The 3-Ingredient Combo That Packs A Punch In Gordon Ramsay's Avocado Toast

You'd have to have been living under a rock not to have heard of avocado toast. This now-famous dish, which involves the buttery green fruit (technically a berry) being artfully sliced or gently smashed onto toasted bread in place of your usual spread, has become something of a phenomenon on the brunch circuit in recent years. Avocado toast has also received plenty of love from the internet. In fact, according to a 2023 report by Datassential (via Nation's Restaurant News), its presence on restaurant menus has increased by a whopping 185% since 2019.

If you're one of the many, many people who have contributed to this statistic, you'll no doubt have a favorite way to enjoy this treat, whether its a specific type of bread you like to use, or extra ingredients added into the mix. Even world-renowned chefs like Gordon Ramsay have their preferred methods. The TV star and owner of multiple Michelin-starred restaurants says his personal tip for making this iconic snack really pop is a simple yet delicious garnish made from just three ingredients: black sesame seeds, lemon zest, and a pinch of chile flakes. We'll toast to that!

Forget the fancy equipment and cooking techniques, this tasty topping — as demonstrated by Gordon Ramsay on his official Facebook page — is as easy as grabbing the three ingredients in question (a sprinkling of black sesame seeds, a pinch of chile flakes — "I quite like it hot," he admits — lemon zest, and a little salt and pepper) and combining them in a small bowl, before generously sprinkling over slices of toast, topped with properly ripened avocado. "You've got the fragrance from the lemon zest, the crunch from the sesame seeds, and the heat from that little chile flake, which just wakes up the avocado," he explains. "That for me is a delicious, light start to the day."

Not only will this combo taste fantastic, it also gives the dish an expensive looking edge, as Ramsay points out — making it the perfect snack for when you want to impress. And don't fret if you don't have all the ingredients, you can always use white sesame seeds (though they aren't as crunchy as their darker counterparts, and have a sweeter, nuttier taste), or some dried chile powder. Just be sure to use the latter sparingly — the last thing you want to do is ruin arguably the world's most 'grammed dish. Keep any leftovers to season guacamole — lemon and chile pepper are both ingredients widely used in Mexican cooking, after all.