Eagle-eyed Gordon Ramsay fans have been left with questions after spotting a bizarre detail in the background of one of his latest Instagram snaps, with one particular theory sparking so much interest the chef has been forced to speak out.
While many of us are using January to lay low a little after a hectic festive period, Ramsay's been doing anything but.
Along with launching a new series of Kitchen Nightmares, he's also debuted new restaurants and been jetting around the world - all while finding time to critique the cooking of other social media users, as usual.
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But one of his latest snaps has caused an unlikely stir, after he posted a photo of him sitting on what looked like a private jet, dressed head-to-toe in black as he peered out of the window from behind his sunglasses.
The vista beyond showed that the plane wasn’t up in the air, but on the ground and surrounded by a mysterious mountain landscape.
“Come fry with me… Big (and small) things on the way,” he wrote.
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Naturally, the elusive caption prompted his followers to start playing detective, with many looking for clues in the picture.
“Why do you have a sauce pan next to you?” one asked, having clocked what seems to be a teeny frying pan sitting in the double cup holder beside him.
Another said: “Is that a mini @hexclad?”
A third wrote: “Can we talk about the baby HexClad in the cup holder. ITS SO CUTE.”
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A fourth joked to the dad-of-six: “Are you pregnant again, chef?!”
Some others looked beyond the plane, trying to work out where he was.
One TikToker became convinced he was in Area 51 – the top secret US Air Force military base in the Nevada desert – claiming he was ‘not actually at an airport’ after ruling out several in the area by cross-referencing the silhouettes nearby mountain ranges.
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“With these pixels that resemble the fence, these mountains and this arid landscape, there’s only one option – Area 51, with a perfect match,” @georainbolt said in a video.
“Gordon, you can’t hide.”
Many others were won round by the theory, with someone else commenting: “Whatcha doing in Area 51 bruv.”
Another wrote: “Are you there to cook aliens?”
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Ramsay later posted a follow-up video responding to @georainbolt’s claims, admitting he was ‘close’.
“You’ve done your due diligence, let me tell you!” the chef said.
“Sounds like you’re working for the ol’ Pentagon. Well done!”
Panning round to what others speculated was the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand, he continued: “BUT, I’ll be honest with you, you’re getting close... but the proof is in the path.”
Indeed, content posted just before his video confirmed he'd been in Bangkok to visit a couple of his restaurants, including the new Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza Thailand.
Sadly for Ramsay, however, this didn't appease everyone, with many calling for him to 'spill the tea' once and for all... WHAT'S WITH THE TINY PAN?!
Topics: Gordon Ramsay, Celebrity, Food and Drink
Jess Hardiman