That Pork Used to be A Pig, Ya Know...

Gordon Ramsay photo courtesy of the Mail Online

There’s been a lot of talk lately on the topic of whether or not we, as humans, should eat meat. About a month ago, the New York Times published a frightening article about one woman’s health crisis after consuming tainted hamburger meat, and of course there’s Jonathan Safran Foer’s recently published and much-ballyhooed book, Eating Animals, which takes a firm stand against factory farming and makes a strong case for vegetarianism.

I eat meat, and I have no plans to give that up. I choose free-range, cruelty-free meat, which costs more but is ultimately better tasting, better for the environment and for the animals themselves. In my mind, an animal that’s had a happy life tastes better (I realize many vegetarians will disagree with me on this one!).

One chef who seems to be putting his money where is mouth is on the subject is Gordon Ramsay. Don’t get me wrong: Ramsay, with his piping-hot temper and inability to articulate himself without the use of the word “f*ck” every five seconds isn’t exactly the most beloved chef of our time. There have been allegations of an affair and other personal and professional missteps. Frankly, I could give a toss about those things. What I do admire about him is that on his BBC show – appropriately titled “The F Word” – Ramsay is showing the world where his food comes from, and isn’t afraid to get personally involved with it.

Two seasons ago, Ramsay decided to raise two Berkshire pigs in his own backyard. He took his entire family (which includes four children, all under the age of 10) to a free-range pig farm, and they picked out two pigs to take home. From the start, he told his children that these pigs were for food, and he was careful to constantly remind them (and himself) of this point. But part of being a good farmer requires tender, loving care of your flock, and week after week the cameras captured Ramsay and his family playing with, feeding and washing the growing pigs. There were some poignant moments; during one unusually hot day in England, Ramsay’s kids created a big mud pit for their piggies, and both kids and pigs squealed with delight as they rolled around in the cool sludge.

Courtesy of The F Word, BBC

As D Day grew nearer, viewers could see that the idea of slaughtering his pigs was starting to affect this notoriously hard chef. When Ramsay and his wife (the kids were left at home) delivered the pigs to the local slaughterhouse, they both suited up and readied themselves to witness the killing of their pigs. Though they chose a clean, small-operation, humane slaughterhouse, it was obviously tough for them to watch. With one, quick volt of electricity, the pig went into immediate shock and its throat was slit. The entire process took about 15 seconds. The bottom line? These pigs had a good, happy life, and were taken quickly and relatively painlessly. They were served at Ramsay’s restaurant, Claridges, and fed a good number of people.

Last season, Ramsay had his correspondent, the insanely hilarious and wildly talented Brit journalist Janet Street-Porter, raise two veal calves at her country home in England. Her personal experience revealed that veal calves do not have to be raised in tiny cages and can produce high-quality, tasty meat and be free range and organic – a major revelation for me (and I thought I knew everything, ha!). Again, viewers were taken through every step of the process, from the calves being brought to Street-Porter’s home to their eventual slaughter (which Street-Porter forced herself to witness up close).

Janet Street-Porter and her calf, courtesy of The F Word, BBC

As the viewer, it was difficult to watch the deaths of these animals, but I don’t live in a bubble, and understand that the meat I buy at Whole Foods wasn’t born in a Styrofoam package wrapped in plastic. Though this may seem obvious, I think it’s important for us to actually see where our meat comes from, and to understand the benefits of careful, free-range farming both to the animals and to us humans.

I commend Gordon Ramsay for providing this insight to millions of people who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to experience this phenomenon personally.

Catch “The F Word” on BBC America – check your local listings