The global boss of the fast food empire Burger King has had to apologise after he told a group of American students that British women were unattractive and that English food was "terrible".

In unguarded comments, Burger King's chief executive, Bernardo Hees, offered a none too fond account of his younger days studying for an MBA at the University of Warwick, recalling that there were few distractions to put him off his studies. "The food is terrible and the women are not very attractive," said Hees, who quickly switched to flattery to charm his audience in Chicago. "Here in Chicago, the food is good and you are known for your good-looking women."

A Brazilian-born former railway executive, Hees took the helm of Burger King's 11,500-strong worldwide restaurant chain in September, shortly after the company had been bought for $4bn by a Brazilian private equity firm, 3G Capital. Aged 40 and with no experience in food service, he was a surprise choice to lead the chain.

Hees's remark, which was reported by the University of Chicago's student newspaper, the Chicago Maroon, has raised hackles both among female students and British chefs.

"If he views women as potential distractions in academia, I wonder how he views them in the workplace?" asked Charli Fritzner, women's campaigns officer at Warwick University's student union. "It doesn't make Burger King an attractive employer for women."

There was similar condemnation from Michelin-starred English food pioneer Marcus Wareing, a specialist in home-grown delicacies such as Dorset crab, Cornish cod and Aberdeen Angus fillet steak, who said criticism of Britain's food was rich coming from the man responsible for serving up flame-grilled Whoppers and bacon double cheeseburgers. "It's an insult to British gastronomy," said Wareing, chef patron at London's Berkeley Hotel.

Burger King said its chief executive regretted his remarks on Britain: "Mr Hees apologises if his comment has offended anyone. It... was intended as a humorous anecdote to connect with his audience."