicious rustic food of his childhood with passion and precision. This connection to his roots has served Jean Michel well, as the restaurant was recently named the best in Scotland by the prestigious Good Food Guide. Winteringham Fields, is a French fine dining restaurant less than a mile from the Humber Bridge. Head chef Colin and his wife Becs have spent the last five years ploughing everything they have into the restaurant, hoping to win back the two Michelin stars held by the former owner.

Episode 7

North African

A small outlet in Hammersmith faces a celebrated eaterie in London's West End in the best North African restaurant category. Azou in west London is run by passionate Algerian head chef Chris, and his wife Christine. The restaurant prides itself on cooking authentic North African cuisine. Chris is fiercely proud of his roots and set up this restaurant to prove that there is more to North African food and culture than belly dancing. In his search for authenticity Momo's head chef David spent six months travelling around Morocco sourcing ingredients and researching traditional dishes. David's inspired cooking has made Momo a regular hotspot for many of London's celebrity A-list.

Episode 8

Semi-Finals

Fino in Central London faces El Pirata Detapas in Notting Hill in the Spanish category. And it's the first semi final in this double length episode. Gordon presents his two finest local Spanish restaurants. Fino was opened seven years ago by brothers and successful restaurateurs Sam and Eddie Hart. Inspired by childhood family holidays in Mallorca, over the last few years Sam and Eddie have helped make Spanish cuisine hugely fashionable. In the kitchen female head chef Nieves Barragan produces delicious, authentic tapas-style dishes with flair and military precision. El Pirata Detapas serves up to 600 tapas dishes in one service. The cutting edge outfit is led by head chef Omar Allibhoy.

Episode 9

The Finals

The biggest restaurant competition of its kind reaches boiling point with the second semi-final and the final itself. The second semi final features Gordon's best British, French, Indian and North African restaurants. The gruelling tests include sudden death secret dining and a surprise helicopter visit by Gordon and two mystery guests. The restaurants must deliver mouth-watering food and brilliant service if they're to have any chance of progressing.