Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay made a surprise visit to a Surbiton restaurant last week, for a TV show about Britain’s best local restaurants.

The fiery chef’s presence at the French Table sparked rumours he was there to critique the cooking for his Kitchen Nightmares series.

But fans of the popular restaurant were reassured, after it received so many nominations in a Channel 4 competition that Ramsay came to taste it for himself.

Responding to the rumours on Twitter and forum Surbiton.com, one waitress said: “It’s just totally wrong. Everyone knows that the French Table has a good reputation, so why do they say this?”

Staff have been sworn to secrecy over the visit, and refused to disclose what he ate in case it ruins their chances in the show.

Filming at the Maple Road restaurant was done last Thursday, September 3, for Gordon Ramsay’s series The F Word, which starts this November.

To enter the competition, a two-course meal for two needs to cost less than £50, excluding wine, it has to be independently owned and there should be at least two chefs and 10 seats.

A Channel 4 spokesman said it had not decided if the French Table would definitely be included in the show, but confirmed Ramsay was definitely not there to lecture the chefs and shout at the waitresses for Kitchen Nightmares.

The French Table opened in 2001 and is run by French-born Eric Guignard and his wife Sarah. It was nominated for Best Local Restaurant by Timeout in 2002.

Have you eaten at the French Table? Qu’est que tu pense? surreycomet.co.uk