Gordon Ramsay Appetizers: 6 Elegant Starters to Impress

A great dinner party appetizer does two jobs: it sets the tone for the meal, and it does not chain you to the stove while your guests arrive. The six starters below are the kind Gordon Ramsay's restaurants serve, restaurant-elegant but achievable at home, and most of the work can be done before anyone rings the bell.

They range from a five-minute cold plate to a make-a-day-ahead showpiece, so pick by how much time you have. Here is the plan-ahead overview first, then each one with the technique that makes it work.

How to Plan the Starters

The trick to a relaxed dinner party is choosing at least one appetizer you can finish in advance. This table sorts the six by how they serve and how far ahead you can get them done.

Appetizer	Serve	Make ahead?	Effort
Beef tartare	Cold	Chop just before serving	Easy, no cooking
Seared scallop ceviche	Cold	Assemble at the last minute	Easy
Garlic-chili shrimp	Hot	Cook to order in minutes	Easy
Lobster ravioli in bisque	Hot	Bisque and ravioli ahead, cook to order	Ambitious
Foie gras torchon	Chilled	Must be made 1 to 2 days ahead	Advanced
Wild mushroom velouté	Hot	Fully make ahead, reheat gently	Easy

If you want the calmest evening, the velouté and the torchon are both finished long before guests arrive; the tartare and ceviche are quick but last-minute; the lobster ravioli is the one to attempt when you have time to show off. A good pairing is one make-ahead plus one quick plate.

Beef Tartare with Herb Crème Fraîche

Tartare lives and dies on texture, which is why you hand-chop the beef with a sharp knife rather than pulse it in a processor; the blade cuts clean cubes that stay distinct, while the processor crushes and smears the meat into paste. A tub of yogurt-tangy crème fraîche folded with herbs cools the rich raw beef. Buy the freshest top-grade tenderloin, keep everything cold, and, as food-safety guidance on the danger zone makes clear, serve it within a couple of hours.

• 8 oz fresh beef tenderloin, trimmed
• 2 Tbsp shallots, finely minced
• 1 Tbsp capers, chopped
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche
• 2 Tbsp chives, plus parsley and tarragon, chopped
• Salt and pepper, and toasted baguette to serve

Freeze the beef for 15 minutes to firm it, then hand-chop into small, even cubes. Fold in the shallots, capers, Dijon, and Worcestershire. Mix the crème fraîche with the herbs, and season both. Shape the tartare into a neat mound, top with the herb crème fraîche, and serve with toast. Keep everything chilled until the moment it hits the plate, and do not save leftovers.

Seared Scallop Ceviche with Citrus

Classic ceviche "cooks" seafood in acid alone, because the citrus denatures the surface proteins the same way heat would, a chemistry the technique of ceviche is built on. This version sears the scallops first for a caramelized edge, then gives them just five minutes in the citrus, long enough to brighten and no longer, or the acid keeps working and turns them rubbery. Use "dry" scallops with no additives so they brown, and dry them well before they hit the hot pan.

• 12 large sea scallops, patted very dry
• Juice of 2 limes, 1 lemon, 1 orange
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper, micro greens

Sear the seasoned scallops in a very hot pan, 1 to 2 minutes a side, until golden but rare inside, then slice each into three rounds. Combine the citrus juices with the onion, jalapeño, and cilantro, add the scallops, and marinate just 5 minutes. Fold in the avocado, plate, and top with micro greens. Serve straight away for the best contrast of seared edge and bright, just-set center.

Garlic and Chili Shrimp with Sourdough

This is the fastest hot starter on the list, and the one thing that ruins it is overcooking. Shrimp are done in about two minutes a side; push past that and the proteins over-tighten and turn rubbery, so you want a hot pan, a quick sear for a little Maillard color, and out. The garlic goes in for seconds, not minutes, because it scorches fast, and the toasted sourdough is there to catch the garlicky, chili butter.

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 red chilies, thinly sliced
• 3 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup white wine, juice of 1 lemon
• Parsley, salt and pepper, thick sourdough slices to serve

Get the oil smoking-hot and sear the seasoned shrimp about 2 minutes a side, until just pink and lightly golden. Add the garlic and chili for 30 seconds, deglaze with the wine, then swirl in the butter and lemon off the heat to make a glossy sauce. Pile onto toasted sourdough and scatter with parsley. It is a last-minute dish, but it takes five minutes, so cook it just as guests sit down.

Lobster Ravioli in Shellfish Bisque

This is the showpiece, and its depth comes from the shells, not the meat. Browning the lobster and shrimp shells before you simmer them pulls out a deep, roasted flavor through the same Maillard browning reaction that flavors seared meat, and that is what makes a bisque taste of the sea rather than of cream. Roll the pasta thin, and press every bit of air out of each ravioli so they do not burst in the water.

• 2 lobsters (1½ lb each), plus 1 lb shrimp shells
• 3 cups "00" or all-purpose flour and 4 eggs, for the pasta
• 2 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 cup white wine, 4 cups fish stock
• 1 cup heavy cream, thyme and parsley, salt and white pepper

Boil the lobsters briefly, shock in ice water, and pick the meat, reserving the shells. For the bisque, brown the lobster and shrimp shells with the vegetables, add tomato paste, deglaze with wine, add stock, simmer, then strain and reduce with the cream. Make the pasta, fill with chopped lobster and herbs, and seal into ravioli. Cook to order in salted water until they float, and serve in the hot bisque. The bisque and the filled ravioli both hold a day ahead.

Foie Gras Torchon with Brioche

A torchon is foie gras seasoned, rolled in a cloth ("torchon" is French for dish towel), and gently poached, and the whole thing rides on a low, controlled temperature. Poached at around 160°F, the liver sets to a silky, sliceable terrine; any hotter and the fat renders out and you lose the texture. It has to be made a day or two ahead, which makes it the ultimate stress-free starter: it is done and waiting.

• 1 lb grade-A fresh foie gras
• 2 Tbsp Sauternes wine
• 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp white pepper, 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp pink curing salt (optional)
• 8 slices brioche, butter, fig jam, flaky sea salt

Devein the foie gras, season it with the Sauternes, salt, pepper, and sugar, and chill 24 hours. Roll it tightly in plastic wrap, then a kitchen towel, and poach at 160°F for 30 minutes before plunging it into an ice bath. Chill at least another 24 hours. To serve, slice with a hot knife, toast the brioche, and add fig jam and a little flaky salt. Serve it lightly chilled, not fridge-cold, so the flavor opens up.

Wild Mushroom Velouté with Truffle Oil

Velouté is one of the French mother sauces, thickened with a butter-and-flour roux, and this mushroom version is the easiest make-ahead on the list. The flavor comes from browning the mushrooms hard before anything else; that Maillard color is what gives the soup its savory depth, so do not rush them pale. A little cream or crème fraîche smooths it, and because it is over 25 percent fat it stays stable and silky when gently reheated, unlike thin dairy that can split, a point of dairy chemistry tied to its casein proteins.

• 1 lb mixed wild mushrooms (porcini, shiitake, cremini)
• 4 Tbsp butter, 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup flour, 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, thyme and bay
• 2 Tbsp truffle oil, salt and white pepper, chives

Sauté the mushrooms in butter until deep golden, add the onion and garlic, then stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in the stock gradually, add the herbs, and simmer 25 minutes. Blend until smooth, stir in the cream, and season. Make it a day ahead and reheat gently, adding the cream and a drizzle of truffle oil only just before serving; truffle oil is potent, so a few drops per bowl is plenty.

Serving and Pairing

For a plated dinner, one starter per guest is right; for a stand-up gathering, plan three to five bites a head and turn these into one-bite versions, tartare on crostini, ceviche in spoons, velouté in shot glasses. A crisp sparkling wine handles almost all of them, with a glass of Sauternes saved for the foie gras.

For the mains to follow, see our beef Wellington, the fresh pasta that the lobster ravioli builds on, and more starters and mains in the full recipe collection.

Build the rest of the menu: a beef Wellington centerpiece, homemade fresh pasta, and Ramsay's fish recipes.

Dinner Party Appetizer FAQs

The questions that come up most when planning starters: how many to serve, what you can make ahead, and whether raw dishes like tartare are safe at home.

How many appetizers should I make per person?

For a sit-down dinner, plan on 3 to 5 bites per guest before the meal, or a single plated starter each. If appetizers are the whole event, plan 6 to 8 pieces per person and offer more variety.

Which of these can I make ahead?

The mushroom velouté fully (reheat gently), and the foie gras torchon must be made a day or two ahead. The lobster bisque and filled ravioli can be prepped ahead and finished to order. Beef tartare, scallop ceviche, and the garlic-chili shrimp are best cooked or assembled at the last minute for freshness and safety.

Is it safe to make beef tartare or scallop ceviche at home?

Yes, with care. Use the freshest, highest-grade beef or "dry" scallops, tell your butcher or fishmonger it is for raw use, keep everything cold, and serve within about two hours. Do not save leftovers of raw dishes.

What is a fancy word for appetizers?

Hors d'oeuvres is the French term, and "starters" is the British one. A single plated first course at a sit-down dinner is usually just called the starter or the first course.

Can I serve these at a cocktail party instead of plated?

Yes. Turn them into one-bite versions: tartare on crostini, ceviche in small spoons, velouté in shot glasses, and torchon on little toasts. It is the same food, sized for standing and mingling.

What wine pairs with these starters?

A crisp sparkling wine or a dry white works across the tartare, ceviche, ravioli, and velouté. Foie gras is the classic exception, best with a sweet wine like Sauternes.