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Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay, 2006
Born
Gordon James Ramsay
EducationNorth Oxfordshire Technical College
Spouse
​
(m. 1996)​
Culinary career
Cooking styleFrench/Italian/British
Rating(s)
Current restaurant(s)
  • Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
    Boxwood Café
    Maze
    Pétrus
    Banquette
    Verre
    Gordon Ramsay au Trianon Palace, Versailles
    Gordon Ramsay at Conrad Tokyo
    Gordon Ramsay at Powerscourt
    Cerise by Gordon Ramsay
    Gordon Ramsay at The London
    La Noisette
    The Narrow
    The Devonshire
    Plane Food at Heathrow Airport T5
Previous restaurant(s)
  • Gordon Ramsay at The Connaught
    Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's
    The Savoy Grill
    Amaryllis
    Aubergine
Television show(s)
Websitehttp://www.gordonramsay.com/

Gordon James Ramsay, OBE (born 8 November 1966) is a British chef, television personality and restaurateur.[1] He has been awarded a total of 12 Michelin Stars[2] and, in 2001, became one of only three chefs in the United Kingdom to hold three Michelin stars at one time;[3] only Joël Robuchon and Alain Ducasse have been awarded more.[4]

Ramsay is known for presenting TV programmes about competitive cookery and food, such as Hell's Kitchen, The F Word and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares.

Early life

Ramsay was born in Johnstone, Scotland,[5] and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, England from the age of 5.[6] Ramsay's father was, at various times, a swimming pool manager, a welder, and a shopkeeper, and his mother and sister were nurses.[7] Ramsay has described his early life as "hopelessly itinerant", as his family moved constantly due to the aspirations and failures of his father. In 1976, they finally settled in Stratford-upon-Avon where he grew up in the Bishopton area of the town. In past public interviews, Ramsay has declined to describe his father as an alcoholic; however, his autobiography, Humble Pie,[7] describes his early life as being marked by abuse and neglect from this "hard-drinking womanizer".[7][8] At the age of 16, Ramsay moved out of the family house into a flat in Banbury.[9]

Football career

Ramsay played football and was first chosen to play under-14 football at age 12. He was chosen to play for Warwickshire. His football career was marked by a number of injuries, causing him to remark later in life, "Perhaps I was doomed when it came to football".[7] In mid-1984, Ramsay had a trial with Rangers, the club he supported as a boy. He seriously injured his knee, smashing the cartilage during training.[10] Ramsay continued to train and play on the injured knee, tearing a cruciate ligament during a squash game. He never fully recovered from the double injury.

Ramsay claimed to have played two first-team games for Rangers[11] and to have been signed by the club at the age of 15.[12] He also claims he was scouted by Rangers when playing for Oxford United in the FA Youth Cup. Ramsay played for Oxford United in two non-league matches as a trialist.[13]

Rangers revisited

In Season 4 Episode 12 of The F Word (originally aired on 29 July 2008),[14] Ramsay visited his old stomping grounds Ibrox, the home playing field of his favourite childhood team, Rangers F.C., and exclaimed, "Home, Sweet Home" and said, "My dream came true when I was spotted in the mid-80's and I joined the youth team here in Ibrox." He related that one of his fondest memories is playing alongside one of Scotland's football legends, Ally McCoist, who said about Ramsay, "I remember him well and the one thing that never ever will change is that he's a competitive so-and-so and wants to do and be the best that he can." Ramsay recalled that, "the pain of being released on the back of an injury" was only assuaged many years later, "after receiving [his] third Michelin Star", and concluded that, "without the upset at Ibrox, I would not be the chef I am today."[15]

Early cooking career

By this time, Ramsay's interest in cooking had already begun, and rather than be known as "the football player with the gammy knee",[7] at age 19, Ramsay paid more serious attention to his culinary education. After weighing his options, without enough O levels to join either the Royal Navy or the police force, Ramsay enrolled at North Oxfordshire Technical College, sponsored by the Rotarians, to study Hotel Management. He describes his decision to enter catering college as "an accident, a complete accident".[7]

In the late 1980s, he worked as a commis chef at the Wroxton House Hotel, then ran the kitchen and 60-seat dining room at the Wickham Arms, until his relationship with the owner's wife made the situation difficult.[7][clarification needed] Ramsay then moved to London, where he worked in a series of restaurants until being inspired to work for the temperamental Marco Pierre White at Harveys.[7]

After working at Harveys for two years and ten months, Ramsay, tired of "the rages and the bullying and violence", decided that the way to further advance his career was to study French cuisine. White discouraged Ramsay from taking a job in Paris, instead encouraging him to work for Albert Roux at Le Gavroche in Mayfair. (While at Le Gavroche, he met Jean-Claude Breton, now his maître d' at Royal Hospital Road.) After working at Le Gavroche for a year, Albert Roux invited Ramsay to work with him at Hotel Diva, a ski resort in the French Alps, as his number two. From there, Ramsay moved to Paris to work with Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon, both Michelin-starred chefs. He continued his training in France for three years, before giving in to the physical and mental stress of the kitchens and taking a year to work as a personal chef on the private yacht Idlewild, based in Bermuda.[7]

Head chef

Upon his return to London in 1993, Ramsay was offered the position of head chef at La Tante Claire in Chelsea. Shortly thereafter, Marco White re-entered his life, offering to set him up with a head chef position and 10% share in the Rossmore, owned by White's business partners. The restaurant was renamed Aubergine and went on to win its first Michelin star fourteen months later. In 1997, Aubergine won its second Michelin star. Despite the restaurant's success, a dispute with Ramsay's business owners and Ramsay's dream of running his own restaurant led to his leaving the partnership in 1997.[7] In 1998, Ramsay opened his own restaurant in Chelsea, Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road, with the help of his father-in-law, Chris Hutcheson. The restaurant gained its third Michelin star in 2001, making Ramsay the first Scotsman to achieve that feat.[16]

From his first restaurant, Ramsay's empire has expanded rapidly, first opening Petrus, where six bankers famously spent over £44,000 on wine during a single meal in 2001,[17] then Amaryllis in Glasgow (which he was later forced to close) and later Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's. Restaurants at the Dubai Creek and Connaught Hotels followed, the latter branded with his protégée, Angela Hartnett's, name. Ramsay has now begun opening restaurants outside the UK, beginning with Verre in Dubai. Gordon Ramsay at Conrad Tokyo and Cerise by Gordon Ramsay both opened in Tokyo in 2005, and in November, 2006, Gordon Ramsay at the London opened in New York City,[18] winning top newcomer in the city’s coveted Zagat guide, despite mixed reviews from professional critics.[19]

In 2007, Ramsay opened his first Irish restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at Powerscourt, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Powerscourt, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.[20] In May 2008 Ramsay opened his first U.S. west coast restaurant, in Los Angeles, California. Situated in the former Bel-Age hotel on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, the hotel has been renovated and re-named The London West Hollywood. The restaurant is called Boxwood. Many episodes of Ramsay's U.S. series Hell's Kitchen are recorded in southern California, which has generated increased media attention for Ramsay.[citation needed] In 2010, Ramsay is expected to preside over the Savoy Grill at the newly re-opened Savoy Hotel.[21]

Awards

Ramsay is one of only three chefs in the UK to maintain three Michelin Stars for his restaurant (the others being Heston Blumenthal and Alain Roux). He was appointed OBE in the 2006 honours list "for services to the hospitality industry".

In July 2006, Ramsay won the Catey award for "Independent Restaurateur of the Year", becoming only the third person to have won three Catey awards, the biggest awards of the UK hospitality industry. Ramsay's two previous Catey awards were in 1995 (Newcomer of the Year) and 2000 (Chef of the Year). The other two triple-winners are Michel Roux and Andrew and Jacquie Pern.

In September 2006, he was named as the most influential person in the UK hospitality industry in the annual Caterersearch 100 list, published by Caterer and Hotelkeeper magazine. He overtook Jamie Oliver, who had been top of the list in 2005.[22]

Also in 2006, Ramsay was nominated as a candidate for Rector at the University of St Andrews, but was beaten at the polls by Simon Pepper.[23] Despite a publicity campaign, Ramsay never visited St Andrews and did not appear in press interviews.

Ramsay's flagship restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, was voted London's top restaurant in food bible Harden's for eight years, but in 2008 was placed below Petrus, a restaurant run by former protégé Marcus Wareing.[24]

Gordon Ramsay Holdings

All of Ramsay's business interests (restaurants, media, consultancy) are held in the company Gordon Ramsay Holdings Limited. Run in partnership with his father-in-law Chris Hutcheson, Ramsay owns a 69% stake valued at £67m.[25]

Whereas previous ventures acted as a combined consultant/brand, in November 2006 Ramsay announced plans to create three restaurants in the United States in partnership with private equity group Blackstone Group, who are refurbishing each of the chosen hotels into five star locations at a cost of £100M per hotel. At an investment of £3m per restaurant for the 10-year lease, all the restaurants will offer the chef’s trademark modern European cuisine, and opened in 2006/2007 at:

In late 2006 Gordon Ramsay Holdings purchased three London pubs which he converted into gastropubs. These are: The Narrow in Limehouse, which opened in March 2007, the Devonshire in Chiswick, which opened in October of that year and The Warrington in Maida Vale, which opened in February 2008.

Ramsay acts as a consultant to numerous catering organizations, and was recruited by Singapore Airlines as one of its "International Culinary Panel" consultants.[26]

In May 2008 it was confirmed that Ramsay's protégé of 15 years, Marcus Wareing was going solo having opened and operated Pétrus at The Berkeley Hotel on behalf of Gordon Ramsay Holdings since 2003.[27] With the name Pétrus owned by Gordon Ramsay Holdings, industry sources suggested it was likely to transfer to another restaurant in the group with the former La Noisette site identified as the most likely.[28]

As of June 2009, Gordon Ramsay Holdings is reported to be in severe financial difficulty after a financial audit by accounting firm KPMG.[29]

In April 2010, Jason Atherton, Executive chef of Maze restaurants worldwide resigned to open his own venue in Mayfair. [30]

Television

Ramsay's first foray in television was in two fly-on-the-kitchen-wall documentaries: Boiling Point (1998) and Beyond Boiling Point (2000).

Ramsay appeared on series three of Faking It in 2001 helping the prospective chef, a burger flipper named Ed Devlin, learn the trade. This episode won the 2001 BAFTA for "Best Factual TV Moment".[31][32]

In 2004, Ramsay appeared in two British television series. Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares aired on Channel 4, and saw the chef troubleshooting failing restaurants over a one week period. This series ran its fifth season in 2007. Hell's Kitchen was a reality show, which aired on ITV1, and saw Ramsay attempt to train ten British celebrities to be chefs, as they ran a restaurant on Brick Lane which opened to the public for the two-week duration of the show.

In May 2005, the FOX network introduced Ramsay to American audiences in a U.S. version of Hell's Kitchen produced by Granada Entertainment and A. Smith & Co. The show follows a similar premise as the original British series, showcasing Ramsay's perfectionism and infamous short temper. The show proved to be popular enough with audiences in the United States that, in August 2005, shortly following the Season 1 finale, Hell's Kitchen was picked up for a second season. The show is currently in its seventh season. In addition, Ramsay had also hosted a US version of Kitchen Nightmares which premiered on FOX 19 September 2007. The show's second season aired from September, 2008 to January, 2009; in September, 2008, Fox announced that Kitchen Nightmares would return for a third season.

Ramsay at BBC Gardeners' World Live 2008

His most recent series is a food-based magazine programme titled The F-Word; it launched on Channel 4 on 27 October 2005. The show is organised around several key, recurring features, notably a brigade competition, a guest cook competition, a food related investigative report and a series-long project of raising animals to be served in the finale. The guest cook (usually a celebrity) prepares a dish of their own choosing and places it in competition against a similar dish submitted by Ramsay. The dishes are judged by diners who are unaware of who cooked which dish and, if the guest wins (as they have on numerous occasions), their dish is served at Ramsay's restaurant. Each series also features a series-long project of raising animals to be used as the main course in the series finale. In the first series of The F-Word, Ramsay mockingly named the turkeys he raised: Antony, Ainsley, Jamie, Delia, Gary and Nigella – all in reference to other famous celebrity chefs. During the second series, Ramsay named the two pigs that he was raising after Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine[33] who found the naming highly amusing.[34] In July 2006, Channel 4 announced that it had re-signed Ramsay to an exclusive four-year deal at the network, running until July 2011.[35] During the third series, Ramsay reared lambs that had been selected from a farm in North Wales and he named them after two Welsh celebrities, Charlotte Church and Gavin Henson. The series became one of the highest rated shows aired on Channel 4 each week.[36]

During one episode of The F-Word, Ramsay cooked in Doncaster Prison in Marshgate for its inmates. The chef was so impressed by the speed at which a prisoner, Kieron Tarff, chopped vegetables that he offered him a job at his restaurant following his release in 2007.[37]

On 25 March 2008, according to Australian newspaper The Herald Sun, Ramsay was announced to have started a reality TV show about building a restaurant in Crown Casino Melbourne, Australia.[38]

In September 2009, it was reported that Ramsay is set to star in his own animation series, Gordon Ramsay, at Your Service after reaching a deal with Cuppa Coffee Studios.[39]

In 2010, the U.S version of MasterChef entitled MasterChef USA will see Gordon Ramsay as producer and a judge.[40]

Guest appearances

In September 2005, Ramsay, along with Jamie Oliver, Heston Blumenthal, Wolfgang Puck and Sanjeev Kapoor, were featured in CNN International's Quest, in which Richard Quest stepped into the shoes of celebrity chefs.[41]

In 2006, Ramsay took part in a television series for ITV1, following the lead-up to Soccer Aid, a celebrity charity football match, in which he played only the first half, nursing an injury picked up in training. Ramsay captained the Rest of the World XI against an England XI captained by Robbie Williams. However, his involvement was limited after he received a four-inch cut in his calf.

During his second Top Gear appearance, he stated that his current cars are a Ferrari F430 and a Range Rover Sport Supercharged, the latter replacing the Bentley Continental GT he owned before. On 14 May 2006, he appeared on Top Gear in the "Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car" segment. Ramsay held the top spot on Top Gear's celebrity leader board, with a lap time of 1.46.38 until overtaken by Simon Cowell.[42]

Ramsay starred in part of a National Blood Service "Give Blood" television advertisement, in which he said that he would have died from a ruptured spleen[43] had it not have been for another person's blood donation. On 13 October 2006, he was guest host on the first episode of Have I Got News for You's 32nd series. On 27 December 2007 Ramsay appeared in the Extras Christmas special.

In January 2008, Ramsay also guest featured on Channel 4's Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack as the Big Brother housemates took part in his Cookalong Live television show. Gordon spoke directly to the Big Brother House via the house plasma screens, regularly checking on the progress of the contestants.

In June 2006, Ramsay won a High Court case against the London Evening Standard newspaper, in which Victor Lewis Smith had alleged, after reports from previous owner Sue Ray, that scenes and the general condition of Bonaparte's had been faked for Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. Ramsay was awarded £75,000 plus costs.[44] Ramsay said at the time: "I won't let people write anything they want to about me. We have never done anything in a cynical fake way".

In June 2007, Ramsay's show was again sued, alleging fakery, this time by the terminated general manager (Martin Hyde) of the New York restaurant Purnima (Dillon's). Hyde had quit his position at the restaurant during the show, when Ramsay suggested that the owner hire top Indian Chef Vikas Khanna as the Consultant Chef for Purnima. The lawsuit alleged that "unknown to the viewing audience, some or all of Kitchen Nightmares are fake and the so-called 'problems uncovered and solved' by Ramsay are, for the most part, created by Ramsay and his staff for the purpose of making it appear that Ramsay is improving the restaurant".[45] However, in August 2007, the case was dismissed voluntarily and ordered into arbitration as stipulated in their contract.[46]

Public image and reception

Personality

Ramsay's reputation is built upon his goal of culinary perfection.[47] Since the airing of Boiling Point which followed Ramsay's quest of earning three Michelin stars, the chef has also become infamous for his fiery temperament and use of expletives.[47] Ramsay once famously ejected food critic A. A. Gill along with his dining companion, Joan Collins, from his restaurant, leading Gill to state that "Ramsay is a wonderful chef, just a really second-rate human being".[16] Ramsay admitted in his autobiography that he did not mind if Gill insulted his food, but a personal insult he was not going to stand for. Ramsay has also had confrontations with his kitchen staff, including one incident that resulted in the pastry chef calling the police.[48] Despite his fevered actions, Ramsay has a loyal staff and claims an 85% retention rate since 1993.[49]

Ramsay attributes his pugnacious management style to the influence of previous mentors, notably chefs Marco Pierre White and Guy Savoy, father-in-law and business partner Chris Hutcheson, and Jock Wallace, his manager while a footballer at Rangers.[50]

Ramsay's ferocious temper has contributed to his media appeal in both the United Kingdom and the United States, where his programmes are currently produced.[51][52] His fierce personality ensured that he was voted television's most terrifying celebrity in a Radio Times poll consisting of 3,000 people.[53] MSN Careers featured an article about television's worst bosses, which listed Ramsay as the only non-fictional boss. They cited his frequent loss of his temper and his harsh critiques, notably when he picks on something other than one's cooking abilities, such as calling someone a "chunky monkey."[54]

Although Ramsay often mocks the French, one of his most trusted maître d's, Jean-Claude Breton (Royal Hospital Road) is French.[55][56]

Having once claimed that women couldn't "cook to save their lives", in November 2007 Ramsay installed 29 year-old Clare Smyth as head chef at his three-Michelin-starred flagship restaurant on London’s Royal Hospital Road.[57] Smyth is the second high profile appointment of a female chef by Ramsay, after Angela Hartnett.

Ramsay has been criticized for his frequent use of profanity on his programmes, first by British celebrity cook Delia Smith,[58] then, in relation to Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, by a member of the Federal Parliament of Australia.[59] In his autobiography, Ramsay himself said he was unaware of the extent of his swearing until he watched an episode of Boiling Point. While he stated he did not have a problem with it, "Mum was appalled".

On 5 June 2009, Ramsay started trading national TV insults with Australia's Nine Network, A Current Affair journalist Tracy Grimshaw. The day after his interview, he was a guest feature at the Melbourne Food and Wine festival. While doing his display, he added some comments revolving around Tracy. He described Tracy as a 'Pig', and questioned her sexuality, calling her a 'lesbian'. It is claimed that Ramsay questioned Grimshaw's sexuality and her looks saying a picture of a nude woman with multiple breasts on all fours with a pig's face resembled Grimshaw. Grimshaw hit back at Ramsay, calling him an "arrogant narcissist bully" and implied Ramsay is a husband who mistreats his wife.[60][61] Ramsay eventually apologized, stating that it "was a joke".[62][63]

Ramsay has also drawn the ire of vegetarians. In 2005, he served ham to an unknowing vegetarian. He has also told the BBC that he has "lied" to vegetarian diners to conceal the presence of chicken stock in his soup.[64]

Food views

On the second series of The F Word, Ramsay showed a softened stance after learning about intensive pig farming practices including castration and tail docking. On the programme, Ramsay commented, "It's enough to make anyone turn fucking vegetarian, for God's sake. And I've always sort of knocked vegetarians and vegans for missing out on the most amazing flavour you can get from meat. But you can see why so many people change instantly."[65]

Some controversy arose in the third series of The F Word when journalist Janet Street-Porter, who thought horse meat should be eaten more widely in Britain, attempted to serve horse steaks and quiche at Cheltenham Racecourse during Gold Cup Week. The police prevented her from doing this, and deemed the stunt "highly provocative". She, subsequently, served the meat from a private property; most of the consumers shown in the programme approved. The conclusion of both Street-Porter and Ramsay was that horse meat merited a more prominent place in Britain's national diet. In the wake of the stunt, representatives of animal rights group PETA protested by dumping a tonne of horse manure outside Ramsay's restaurant at Claridge's in central London.[66]

Other chefs

Ramsay has been highly critical of Food Network and Iron Chef America star Mario Batali and has caused a feud that has led Batali to ban Ramsay from his restaurants. The feud goes back to when Batali was highly critical of Ramsay's cooking style for being "dull and outdated".[67]

Personal life

Ramsay married Cayetana Elizabeth Hutcheson (known as Tana), a Montessori-trained schoolteacher, in 1996. The couple have four children: Megan Jane (b. 1998), twins Jack Scott and Holly Anna (b. 2000), and Matilda Elizabeth (b. 2002). Ramsay's father-in-law, Chris Hutcheson, is responsible for the business operations of Ramsay's restaurant empire.[68][69]

In 1994 Ramsay accepted a police caution for gross indecency involving him and two other men, both chefs, in the lavatory of a London Underground station. It was stressed to be only "hi jinks" by Ramsay and not sexual.[70] Ramsay stated that the three, who were discovered in the early morning hours, were celebrating and drinking the night before. In regards to the caution, Ramsay stated that one of his friends was urinating in a sink, another friend was walking around with his trousers by his ankles, and that he himself was urinating in a urinal with his head against the wall, when the station supervisor discovered them.[70]

On 15 November 2002, Ramsay was breathalysed, arrested, and charged with driving under the influence of excess alcohol in London. While he remained charged, he was informed by police that the case would be discontinued.[71]

In 2007, Ramsay admitted arranging for a biker to steal the reservations book from the Aubergine restaurant in 1998 and blaming the theft on Marco Pierre White, because he suspected Aubergine's owners were planning to offer his job to Pierre White.[72]

Ramsay is of above average height, standing at 6 feet 2.5 inches (189.2 cm).[73] On his show Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, Ramsay has stated that he is afraid of dancing, especially in front of people. On a later episode, at La Gondola, he decided to "confront his demons" and is seen dancing. Ramsay also demonstrates the moonwalk dance in the episode of Kitchen Nightmares spotlighting Mama Cherri's Soul Food Shack. He also learns to salsa dance on an episode of the F-Word. Ramsay is left-handed.

Charity work

Ramsay has been involved in a series of charitable events and organisations. He fulfilled his aim of finishing 10 marathons in ten years by running his 10th consecutive London Marathon on 26 April 2009, sponsoring the Scottish Spina Bifida Association.[74] In 2004, he and his wife, Tana, raised £14,000 for Tommy's.[citation needed] Ramsay commented: "I'm proud to have run the Marathon for Tommy's, the baby charity - their cause is one very close to my heart, especially as my own twins were born three weeks prematurely in 1999".[citation needed]

During March 2005 Ramsay teamed up with Indian chef Madhur Jaffrey to help the VSO, an international development charity group to support its Spice Up Your Life event. The charity hoped to raise £100,000 for VSO’s work in HIV and AIDS in India.[75] The Ramsays were the first couple to become ambassadors for the women's charity Women's Aid in 2005. The couple ran the Flora Families marathon [76] to support Women's Aid.[77]

Gordon Ramsay has been Honorary Patron of the Scottish Spina Bifida Association since 2004, and in 2005 he launched The Gordon Ramsay "Buy a Brick" appeal to help the Scottish Spina Bifida Association raise funds to build a new Family Support Centre and Head Office in Glasgow. In 2006 he launched a new Appeal to help the charity raise the funds required to continue to run the support centre "What's your favourite F Word, Gordon's is Fundraising" In November 2007 Ramsay hosted a St Andrew's Day Gala Dinner at Stirling Castle in aid of the Association and has now made this fundraising Gala Dinner an annual event. Since 2007 the event has raised over £400k for the Association and the 2010 Gala Dinner will be at the Glasgow Science Centre in October. [78]

Near death experience

In 2008, Ramsay was in Iceland's Westman Islands filming a puffin hunting segment when he lost his footing and fell during a descent of an 85m cliff, landing in the icy water below. He has said "I thought I was a goner", reaching the surface of the water by removing his heavy boots and waterproof clothing. His film crew, who rescued Ramsay by throwing him a rope, say that he was submerged for at least 45 seconds. During the ordeal he remembers how he felt: "I was panicking and my lungs were filling with water. When I got to the top after getting my boots off I was dazed and my head was totally numb."[79] At first, Ramsay did not want to tell his wife. "I chickened out but she knew something was up. She was upset and extremely pissed off. When I was underwater, all I could think of was Tana and my kids. It wasn't until I was on the plane home I realised what a close call I'd had."[80]

Accusations of infidelity

In late November 2008, the British tabloid News of the World published a news story wherein Sarah Symonds, author of the book Having An Affair? A Handbook For The Other Woman, claimed to have been involved in a secret affair with Ramsay for a period of seven to ten years.[81][82] Symonds further notes that Ramsay had been involved with at least two other women, as well. Amidst the allegations, the family put off a holiday in Mauritius[83] and Ramsay, initially ignoring the allegations, denied them during a live BBC show cooking demonstration, Good Food Show.[84][85] An Australian woman has also made similar claims, while Ramsay denies even knowing the woman.[86][87][88][89]

Richard Harden, co-publisher of the Harden's Restaurant Guide, speaking to the Evening Standard, concurs "It must damage the package",[90] though publicist Max Clifford disagrees, noting that while the allegations might cause "a lot of aggravation" at home, it wouldn't impact his image and popularity "at all".[91]

Pre-prepared meal controversy

On 17 April 2009 it was revealed that Ramsay's restaurant, Foxtrot Oscar in Chelsea, West London, used pre-prepared food that was heated up and sold with mark-ups of up to 586%. It was also revealed that three of his gastropubs in London did the same thing.[92]

"Gordon Ramsay Holdings operate a kitchen facility in Wandsworth called GR Logistics (which was purchased from Albert Roux)..." the spokesperson said.[93]

A spokeswoman for Gordon Ramsay explained, "Gordon Ramsay chefs prepare components of dishes devised and produced to the highest Gordon Ramsay standards. These are supplied to those kitchens with limited cooking space such as Foxtrot Oscar and Gordon Ramsay's highly-acclaimed pubs, including the Narrow. These are sealed and transported daily in refrigerated vans and all menu dishes are then cooked in the individual kitchens. This is only for the supply of Foxtrot Oscar and the three pubs and allows each establishment to control the consistency and the quality of the food served."[92]

Reflecting on the controversy in 2010, Ramsay was unapologetic, stating

"When I was working at the Gavroche all those years ago, the duck terrine wasn’t made there. It was made outside, then brought to the restaurant wrapped in plastic. This is standard practice. What on earth was the fuss about?"[94]

Restaurants

These lists are of restaurants currently or formerly run or owned by Ramsay:

United Kingdom

  • Restaurant Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road (three Michelin stars), Mark Askew (executive chef), Clare Smyth (head chef)
  • Pétrus" (two Michelin stars), Marcus Wareing (executive chef) (until 2008)[95]
  • Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's , Steve Allen (head chef)
  • The Boxwood Café at the Berkeley Hotel, Stuart Gillies (executive chef)
  • La Noisette (one Michelin star) Sloane Street (closed)
  • Maze, (one Michelin star) Jason Atherton (executive chef)
  • Foxtrot Oscar
  • Maze Grill, Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square
  • Gordon Ramsay's Plane Food at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5
  • York and Albany located in Ramsay's first hotel (only 10 rooms), Regents Park, Angela Hartnett (executive chef), opened in July 2008[96]
  • Murano (one Michelin star), Mayfair, Angela Hartnett (executive chef), opened 2008[96]

International

Filmography

Notable television appearances

Bibliography

Ramsay signing a copy of Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetite at the Toronto Eaton Centre, February 2009

Since 1996, Ramsay has written 20 books. Ramsay also contributes a food-and-drink column to The Times' Saturday magazine.

  • Gordon Ramsay’s Passion For Flavour (1996)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Passion For Seafood (1999)
  • Gordon Ramsay A Chef For All Seasons (2000)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Just Desserts (2001)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Secrets (2003)
  • Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Heaven (2004)
  • Gordon Ramsay Makes It Easy (2005)
  • Gordon Ramsay Easy All Year Round (2006)
  • Gordon Ramsay's Sunday Lunch and other recipes from the F word (2006)
  • Humble Pie (2006) (Autobiography)
  • Roasting in Hell's Kitchen (2006) (US title for Humble Pie)
  • Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food Recipes from the F Word (2007)
  • Playing With Fire (2007) (Follow up to Autobiography)
  • Recipes From a 3 Star Chef (2007)
  • Gordon Ramsay's Three Star Chef (2008)
  • Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food (2008)
  • Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetite (2008)
  • Cooking for Friends: Food from My Table (2008)
  • Gordon Ramsay's On Top of The World (2009)
  • Gordon Ramsay's World Kitchen: Recipes from "The F Word" (2009)
Master Chefs Series
  • Pasta Sauces (1996)
  • Fish And Shellfish (1997)
Cook Cards
  • Hot Dinners (2006)
  • Cool Sweets (2006)

References

  1. ^ Gordon Ramsay - The man - Biography
  2. ^ "Gordon Ramsay wins Michelin stars for first restaurant in France". The Times. London. 2 March 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  3. ^ "Gordon Ramsay Official Biography".
  4. ^ "Michelin stars crown Sarkozy haunt, British chef Ramsay - Gordon Ramsay - Zimbio". Zimbio.com. Retrieved 2009-12-16.
  5. ^ http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/scotgaz/people/famousfirst1048.html
  6. ^ Gordon Ramsay - The man - Biography retrieved 25 December 2009
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Ramsay, Gordon (2006). Humble Pie. UK: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-00-722967-4.
  8. ^ Barber, Lynn (13 May 2001). ""Mad for it"". Guardian Unlimited. London. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
  9. ^ "Chef from a humble background", The Oxford Times, 9 November 2006
  10. ^ Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares episode "Bonapartes"
  11. ^ "My Team: Gordon Ramsay on Rangers". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  12. ^ http://www.gordonramsay.com/corporate/theman/timeline/
  13. ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1158283/How-Gordon-Ramsay-lied-football-career-raise-celebrity-profile.html
  14. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1264396/
  15. ^ http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/159/f-word-season-4-episode-12.jsp
  16. ^ a b ""Gordon Ramsay: Chef terrible"". BBC News World Edition. 20 July 2001. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
  17. ^ ""Bankers 'sacked' over £44,000 meal"". BBC News Online. 25 February 2002. Retrieved 30 June 2007.
  18. ^ a b ""Ramsay: I will devour my New York rivals"". Times Online. London. 5 November 2006. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
  19. ^ "Gordon Ramsay's New York restaurant named top newcomer". Caterersearch.com. 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2007-11-28.
  20. ^ ""Gordon Ramsay Other Restaurants - Dublin"". GordonRamsay.com. Retrieved 16 November 2007.
  21. ^ Curtis, Nick and Jonathan Prynn. "Will The Savoy ever regain its long lost glamour?" The London Evening Standard, 5 February 2010
  22. ^ ""Gordon Ramsay is the most powerful figure in British hospitality"". Caterersearch.com. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
  23. ^ ""New university rector is welcomed"". BBC News. 10 March 2006. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
  24. ^ "Gordon Ramsay dispute sparks foodie bun-fight". www.meeja.com.au. 2008-09-12. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  25. ^ ""Rosie Millard meets Gordon Ramsay"". Times Online. London. 30 September 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2008.
  26. ^ ""International Culinary Panel — Singapore Airlines"". Singapore Airlines Official Website. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
  27. ^ "Marcus Wareing leaves Ramsay to work directly with Berkeley Hotel". Amanda Afiya. Caterersearch.com. 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
  28. ^ "Ramsay to transfer Pétrus name following split with Wareing". Amanda Afiya. Caterersearch.com. 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
  29. ^ Ramsay's kitchen nightmare: Gordon admits his ego nearly destroyed his restaurant empire http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1189843/Ramsays-kitchen-nightmare-Gordon-admits-ego-nearly-destroyed-restaurant-empire.html
  30. ^ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-04-01/gordon-ramsay-chef-jason-atherton-quitting-maze-to-open-his-own-restaurant.html
  31. ^ http://www.tv.com/faking-it/burger-flipper-to-chef/episode/205024/summary.html
  32. ^ http://www.classictvhits.com/show.php?id=586
  33. ^ "The Kumars at No 42 returns to BBC One". BBC Press Office. Retrieved on 14 February 2007.
  34. ^ "Laid Bare". The Daily Mirror. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  35. ^ ""Channel 4 re-signs Gordon Ramsay in exclusive 4 year deal"". channel4sales.com. Retrieved 6 February 2007.
  36. ^ "[Weekly Viewing Summary (scroll to w.e 13/05/07 - 08/07/07)]". BARB. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  37. ^ ""Tasty offer from TV chef to convict"". WACS2000. Retrieved 3 January 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |= ignored (help)
  38. ^ "Gordon Ramsay heading down under". The Sunday Telegraph. 25 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  39. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (25 September 2009). "Ramsay cooks up animated series". Variety.com.
  40. ^ "Masterchef USA Teaser". TV Tonight.com. June 21 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  41. ^ ""Taking on the super-chefs"". CNN International. Retrieved 12 February 2007.
  42. ^ ""Top Gear Celebrity Laps"". Top Gear Official Website. Retrieved 17 November 2006.
  43. ^ ""Football got me out of house"". The Sun Online. Retrieved 22 June 2007.
  44. ^ ""Chef Ramsay wins £75,000 damages"". BBC News. 20 June 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2006.
  45. ^ Pilkington, Ed (20 June 2007). ""Ramsay accused of dirty tricks on US TV show"". Guardian Unlimited. London. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
  46. ^ ""TV Chef Out of Frying Pan"". New York Post. 2007-08-10. Retrieved 2007-08-14.
  47. ^ a b ""Ramsay swears by good service"". Times Online. London. 10 August 2005. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
  48. ^ ""Ramsay in hot water after scuffle on the set of US show"". NEWS.Scotsman.com. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
  49. ^ ""Gordon Ramsay Interview"". femalefirst.co.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
  50. ^ ""Ask me to kill a turkey or rip a pigeon's guts out and I'm fine"". Sunday Herald. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  51. ^ ""Gordon Ramsay"". About - Gourmet Food. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
  52. ^ Ruhlman, Michael (2006-09-06). ""Gordon Ramsay Takes Manhattan, Tiptoeing, He Says"". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
  53. ^ "Ramsay is scariest TV celebrity". The Daily Mail. Retrieved on 27 August 2007.
  54. ^ Mary Lorenz. "TV's Worst Bosses". MSN. Retrieved 2007-09-04.
  55. ^ Jean-Baptiste Requien at The London Bar - GordonRamsay.com
  56. ^ NY Post Interview with Jean-Baptiste Requien
  57. ^ ""Gordon Ramsay unveils new female head chef at Royal Hospital Road"". Caterersearch.com. 2007-11-28. Retrieved 2007-11-28.
  58. ^ ""Delia Smith slams Gordon Ramsay"". Marie Claire. 2008-03-04. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  59. ^ ""Parliament's scrutiny of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares' swearing"". Herald Sun. 2008-03-20. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
  60. ^ Yahoo 7, Ramsay: I didn't call Tracy a lesbian
  61. ^ Tracy Grimshaw calls Gordon Ramsay an arrogant narcissist NEWS.com.au. 8 June 2009
  62. ^ "Petulant 'teen' Ramsay eats humble pie". Brisbane Times. 2008-06-11. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
  63. ^ "Ramsay sorry over Grimshaw insult". BBC News. 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
  64. ^ Nikkhah, Roya (12:01AM BST 15 May 2005). "Ramsay's pizza joke outrages vegetarians". London: Telegraph. Retrieved 2009-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  65. ^ The F-Word, Series 2, Episode 6 2006.07.26
  66. ^ "The night Janet Street-Porter ate horse meat". Daily Mail. Retrieved on 16 May 2007.
  67. ^ http://www.nypost.com/seven/01272009/gossip/pagesix/mario_to_gordon__stay_away__152167.htm
  68. ^ ""Scott Descendant Chart"". Scott Family Web. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
  69. ^ Cooke, Rachel (8 June 2003). ""How does our Gordon grow? "". Guardian Unlimited - The Observer. London. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
  70. ^ a b ""Ramsay feels the heat of indecency charge"". Daily Mail. Retrieved 21 January 2009.
  71. ^ ""Ramsay charged with drink-driving"". Scotsman.com - News. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
  72. ^ ""Ramsay cooked up theft"". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2 April 2007.
  73. ^ "The Bunton brigade". The F Word. Episode 11. 2008-07-22. 31 minutes in. Channel 4. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |seriesno= ignored (|series-number= suggested) (help)
  74. ^ "London Marathon 2009: Gordon Ramsay and Katie Price to battle professionals in capital street race". thelondonpapaer. 24 April 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
  75. ^ Spice Up Your Life in 2005 - Media Releases
  76. ^ Family Marathon
  77. ^ Women's Aid - Press - Celebrity Spokespeople
  78. ^ Scottish Bifina Bifida Association official website
  79. ^ I thought I would die: Gordon Ramsay
  80. ^ Ramsay: I feared I was a goner | The Sun |Showbiz|TV
  81. ^ Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay revealed to mistress Sarah Symonds that he had TWO other lovers.
  82. ^ Pop Tarts: Kim Kardashian's Days of Stripping Off Are Over
  83. ^ 'Cheating' Gordon Ramsay cashes in on family man image with ad featuring wife Tana and his four children
  84. ^ High 'infidelity': Gordon Ramsay sex scandal latest
  85. ^ Gordon Ramsay Denies Affair Feature Story
  86. ^ Exposed: Sydney's Miss X who claims Ramsay affair
  87. ^ Ramsay Hit by New Affair Claims
  88. ^ Now ANOTHER blonde claims she had an affair with chef Gordon Ramsay
  89. ^ Gordon Ramsay Denies Affair
  90. ^ Ramsay's wife braves storm over his 'secret affair'
  91. ^ Gordon Ramsay affair claim 'could damage business empire'
  92. ^ a b http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Ramsay39s-new-Fword-frozen-ready.5182757.jp
  93. ^ http://www.tv.com/gordon-ramsay-defends-prepared-food/story/14021.html
  94. ^ Cavendish, Lucy (2010-02-05). "Gordon Ramsay's escape to India — with a TV crew". London: The Times. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
  95. ^ "Gordon Ramsay & Marcus Wareing ; 'not best friends anymore' - Entertainme - Excite UK". entertainme.excite.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
  96. ^ a b "Gordon Ramsay eats his own words". The Daily Telegraph. London. 20 January 2008.
  97. ^ Josh Emett at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay at The London
  98. ^ "Gordo Thinks Inside the Boxwood". Zagat.com. 23 November 2009.

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