[♪ upbeat music plays]
[Annabelle] I think I have what you're looking for.
So, do you know what it is?
- This? - Yes.
[Gordon Ramsay] Yeah, this is a tree stump.
Stop it, mushrooms. Come on.
[Annabelle] No, you're not even close.
- Really? - Yeah.
- Go on. - Give me a hand.
[Annabelle] I have these tools here.
I pull one side and you do the other slowly.
[buzzing]
Watch out, you see already?
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh my God.
[Annabelle] Don't be afraid.
[Gordon Ramsay] Bloody hell.
[♪ theme music plays]
[Gordon Ramsay] I'm on the old streets of Havana, Cuba,
and this island is legendary.
It was once renowned as the actual jewel in the crown for
the Caribbean Islands.
And after many decades of being closed to the outside world,
Cuba is now starting to open its doors.
Located in the western edge of the Caribbean,
Cuba stretches 750 miles
from east to west.
There are mountain rainforests,
miles of coastline and lush countryside
filled with thousands of organic farms.
Cuba maybe only 94 miles from the edge of Florida,
but a US imposed trade embargo that has nearly 60 years has
made it my most Uncharted destination yet.
I'm here to find out about the people,
the food and what it takes to be a great chef on this island.
Look at that.
- Good morning, hola. - Hola.
[Gordon Ramsay] Is that how you go shopping?
Wow.
So, this how it comes to you.
That's amazing. Lucky man.
Gracias.
Now I'm here to meet Chef Luis Batlle,
one of Cuba's renowned chefs.
He's gonna give me an insight to this island.
Oh, wow, look at those cars.
They are beautiful.
Luis!
- Gordon. - Finally.
[Luis Batlle] Wow. How you doing my friend?
- Hola. Nice to see you. - Nice to see you.
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh my goodness, me.
Luis Ramon Batlle learned to cook in
his grandmother's kitchen before heading overseas to
find inspiration in restaurants in Italy and China.
After returning home, he became one of the nation's
top culinary personalities on television.
As head chef at Old Havana's Calesa Real,
he prides himself on being a passionate ambassador of
Cuban cuisine.
[Luis Batlle] Is this your first time in Cuba?
[Gordon Ramsay] It is my first time in Cuba and I'm just,
I'm just taking it in.
[Luis Batlle] Oh, wow.
[Gordon Ramsay] I've been looking everywhere for you.
I didn't know you were gonna hanging out with
my favorite things.
Family and cooking are my first two passions,
but cars, especially vintage cars hold a close third.
[Luis Batlle] This is the car club.
[Gordon Ramsay] I love them.
[Luis Batlle] Do you want to meet my friends?
[Gordon Ramsay] Do you know these guys?
- Yes. - Yeah, I'd love to.
- Okay. - Let's go.
[Luis Batlle] Come on, with me.
Come with me.
[Gordon Ramsay] I love the hat by the way.
Luis's friend Roberto is a member of this local car club,
a group of people who are dedicated to restoring
these beauties and keeping them on the road.
- Welcome to Cuba. - Good to see you.
[Roberto] I am Roberto, nice to meet you.
[Gordon Ramsay] Look at this man,
the most renowned chef in Cuba.
I'm honored to be here in his presence.
He doesn't look like a chef, does he?
[Luis Batlle] Because I like music too.
- Yeah, he's like a rock star. - Rock star, yeah.
[Gordon Ramsay] If One Direction was to exist
in Cuba, this is the granddad to One Direction.
[Roberto] [in Spanish] Grandpapa.
- Oh, me? Wow. - I'm joking.
[Gordon Ramsay] Come on. These are beautiful by the way.
Oh my goodness, me.
How old is this thing?
[Roberto] This one is a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air.
[Gordon Ramsay] Wow.
How did it stay so pristine in today's world?
[Roberto] We use Cuban ingenuity and the help of each other,
that's the way we keep the cars on the road.
[Luis Batlle] To maintain it...
...just like in the kitchen, you have to be very creative.
[Gordon Ramsay] I love that.
Now, my first time in Cuba and I'm excited
to meet this incredible legend.
But I'm desperate to get inside this beast and drive it.
- I mean, this? - Yes.
[Roberto] I cannot let you drive my car.
I've seen you drive.
- Wow. - Well, sit with me.
[Gordon Ramsay] I can't come all this way to Cuba and
not drive this historic piece of art.
[Roberto] Okay, just promise me you'll be careful.
[Gordon Ramsay] I promise. Right.
How do we get the windows down?
- Please wait. - Yes.
[Gordon Ramsay] Where's the horn? Just in case.
[Roberto] That, right, is.
[horn honks]
- Let's go. - Okay.
- Woo! - Yeah, we're going.
[Gordon Ramsay] I'm so excited to be here in Cuba,
you know that?
This is, for me, a dream come true because it's like
a culinary treasure that's been hidden in
a time capsule for decades.
It's got a reputation for rice and beans,
Cuban sandwich, pork, but
surely there's much more to that.
[Luis Batlle] Yes, there is much more to Cuban cooking...
...because Cuban cooking is ultimately
a mix of many different cultures.
There is the African culture,
Jamaican culture, Spanish culture.
They all form part of this tradition of flavors.
[Gordon Ramsay] So, I had no idea that there's a,
a strong African influence here as well.
[Luis Batlle] Yes, of course.
It was brought by the slaves that came to Cuba...
...during the Spanish colonization.
And that's also part of the traditional dishes.
[Gordon Ramsay] With Cuba being closed and sort of shut off to
the rest of the world for so many decades,
it's challenging, right?
[Luis Batlle] Getting things done in Cuba
is like a way of life.
And cooking has been a challenge for us chefs...
...and what we don't have we've had to farm...
...or to practice permacultures on rooftops.
[Roberto] The main thing for Cuban chefs is to wake up
every morning, get your hands dirty,
getting the ingredients is not just going to the market,
it's just getting literally hunting your ingredients.
[Gordon Ramsay] So, the challenges are being resourceful
having no waste and getting your hands dirty every morning.
[Luis Batlle] I want that while you're in Cuba,
you do what Cuban chefs do...
...get your hands dirty in order to be able cook.
Are you up for that?
[Gordon Ramsay] It, it, it's, it's music to my ears.
I'm so excited.
It's going to be a great, great week.
[Luis Batlle] Well, Gordon...
...if you're really sure...
...I'm inviting you to a challenge this Sunday so
that we can cook together.
[Gordon Ramsay] I promise you,
they're big hands but they're not manicured.
I will get my hands dirty and I will see you
at the end of the week.
- Okay. - Let's go Capitan.
[Gordon Ramsay] Roberto has generously agreed to let me use
his car for the week, but only if he and his car mates get to
be the judges at the big cook,
and only if I'm as gentle with the car as I am with my staff.
If anyone says a word, they're fired.
Roberto, you need to relax.
Honestly, I have driven in dozens of countries.
I know I've got big feet.
But I'll be gentle on the accelerator.
I promise you because this thing is a piece of art.
[Roberto] I'm not babysitting you.
But this is my whole life.
[Gordon Ramsay] I know.
[Roberto] Plus, I, I thought you might need
some help with language.
[Gordon Ramsay] I could do with the help.
Because Cuba is surrounded by water,
I'd like to get my hands on some of the freshest seafood
I can find.
To help me do that, Roberto has arranged for me
to go spearfishing.
I'd love to find out about the fish here,
the fish that make it to the plates in Cuba.
[Roberto] We are on an island so we can find many things.
[Gordon Ramsay] Yes.
[Roberto] But fishing here has challenges,
logistical challenges.
- Right. - Fuel, uh, support.
[Roberto] Even the gear is not easy to get.
[Roberto] And when you have a cooperative business with
the government...
...you have to sell the government 50% of your catch.
- Seriously? - Of your daily catch.
- Every day? - Every day.
[Gordon Ramsay] Wow.
[Roberto] You know, fishermen in Cuba,
they struggle, they have to be efficient enough to catch more
in order to make our day when we're fishing.
[Gordon Ramsay] Right.
What a spot.
Hey, what a drive, by the way.
[Roberto] I want to introduce you to somebody...
...Luis and I, we know from long time ago.
[Gordon Ramsay] The real deal when it comes to spear fishing?
[Roberto] He's an expert diver and a fisherman.
[Gordon Ramsay] Right. And what's his name?
[Roberto] His name is Pedro.
[Gordon Ramsay] Pedro. Okay, where is he?
[Roberto] Can you see him right there?
He's over there. He's waving his hands.
Can you see there?
[Gordon Ramsay] Pedro!
[Pedro] Gordon, Roberto, over here!
[Gordon Ramsay] What's he doing all the way over there?
[Roberto] He's waiting for us.
There are two ways of getting there.
One, we go all around there,
it's gonna take like a couple of hours.
[Gordon Ramsay] This skin's from Scotland.
I'm going to be toast by time we get around there.
- It's going to be bad for you. - Yeah, very.
[Roberto] The other way, we take a boat, go over there.
[Gordon Ramsay] The little boats over there?
[Roberto] No, no, no, no. No, no, I mean, these boats.
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh, stop it.
That's not a boat. That's a float.
There is no freaking way.
Come on. Seriously?
[Roberto] Trust me, it floats and it has a paddle,
so it's a boat.
[Gordon Ramsay] Let's, let's see him get one of those
fishing boats over there and then drop us off.
[Roberto] There's nobody over there, if we get on
those boats, they're gonna thing we're stealing them.
So, this is what I have here.
We're gonna get there like 15 minutes maybe.
- On a floatie? - On a floatie, with a paddle.
[Gordon Ramsay] If it wasn't 90 degrees, I'd walk around.
15 minutes across there, I'm gonna do it.
But I'm gonna change first into my diving gear.
- Let's go. - Seriously.
[Gordon Ramsay] You hear so much about Cubans vintage cars,
and not a thing about their vintage Styrofoam watercraft.
Nothing like floating on a piece of garbage.
Now I see why.
[Roberto] Okay, I'm on it.
[Gordon Ramsay] Let me, let me push you out.
[Roberto] Whoops, easy.
Thank you.
[Gordon Ramsay] It's not lost on me that my Cuban host is dressed
like Johnny Cash and doesn't look like he has
any intention of getting his hair wet.
[Roberto] Come on.
[Gordon Ramsay] For me, as usual,
it's a different story.
[Roberto] You jump on it like a horse, yeah, okay.
Now, okay, not like a horse.
[Gordon Ramsay] Seriously?
Oh, [bleep].
This is crazy, man.
I'm 220 pounds, six foot, two.
I wasn't built to float on a piece of foam, let me tell you.
Roberto! Seriously?
This is a crazy idea.
[Pedro] Come on. Come in here.
[Gordon Ramsay] [bleep], now.
[Roberto] Come on.
[Gordon Ramsay] Pedro.
Good to see you, sir.
[Roberto] Pedro, agua.
- Man. - Water.
[Pedro] Come on. Come on, I'm waving!
[Gordon Ramsay] Hey, come on, man, we made it.
[Roberto] We made it. Alive.
[Gordon Ramsay] Pedro. Good to see you.
[Pedro] How are you? Good to see you, my friend.
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh my goodness, me.
Man, what a workout.
- Yes, sir. - And I'm amazed.
[Gordon Ramsay] This thing kept me afloat.
A little piece of Cuban ingenuity, right?
- Yes, sir. - And what are we fishing for?
[Pedro] Lionfish.
[Gordon Ramsay] All right, beautiful.
But this is way too shallow to spear fish.
Come on, seriously, where are we going?
[Roberto] We have to go across that mountain and
I'm going to show you a beautiful place.
That's where your fishes are.
[Pedro] Come on.
[Gordon Ramsay] Roberto, I'm gonna kill you.
Lionfish are invasive, predatory reef fish that
have become a terror in that have become a terror in
They are voracious eaters that devour everything in sight,
and leave behind a path of destruction.
Shielded by their venomous spines,
which in humans can lead to painful swelling,
heart palpitations, and on rare occasions, death.
They have no natural predators to keep them in check.
Lionfish are evasive, incredibly detrimental to
the ecosystem but more importantly,
not really featured here on menus, right?
[Pedro] Not very popular, you know?
- Not very popular. - No.
[Gordon Ramsay] While lionfish are said to be incredibly tasty,
they haven't hit the mainstream yet,
mostly because they're dangerous spines can make
them a tricky fish to catch and clean.
Wow. So, this is the spot?
These fish are dangerous, right?
- Yeah, it's very bad, you know. - Yeah.
[Pedro] Very good for, for eat, you know.
[Gordon Ramsay] I've dived for them before but
I've never spear fished for them as, what's the technique?
[Pedro] We can use the harpoon.
Hawaiiana, we call it in Spanish.
- Hawaiiana. - Yeah.
[Roberto] Yes, you say it, Hawaiian harpoon.
- Hawaiian harpoon. - Use them by your hand.
[Gordon Ramsay] Yes. How, how deep are we diving?
[Pedro] Maximum maybe three, four or five meters.
[Gordon Ramsay] I know you don't want to get your hair wet,
but where's the steps?
[Roberto] There are no steps, so you're jumping.
- Oh my God. - Are you ready?
[Gordon Ramsay] Yes, sir.
This coastline is rugged.
There's no stairs, there's no,
there's no ladders.
You're jumping.
So, it's, all right, buckle up and go.
The minute you hit the water,
the visibility below is breathtaking.
But it's so still that it's almost spooky.
From the surface, we scan the coral below
in search of our prey and it doesn't take
long before Pedro spots a lionfish,
it's venomous spines sticking out from underneath
a coral head.
From a safe distance, he manages to spear it.
It's not pretty, but considering the damage these fish do,
every one removed from the reef,
gives the native species a better shot at recovery.
Now it's my turn.
And Pedro points out a pair of lionfish.
I take one deep breath and head down and pull back my spear and
aim it at the fish.
Damn, and it's back to the surface for air.
[bleep], [bleep], damn.
I take another breath and dive down again.
But the fish aren't anywhere in sight.
I finally spot one of them lurking under a coral head.
I manage to force it out of his hiding spot and spear it.
[Pedro] You got it.
- Woo! - Woo!
[Roberto] Yeah, you got it.
Great job, guys.
[Gordon Ramsay] My fish may be tiny,
but I like to think that when it comes to lionfish,
size doesn't matter.
The fact that I got one is all that counts.
[Gordon Ramsay] There was one under the cave.
[Pedro] Well done, bud.
Bravo!
[Gordon Ramsay] There's a dual dimension with this lionfish at
the table in the final cook.
They're evasive, they need to be eaten.
And so, I'm gonna bring a little bit of heat,
a little bit of sourness, a little bit of sweetness to
this fish and sort of blow their minds.
I finally talked Roberto into letting me
take the car on my own.
So, with my lionfish in the bag,
I'm heading to the far western corner of the island to Viñales,
a region that's a three hour drive from Havana.
I've connected with Miami based Cuban chef Mika Leon,
who comes here often for inspiration,
something I hope she'll help me find as well.
How fortunate am I, the fact that you're here
at the same time?
Coming up for some R and D, right?
[Mika Leon] Yeah, well, I'm opening another Cuban restaurant
So, what better place than Cuba come back to
my roots for inspiration?
Lucky that you're here and you're trying to beat Chef Luis.
So, what are you looking for?
[Gordon] Personally, you know how competitive I am, right?
[Mika Leon] I know, so am I.
[Gordon Ramsay] And don't you ever change that, girl,
let me tell you.
So, Luis has told me to get into the countryside,
get your hands dirty.
And there's one ingredient that I'm desperate to work with...
- Tobacco leaves... - Oh.
[Gordon Ramsay] Just to see it from the sea to the plant
and then fingers crossed, and getting a couple of leaves
and trying to blend that rich tobacco flavor.
[Mika Leon] Well, you came to the right place because
one of my dear friends Jose,
is one of the best tobacco producers in the town.
- Really? - So...
[Gordon Ramsay] What I am noticing immediately is,
is the sparsity.
There's no food markets that are flourishing.
There's no spice markets.
There's no butchers,
no fishmongers, everything's hidden.
[Mika Leon] It's what we would call the Cuban connection,
who you know and who knows who and trying to find that
ingredient you're trying to work with.
[Gordon Ramsay] Wow. Wow.
[Mika Leon] This is gonna be challenging for you.
[Gordon Ramsay] Girl, are you trying to scare me?
[Mika Leon] No, I'm trying to get you ready to beat Chef Luis.
[Gordon Ramsay] Geez.
[Mika Leon] Consider me your Cuban sous chef.
- Game on. - Let's do it.
[Gordon Ramsay] Viñales is a fertile agricultural region
where traditional farming methods have been practiced
since the 17th century.
The valley here is known for its tobacco fields,
but Mika's had me stop in a spot where there's
not a tobacco plant in sight.
I'm getting the feeling she's up to something.
Where are we going, please?
[Mika Leon] I'm taking you on a little shortcut since
that drive was so long.
[Gordon Ramsay] A shortcut.
[Mika Leon] To get to the field, the fastest way
is through the mountain.
[Gordon Ramsay] Through the mountain?
[laughter]
- Through there? - Yeah.
- And why do we need these? - You'll see.
[Gordon Ramsay] Girl, you've lost the plot, seriously.
[Mika Leon] Watch your head, Gordon.
[Gordon Ramsay] What in the hell are we doing?
[Mika Leon] I think I'm gonna skip my yoga today.
And I think there's gonna be our little workout,
you're gonna have to hunch down.
[Gordon Ramsay] [bleep].
[Mika Leon] Careful, watch your head, Gordon.
[Gordon Ramsay] My God.
Where are we going? Seriously.
[Mika Leon] Watch your step, Gordon.
[Gordon Ramsay] What the hell?
What are those kayaks doing down there?
[Mika Leon] We're kayaking.
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh my God. Girl, you've lost the plot.
[Mika Leon] It's, it's faster, Gordon.
[Gordon Ramsay] You have to be kidding me.
Seriously.
I just want tobacco fields.
I don't want a massive adventure.
Look at these.
[Mika Leon] I promise it'll be worth it.
[rushing water]
[Gordon Ramsay] You're mad. Seriously.
[Mika Leon] Gordon.
[Gordon Ramsay] No, no, let's go. Honestly.
[Mika Leon] We're trying to make you work for your grub.
[Gordon Ramsay] Work for my grub?
And if it's not nerve wracking enough being
underground in a kayak, Mika tries to distract me
with another nugget of helpful information.
[Mika Leon] You know, consider yourself lucky that
it's not raining today because when the water levels go up,
we'd technically be underwater right now.
And if you look up here, there's a little bit of a,
of a chandelier formation.
[Gordon Ramsay] That is absolutely stunning.
[Mika Leon] Don't they actually look like
upside down tobacco leaves?
[Gordon Ramsay] I don't [bleep] know because
I haven't seen the tobacco field yet.
[laughs]
[Mika Leon] We're almost there, I promise.
- Oh, sorry. - This guy's trying to kill me.
[Gordon Ramsay] [bleep].
While I do appreciate the Cuban cave tour,
my Scottish butt can't wait to get out of this boat
and into the tobacco fields.
There's light, there's light, girl!
[Mika Leon] I told you I wouldn't steer you wrong.
I'm gonna have some mojitos and tobacco for you.
[Gordon Ramsay] Look at that down there,
this is incredible by the way.
- It is beautiful. - Oh my goodness, me.
[Mika Leon] You know, it's off the beaten path but some of
the most beautiful places that you can visit.
[Gordon Ramsay] Wow. Absolutely.
Watch out, watch out!
Oops.
- Damn. - Wait.
[Gordon Ramsay] We made it. We made it.
Yes!
You think of Cuba in the smack, bang middle of the Caribbean.
This is a million miles away from any Caribbean island.
This is, this is real.
Forget the glitz, forget the glamour.
This is Cuba.
With Mika's cruise behind us,
it's out into the fields where she's told me tobacco awaits.
Right about now, I'm wondering why didn't I just
buy a cigar back in Havana?
[Mika Leon] Hola, Jose.
[Jose] [in Spanish] Hello, friend.
[Mika Leon] How are you?
[Jose] Fine and you?
[Mika Leon] I introduce my friend, Chef Gordon.
[Jose] It's a pleasure.
- [in Spanish] It's a pleasure. - [in Spanish] It's a pleasure.
[Mika Leon] We came rowing from the caves for tobacco leaves.
- Sí, sí. - He has tobacco leaves?
[Mika Leon] You have them?
[Jose] But... he has to work.
- By doing what? - Oh.
[Gordon Ramsay] [bleep].
Come on, Jose, seriously.
First of all, the cave.
Seriously? So.
[Jose] I can show.
[Gordon Ramsay] Yeah, please, you demo, demo, please.
Got you, so we're just turning it up.
Got you.
- You can try now. - Yes.
I mean, seriously.
[Jose] But slowly. Slowly.
Not stronger, slow.
The tobacco leaf is like a lady.
[Gordon Ramsay] It's like a lady.
[Jose] You have to be slowly.
[Gordon Ramsay] Slowly. Has he been smoking?
[speaking Spanish].
- No. - Cigars?
[speaking Spanish].
- [in Spanish] A little. - [in Spanish] A little.
[Jose] I have other things, more easy for you.
[Gordon Ramsay] Easier, no, I don't mind working.
Trust me.
- Rolling the cigar. - Rolling the cigar. Shall we?
- Let's do it. - Let's go?
[Gordon Ramsay] [in Spanish] Yes, thank you.
Okay, shall we?
[Jose] No, no, no, no, no, not here.
- Ooh... - This is my table.
[Gordon Ramsay] Your table. I just want to sit down.
[Mika Leon] I think you tried to sit in his seat.
- You have to sit here. - Oh, is this your chair? Okay.
[Mika Leon] I guess it's the...
[Gordon Ramsay] I'm joking, I'm joking okay, okay, okay.
Oh my God. Got you.
Finally, look at those.
These are beautiful.
[Jose] These have spent 45 days after being picked...
...and dried in a plastic bag to cure the leaves.
[Gordon Ramsay] They smell so sweet, that's what it is.
[speaking Spanish].
[Gordon Ramsay] That's incredible.
[Jose] Do the same thing I do.
First we remove the stem.
[Mika Leon] First, take the stem off, gently.
[Jose] No, no... not like that.
- Try again. - Sí, thank you.
[Gordon Ramsay] Gracias.
[Mika Leon] Ah, sí.
[Gordon Ramsay] There we go, I've got it, I've got it.
[Jose] He's doing it backward.
[Mika Leon] You're doing it counterclockwise.
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh, upside down.
- Okay. - Oh.
[Jose] Ok, that's better.
[Mika Leon] A lot better now.
This is what you're gonna use to roll the filling in.
[Gordon Ramsay] Right. This reminds me of rolling pasta.
[Jose] And you place these on the inside.
- The waste, the ends. - Yes. Yeah.
[Mika Leon] And then you start rolling it from
the back end forward.
[Gordon Ramsay] I don't need a cigarette.
I just need to use it for cooking.
[Jose] You have to roll it and bring it back.
[Jose] No, no, no, just once.
[laughs]
No, no, no, no.
[Jose] No, only in one direction.
[Jose] You have to do faster.
[Mika Leon] You just go one direction forward.
[speaking Spanish]
[Jose] My children, three years old and
can roll better than, than you.
[Jose] I think you won't be able to smoke.
[Mika Leon] He said, "I don't think you're smoking it today."
[Gordon Ramsay] No, [bleep] Snoop Dogg could smoke this one.
[laughter]
[Gordon Ramsay] Jose finishes the cigar by
rolling it in a hand-picked outer leaf.
This guy could teach a master class.
Yeah, come on.
I mean, that is beautiful.
Seriously, I mean, what a work of art.
I, I'll, I'll think of a way I can cook with this,
but I mean, I just, I can't believe we get that from these.
[Jose] But I can show him something that I've cooked,
that we've cooked.
[Gordon Ramsay] Serious? As good as this?
- Yes. - Shall we?
- Let's do it. - Let's go.
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh my God, how difficult was that.
While the tobacco we just rolled won't get smoked
until the final cook,
Jose shows us something that's actually smoking right now.
What the hell is that thing?
[Jose] Grilled pork.
[Mika Leon] He made you a lechona.
- Lechona. - Pork.
- There's a pig in there? - Yeah.
[Jose] Banana leaves.
[Mika Leon] So these are banana leaves.
[Gordon Ramsay] Bloody hell.
[Mika Leon] Kind of like in a hammock method.
[Jose] The flames hit it, and we add guava leaves
to give it better...
[Gordon Ramsay] And the method this gentleman here,
he's just swinging the pig?
[Jose] It has to be here approximately 8 to 10 hours.
[Gordon Ramsay] I've never seen since a glamorous pig in
a hammock, let me tell you.
What an amazing idea.
[Jose] Want a taste?
- How crispy is that? - You want to try it?
[Gordon Ramsay] I'd love some, look how crispy that is there.
We just literally pick it off the hammock?
Oh my God. Gracias.
[Mika Leon] That's gold.
[crunching]
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh my God.
[Mika Leon] And it's a pig from the farm, too.
Crispy.
[Gordon Ramsay] It's so good. Honestly.
[speaking Spanish].
[Gordon Ramsay] Do you mind if I just go and just
take a little bit of the pork butt?
- Sí, sí. - Sí, oh my Lord.
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh my.
[Jose] Do you like? Did you like it?
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh my Lord.
[speaking Spanish].
[Gordon Ramsay] That is delicious.
Sorry, [bleep] off.
[speaking Spanish].
[Gordon Ramsay] Wow.
It's so succulent and incredibly flavorsome, honestly,
I just want to go in a chair,
knife and fork, and just sit here and eat.
What an amazing way to cook a pig.
I mean, it's delicious.
I'd love to go up against Luis and, and use this.
But how do I go up against him and spend, you know,
from 3:00 in the morning swinging this freaking thing?
[Mika Leon] I'll volunteer myself as your sous chef.
[Gordon Ramsay] Serious?
[Mika Leon] Yeah, I'm trying to get you to beat Chef Luis.
[Gordon Ramsay] You'll swing the hammock.
[Mika Leon] I'll babysit your pig.
[Gordon Ramsay] That would be amazing.
- Let's do it. - One final request.
[Gordon Ramsay] Can I borrow the hammock just for 24 hours?
[Jose] No.
[Jose] This belongs to the family. We don't loan it out...
[Mika Leon] It stays in the family, Gordon.
[Gordon Ramsay] But we are family, we look like brothers.
[Jose] But...
I can help you build one.
[Gordon Ramsay] Seriously? Exactly like this?
[Jose] Yes.
[Jose] I will show you the, the metals.
[Gordon Ramsay] The metals. So, these are the...
- To make it. - Wow.
[Jose] The biggest ones.
- The biggest ones. - The biggest ones.
[Gordon Ramsay] Where are these from, Jose?
[speaking Spanish].
[Jose] From the roof of the house.
[Mika Leon] From the building of the roof of the house.
[Gordon Ramsay] Wow. Again, resourcefulness.
- Ingenuity. - Amazing.
[Jose] So, are you ready?
[Gordon Ramsay] Yes.
To build a hammock, Jose starts by laying out
the rebar in a grid.
It's almost like you're laying the foundation down
where you would normally put cement in something like this.
[Mika Leon] Mm-hmm.
[Jose] We need...
[Gordon Ramsay] To hold it all together,
Jose heads back into the pile of construction leftovers
as one does in Cuba.
[Jose] ...wire to weave it.
[Gordon Ramsay] But the MacGyver like thinking
doesn't stop there.
[Mika Leon] So, you're kind of seeing the nail there,
and then he's using the nail to kind of
spin the wire to grab it.
[Jose] Tighten it until it's a strong hold.
He's good.
[Jose] You do this more better than rolling the cigar.
[Gordon Ramsay] Finally, I'm in his good books.
That means a lot.
Seriously, this morning we came out for tobacco,
now I'm making a hammock for a pig.
What an amazing technique.
I'll tighten them up back at the cook.
Seriously, I'm so grateful.
- Mucho gracias. - Gracias, Jose.
[Jose] You're welcome.
[Gordon Ramsay] The lechon is the heartbeat.
I mean, that's, that's the one missing ingredient
I needed for this final cook.
Not just the flavor of that beautiful baby pig
but the technique, the hammock.
And now I've got a sous chef.
She's just gonna swing that pig in the hammock.
So Luis said, "Get your hands dirty."
I've gone above and beyond getting my hands dirty.
I'm in it.
With only one day left before the final cook,
I'm heading west of Havana out to an organic farm to get myself
some very special Cuban ingredients.
And there she is there.
Annabelle!
[honks horn]
- Hola. - Hola.
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh, man. Good to see you.
- Cómo estás. - Are you well?
[Annabelle] Finally you made it.
[Gordon Ramsay] I finally made it.
It's so nice to see you, darling.
[kisses]
[Annabelle] My pleasure. Welcome to Picato Gan Suca.
[Gordon Ramsay] It is beautiful.
My goodness, me.
One day left before the cook and I want to get my hands on
something that is gonna surprise Luis.
- Okay. - What makes this farm so unique?
[Annabelle] We arrived here 10 years ago and decided to
establish an organic family farm.
- So, all organic? - Yeah.
[Gordon Ramsay] And then staples, plantain.
[Annabelle] And many others.
[Gordon Ramsay] Uh, plantain...
Is it, uh, is it the season now?
- You have one here. - Where?
[Annabelle] Do you think that can work for you?
[Gordon Ramsay] Ah, yes.
Annabelle, what's the best way to cut them there,
so I don't destroy it?
[Annabelle] Well, you're a tall guy so I think you can just grab
it a little bit and clean cut, please.
- So, up there? - Yeah.
[sighs]
[Annabelle] Amazing.
[Gordon Ramsay] All good.
Very good indeed. Thank you.
[Annabelle] Yes.
[Gordon Ramsay] Annabelle's farm is the outdoor equivalent
of a grocery store.
The only thing I'm missing is a four wheel drive shopping cart.
- Is that fresh tamarind? - Yes.
[Gordon Ramsay] Wow. Look at that.
[Annabelle] As much as you want.
[Gordon Ramsay] That is beautiful.
God, it's so ripe as well, look at that.
[Annabelle] You, you must go the opposite way like...
[grunts].
- Okay. - Yeah, just pull it.
[Gordon Ramsay] That's all right. Man.
[Annabelle] Let me try one.
- Mm. - Mmm.
[Annabelle] Perfect.
[Gordon Ramsay] That is so tasty.
[Annabelle] Yeah.
[Gordon Ramsay] So, plantain, tamarind, is there anything
else on this beautiful farm?
[Annabelle] Follow me.
[Gordon Ramsay] Another surprise. Where?
[Annabelle] Yeah. And these, you will love.
So, do you know what it is?
- This? - Yes.
[Gordon Ramsay] Yeah, it's a tree stump.
Stop it, mushrooms. Come on.
[Annabelle] No, you're not even close.
- Really? - Yeah.
[Gordon Ramsay] Go on.
[Annabelle] Just look around a little bit closer.
And let me show you.
[Gordon Ramsay] [bleep].
[buzzing]
It's a beehive.
[Annabelle] Yeah, yeah. But no, no worry.
[Annabelle] These are Meliponas.
Friendly bees, which I call them...
...or "earth" bees.
These ones are no stingers.
You can be around without any special suit.
[Gordon Ramsay] There's a beehive in there?
- Yeah. - And they don't sting?
[Annabelle] They don't. So, give me a hand.
I have these tools here.
I pull one side and you do the other.
Watch out, you see already?
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh my God.
- They're all there. - Bloody hell.
[Gordon Ramsay] Cracking that thing open,
I honestly thought to begin with she was messing around.
[bleep] beehive, bees that don't sting.
[Annabelle] This is a beautiful,
beautiful hive we found, you have here some pollen.
You can see you have also some honey.
[Gordon Ramsay] And that, is that pollen there?
- Yeah. - Is that pollen?
[Annabelle] Yes.
[Gordon Ramsay] Can we lay it down?
[Annabelle] Can you help me to open it a little bit more?
So, yeah. Oh, watch out.
There you go, oh, whoa, watch out, watch out.
Slow, slowly, slowly.
There we go.
[Gordon Ramsay] In any other country,
I'd be wrapped up in a bloody bee suit, uh, scared [bleep]
about those bees creeping in under the suit.
But that was majestic.
That was just incredible.
[Annabelle] Would you like to try that?
I have some.
[Gordon Ramsay] [bleep].
- There you go. - No. Are you?
[Annabelle] I am very serious, man.
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh my God. Oh my God.
[Annabelle] This is the way my daughters likes to
have some honey.
[Gordon Ramsay] Your, your daughter does this?
[Annabelle] Every morning.
[Gordon Ramsay] Thank you.
That is extraordinary.
[Annabelle] There you go.
And don't be scared.
[Gordon Ramsay] That is delicious.
[Annabelle] I thank them every day for the honey.
[Gordon Ramsay] That is unreal.
That is un-[bleep]-believable.
[scoffs]
And bursting that little comb and then sucking that
incredible honey, I mean, you can't,
you can't buy that [bleep].
You just, there's, there's, there's no amount of dollars
anywhere on the planet that can buy that experience.
[Annabelle] Try some pollen also.
What do you taste here?
- Citrus. - Yeah.
[Gordon Ramsay] That's incredible.
What a gift, thank you. Seriously.
May I take some honey and some pollen?
[Annabelle] Yeah, definitely.
[Gordon Ramsay] Two very incredible secret weapons
up my sleeve.
Luis has got no idea this one's coming.
[Annabelle] Definitely, he will be surprised.
[Gordon Ramsay] Please.
This country's been shut down for decades.
I've opened the safe.
I've gone in and on every layer,
there's another trinket box full of majestic,
amazing ingredients that I've never seen before.
But the big shock, the bees, the honey.
I'd never quite experienced anything like that.
From a chef's point of view, honestly,
it doesn't get better than that.
[Gordon Ramsay] Now, it's the day of the big cook.
Mika was kind enough to get that pig started for me this morning.
She's been up since the crack of dawn swinging that
delicious pig in that hammock.
Fingers crossed we've made headway.
Now, Luis may know this island inside out,
but I think I've got some amazing local ingredients that
just may take him down.
Luis. Mika. We good?
- Hey. Hey! - Good to see you, bud.
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh my goodness, me. You good?
[Luis Batlle] Yes, I feel too good.
[Gordon Ramsay] How we doing? Early start this morning?
- Hell, yeah. - That looks beautiful.
[Gordon Ramsay] How's it doing?
[Mika Leon] Good, it's looking really good.
[Gordon Ramsay] Let me get a quick look, just to check.
Oh my Lord.
We're having a roasted pig in a hammock, how cool is that?
[Luis Batlle] How was your week?
[Gordon Ramsay] It was extraordinary.
You said get your hands dirty.
They got battered and bruised.
But the most amazing week honestly, Luis.
[Luis Batlle] Yes.
[Gordon Ramsay] And the car came back in one piece.
[Luis Batlle] Incredible.
[Gordon Ramsay] What is that? Ah, what are you making?
[Luis Batlle] La ropa vieja.
- La ropa vieja, ah. - Sí.
[Gordon Ramsay] Ropa vieja translates directly
to old clothes.
But it's actually a delicious recipe made from shredded beef.
It's also Cuba's national dish.
I'm doing something similar.
[Luis Batlle] What kind of ropa vieja are you making?
[Gordon Ramsay] I'm gonna do a classic,
but I'm gonna lift it up a little bit.
I'm gonna put a bit of, a bit of a twist on it.
I'm gonna put a little bit of lechon,
I'm gonna serve that with some beautiful, amazing honey.
[Luis Batlle] Yeah?
[Gordon Ramsay] It's from the bee that doesn't sting you.
[speaking Spanish].
[Mika Leon] He's laughing that you're putting pork in
the ropa vieja.
[speaking Spanish].
[Mika Leon] He's under the impression that you're making
a lechon Wellington.
[Gordon Ramsay] A Well...
[speaking Spanish].
[Gordon] No, I'm not going to make any Wellington, seriously.
I don't think that'd go down too well here, trust me.
The lechon is the star of the show.
So, Luis seems to have thoughts about other ways
to put it to use.
[Mika Leon] I think he's gonna make his fish there and
pray that pork fat kind of falls into his fish.
[Gordon Ramsay] I love that.
Are you using any tobacco?
[Luis Batlle] I want to put some of it in the fire
and smoke the meat with it.
[Gordon] Mika, could you get me some pork, please, darling?
[Mika Leon] Yeah, of course.
[Gordon Ramsay] Gonna start shredding that.
We'll start off with the butt I think, you know that.
See this, how beautiful is that?
[Mika Leon] Nice.
[Gordon Ramsay] Look at that, thank you.
Thank you, darling. Great job, thank you.
What cut is he, what cut would he like?
[speaking Spanish].
[Mika Leon] I think he's gonna hit the back, too, of the pork.
[Gordon Ramsay] Is that right?
Oh my God. So beautiful.
[Luis Batlle] I need you to make the tostones.
[Mika Leon] Gordon, do you mind doing me a favor and
holding this rope really quick?
- Seriously? - Yeah.
[Mika Leon] I need to help Luis, too. Yeah.
[Gordon Ramsay] For how long?
[Mika Leon] Just for a little bit.
[Gordon Ramsay] Hey, seriously.
[Mika Leon] I'm helping him make tostones over here, Gordon.
[Gordon Ramsay] Is he running behind?
[Mika Leon] I think I'm on team Cuba now.
[Gordon Ramsay] I mean, seriously, girl.
So, I'll just multitask and do some leg exercises and pull
and stretch at the same time.
[Luis Batlle] Okay.
[Gordon Ramsay] Bloody hell, that is hot, man.
That's very hot.
- Woo. - What, what?
[Mika Leon] You make tostones back in London?
[Gordon Ramsay] What, what's he doing?
Where, where, hey, seriously.
Now you're his sous chef.
[Mika Leon] Okay, now I'm gonna go to you.
[Luis Batlle] Can you pass me the tongs?
[Gordon Ramsay] Just take the, take the...
[Mika Leon] Wait, wait, I need to help him one more time.
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh, for God's sake.
[singing in Spanish].
[Gordon Ramsay] What the, what the, what, what?
[singing in Spanish]
[Gordon Ramsay] What does that mean?
[Mika Leon] He's singing his lullabies from
his parents to the pig now.
[Gordon Ramsay] Okay, listen, forget the lullabies.
[Mika Leon] Okay, I'll help you out, Gordon, I'll help you.
[Gordon Ramsay] Well, take over the pig, please.
- I'm Team Gordon again. - Okay, thank you.
[Gordon Ramsay] Singing lullabies to a pig that
I'm pretty sure is in the deepest of sleeps,
Cuba continues to surprise me.
It's time to unleash the Scottish surprise and show
him that I, too, can get creative.
- Luis. - Yes.
[speaks Spanish]
[Gordon Ramsay] Two seconds.
At the beginning of the week, you said be resourceful.
I'm taking the fat from the pig and tenderizing my lechon ropa.
[Luis Batlle] Wow!
[Mika Leon] In the what, in the what?
- Ropa vieja. - It's ropa vieja.
[Gordon Ramsay] Ropa vieja.
[Luis Batlle] I think you're becoming Cuban.
[Gordon Ramsay] That is, does he like the idea?
[speaking Spanish].
[Mika Leon] He loves it, he says you're being very resourceful.
[Gordon Ramsay] There's more grease in here than
there is in Roberto's hair.
[speaking Spanish]
[Luis Batlle] Well, unfortunately,
I have no more hair.
[Gordon Ramsay] It's cool, think of the money you're saving
on shampoo and conditioner.
[Luis Batlle] Indeed, saving a lot.
[Gordon Ramsay] Exactly, resourcefulness again.
While Cuba has surprised me at every turn,
it seems Luis is determined to keep it coming.
[Luis Batlle] I made a mango sauce.
[Gordon Ramsay] Oh, it's lovely.
[Luis Batlle] I'm going to put some of
the mango sauce on my pork.
[Gordon Ramsay] See, I never thought you'd be
serving mango with pork.
[Luis Batlle] See how good?
[Mika Leon] These are lechon croquets.
[Gordon Ramsay] I love the idea of that mango with the pork.
You serving it on the pig skin?
No, now he's getting all posh.
Ah, you got the pig, wow, he's got the pork fat underneath
that now, so it's acting like a little trivet.
[Mika Leon] Oh, nice.
I think you got to be scared, Gordon.
[Gordon Ramsay] The guests are due to arrive any minute.
And I think we're both feeling the heat.
And while it's easy for us to fuss over the lechon,
we can't forget about the beautiful lionfish.
Now, I've drudged these lionfish in some smoked paprika,
and I'm gonna get them really nice and crispy,
almost like a nice little sort of lionfish goujon.
[Luis Batlle] How did you use the tamarind?
[Gordon] I roasted it first and I stuck it in the ropa vieja.
[Luis Batlle] It's a fusion.
[Gordon Ramsay] A fusion.
[Mika Leon] They're adding a little bit of sweetness to it.
[Luis Batlle] I think you'll return home more Cuban than me.
[Gordon Ramsay] Hope so.
Just as I'm finishing the fish dish.
[Roberto] Beautiful.
[Gordon Ramsay] Suddenly, Annabelle and her husband along
with Roberto and the other members of
the car club are here.
Nice to see you.
[Luis Batlle] Welcome! I hope you like the flavors.
[Mika Leon] Hi, guys.
[Luis Batlle] This is good.
[Gordon Ramsay] Their arrival is a harsh wake up call.
Time to pull it all together.
Okay, Luis, we good?
You got the use of my fryer.
Would you like some help? Luis.
[Luis Batlle] Yeah, over here also... moving little by little.
[Mika Leon] Moving fast, Gordon.
[Gordon Ramsay] Always. [bleep].
It's a race to the finish as we put our final touches
on our dishes.
[Mika Leon] Chef Luis, do you want help with the fish?
[Luis Batlle] Yes, keep it moving for me.
[Gordon Ramsay] Would you like some help?
[Luis Batlle] No. No help.
[Gordon Ramsay] While a touch of honey finishes off one dish,
Chef Luis borrows Mika to help plate his.
- Luis. - Yay.
- Well done. - Gordon.
- Bravo. - Okay.
[Gordon Ramsay] Good job, girl. Amazing.
Thank God you got a sous chef.
[Mika Leon] Good luck, guys.
[Gordon Ramsay] Right. Let's go.
Hola.
[Luis Batlle] Hola.
[Gordon Ramsay] Wow.
[Luis Batlle] Dinner has arrived!
[Gordon Ramsay] Excellent.
Welcome everybody, so nice to see you.
Luis is serving a traditional beef ropa vieja,
paired with glazed plantain,
grilled lionfish, served with pineapples, peppers,
parsley and lemon and
a caramelized lechon served with a mango sauce,
cinnamon and a touch of that precious honey.
My take on the ropa vieja features tobacco smoked lechon
and tamarind and it's served with pork stuffed croquettes
drizzled with honey.
My lionfish has been seasoned and deep fried and
paired with a roasted guava salsa.
And my crispy lechon comes with a mojo sauce
of citrus and herbs.
Amazing. Mucho gracias.
[Luis Batlle] Bon appetit and enjoy it.
[Roberto] Thank you, thank you very much, chef.
[speaking Spanish]
[Guest] I can't tell which one is...
[Guest 2] It's really good.
[Gordon Ramsay] Wow, they're digging in, aren't they?
And it's so nice to see Roberto's, uh, mates
from the car club.
[Mika Leon] I think they like it...
[speaking Spanish].
[Mika Leon] He said that they're really liking his food
a lot more than yours he thinks.
[Gordon Ramsay] Well.
[Roberto] This fish is good, but I prefer this one.
[Guest] Mm-hmm, I, I prefer that one, yes, that one, no.
- This one is not dry at all. - Yeah, yes.
[Guest 2] The taste is amazing, the sauce.
- Wow. - The sauce is amazing.
[Gordon Ramsay] It all started with the lechon.
What I'd like to do is take the rest of that pig
back in my suitcase home.
[Luis Batlle] Take the head in your carry-on.
[Mika Leon] Take the head, leave him the body.
[Roberto] I preferred Luis's ropa vieja, it's very good.
But to be honest, Gordon's is good, too,
so it's a bit like, almost tied.
[Guest] But I tried this with the mango sauce
and it's really nice.
[Guest 2] The meat is not so soft, but the sauce,
the flavor and the onions are amazing.
[Gordon Ramsay] Right, it looks like they're done,
and it's time to find out the verdict.
I'll see you again in Miami.
[Mika Leon] I'm more than happy to show you our country.
[Gordon Ramsay] Right. You ready to prepare your misery?
- Yeah. - Yes? You ready?
[speaking Spanish]
- Okay, wow. - [in Spanish] Well then.
[Roberto] We want to have a round of,
of applause for both of you.
[Guest] Well done, guys.
[Roberto] Because we have enjoyed this a lot.
I mean, it was difficult for us to decide, being very honest.
Okay, so the pork, both were fantastic, we're,
we're giving the edge to Luis.
It was very good.
[Gordon Ramsay] Bravo.
[speaking Spanish].
[Roberto] The mango sauce as a secret ingredient was fantastic.
[Gordon Ramsay] Yeah, beautiful. Congrats.
Seriously, I'm happy for you.
But it's early days.
So, the second dish.
[Roberto] The fish, we all voted for this one over here
and it was Gordon's.
I mean, it was fantastic.
We loved it.
[Gordon] So, one, one, it all comes down to the ropa vieja.
[Roberto] And both are fantastic.
But we have to be honest, we fell for Gordon's ropa vieja.
[Gordon Ramsay] Yeah. Come on.
- We, we have to. - Congratulations.
[Guest] Yes. Just amazing man.
[Roberto] Both of you are great.
We were amazed because ropa vieja is like
our national dish, and for you being for the first time in Cuba
and having done that, you did a great job.
[Gordon] It's been a dream to be part of this experience.
You said get your hands dirty and fingers crossed I've,
I've done justice to your incredible country.
I'm going to miss you all and especially you.
- Ciao, ciao. - Ciao, ciao, ciao.
- Bravo. - Ciao, ciao.
[Gordon Ramsay] Thank you, God bless.
[speaking Spanish].
[Gordon Ramsay] Wow, I've had the most amazing week here
in Cuba, and seeing this stunning island from
a chef's perspective, honestly,
it's a once in a lifetime opportunity.
I've ventured to the coast through caves and countryside to
find some truly unique, extraordinary ingredients from
going spear fishing for venomous lionfish to
making a hammock for a pig,
to sucking honey straight from a beehive,
this country has really opened my eyes and shown me that
nothing is impossible if you set your sights on it.
The resourcefulness, the ingenuity and the creativity
from the Cuban people is second to none.
And as they say here on this island...
[in Spanish] See you later.
Off to my next adventure.