Leading chef Gordon Ramsay has backed the government's decision to give pubs the choice between serving food or continuing to allow smoking.
The star of TV shows including Hell's Kitchen and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares said pubs had been given a "very difficult choice" by the compromise solution in the Health Bill.
Speaking to The Publican at one of his regular masterclasses for pub chefs, held in association with cash & carry group Booker, Gordon said: "If a pub's trade is 90 per cent wet sales, it's a very hard choice to make.
"For many customers, smoking and drinking go hand-in-hand. At least the government is giving pubs the option."
Smoking is banned at all his own restaurants, which include the flagship Chelsea outlet and the acclaimed Gordon Ramsay at Claridges, "because we're all about food."
Gordon also said the growth of pub food was one of "the most interesting areas" of the restaurant trade at the moment. "Many chefs are recognising that pubs are more attractive than paying high street rents."
Having considered taking on a pub lease himself recently, Gordon said: "I'll seriously look at it again in the future."
However, he will be casting a critical eye on the trade even sooner. Gordon also confirmed that a pub is one of the businesses featured in the next series of Kitchen Nightmares, to be shown in the new year.