Gordon here with warm wishes for you and yours on Turkey Day. Since I’ve been spending a lot of time in the States, I’ve taken a liking to this holiday. So I’d like to share a few tips for putting together the perfect Thanksgiving meal.

Plan ahead. Make reservations at one of my restaurants well in advance. Should I have posted this sooner since tomorrow is
Thanksgiving? I guess so. Anyway, I’ve created a special menu that celebrates your time-honored holiday, but with a contemporary twist. Think Matrix meets Mayflower.

If you must stay home for Thanksgiving, then you’re in for some work. But old Gordo’s here to remind you of the biggest blunders made on Thanksgiving. Turn your oven on. If I had a nickel for every time I heard about a housewife popping a turkey in the oven but forgetting to turn it on, I’d be rich. But only because I’m already rich.

Cook your turkey fully. I can’t stress this one enough. Medium-rare turkey, while juicy and tender, is deadly.

Don’t invite Amy Winehouse to dinner. I made this mistake one year, and I’m still getting the place back in order.

Marshmallows on the yams, not on the cranberries. Trust me, it happens more than you think and it’s not pretty.

More sugar in the desserts. If it’s one thing I’ve learned about Americans it’s that sweeter is always better. My pumpkin pie recipe features a turbinado sugar crust (replacing the traditional one). Before serving the pie, I pack a half-inch layer of pure cane sugar on top, then finish with two containers of Cool Whip.

Above all, remember to be thankful! Cherish all you have in life and say so aloud. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on our blessings. I know I can be a little prickly sometimes. But it’s only because I run into so many assholes.