Mario Batali's Short, Sweet Text to Former Boss

Mario Batali just needed three letters to tell ex-boss Marco Pierre White his reaction to the Brit chef’s new reality cooking competition, NBC’s The Chopping Block.

“He texted me and summed it up with one word: ‘Wow,’ Marco told OK! during a screening at NYC’s The Spotted Pig.

Batali and White have had a friendly rivalry since they worked together at the Six Bells pub in an exclusive neighborhood in London.

The same cannot be said of another famous TV chef -- Hell's Kitchen's Gordon Ramsey.

The two had a falling out years ago after Gordon stole the reservations book from his own restaurant, then blamed it on Marco -- all in an attempt to stop Marco replacing him as head chef!

Unsurprisingly, there was no message of congratulations from Gordon, Marco told us.

The last time Marco, 47, spoke to his old protége, “I said, Gordon, has someone stolen the bolts out of your neck?”