Chef/restaurateur Gordon Ramsay is not the kind of guy you sit on the fence about. You don't "kind of" like him. You don't just think he is all right. He is a larger than life kind of character who seems to thrive on controversy, activity and empire building. He accomplishes more and achieves more than any other two or three people.
He is a brilliant chef. That much is not in doubt. His empire includes over 5o restaurants, a string of reality TV shows, and cooks books. He has mentored a string of young chefs, including his daughter Matilda who can be seen dishing up dishes on her own cooking show.
Ramsay is loud, rude, prone to four-letter words and is fond of throwing things. You know when he's walked into the room. Like all of us, he is a product of his upbringing and background. Here are 15 facts about the REAL Gordon Ramsay and what makes him tick. He is truly a one-off.
15 His Father Was A Violent Alcoholic
Gordon Ramsey grew up in idyllic Stratford-upon-Avon. But his childhood was anything but idyllic. His father was a "hard-drinking womanizer" and his childhood was scarred by abuse and neglect and an itinerant existence as his father never found his place in the world. But Gordon found an escape in his love for soccer.
14 Taking His Brother To Buy Drugs
In the past, Ronnie, Gordon's brother, has been imprisoned in Indonesia for drug offenses. And in a TV documentary, Gordon tells the sad tale of taking Ronnie to get a drug fix so he could face their dad's funeral. He opened up, saying that Ronnie's ongoing problems had been difficult for the family to take. He used the word "grim" over and over.
13 Failed At Soccer, Stumbling Into Food And That TV Break
Gordon had a brief try at playing soccer, but injury got the better of him. And he says he has no idea why, but somehow he ended up studying hotel management, then catering. He found, to put it mildly, he had a talent for it. He called entering catering college a complete accident but in light of what his life has turned out to be, the best thing that every happened to him. His first TV break was Boiling Point in 1998.
12 A Great Job. Pity About The Affair With The Boss' Wife
There's a pattern here. Ramsay has called his father a womanizer. And some have used that term for the chef. He was 19-years-old and in his first job and his boss's gorgeous 33-year-old wife made a play for him. Of course, he has admitted, he went for it. Who wouldn't? But it was bye-bye job. But, hey, he learned a lot! And not just about cooking.
11 A Step Up: London
No matter what you think of Gordon Ramsay as a person, he is a brilliant chef. Early on, he came to the attention of none other than Marco Pierre White and ended up in London, before studying with the likes of Albert Roux (La Gavroche) and the legendary Pierre Koffman. These guys are Michelin star icons. Ramsay was a protegee to die for.
10 No Doubt About It: The Guy Is A Genius - A Rich Genius
He opened his first restaurant Restaurant Gordon Ramsay (note the modesty) in 1998 and gained 3, count 'em 3, Michelin Stars by 2001. That's a staggering achievement. He's worth a whopping $220 million, on the back of a restaurant and TV media empire. There are over 50 restaurants in his operations. And there are 4 top-rated TV "reality" shows. The question is where does he find the time.
9 He Was Sued By His Father-In-Law's Mistress
His wife Tana's dad Chris Hutcheson had a mistress by the name of Sara Stewart. She was a director of one of Gordon's companies. When she was fired, she sued for over $1 million, claiming gender discrimination. When Gordon paid up out of court, it was a pretty sure sign that she had a pretty good case on all fronts and Gordon and Chris were willing to pay to stay out of a public courtroom. Nice one Sara.
8 Sued For A Bad, Bad, Bad Burger
It's like Kim Kardashian being sued for having a bad hair day. It's embarrassing. Anyway, a German chef by the name of Markus Barthel chowed down on a burger in a New York City restaurant owned by Ramsay. Only thing was, he cut his tongue on something sharp. He claimed it impaired his sense of taste. That's important for a chef. For some reason, the guy dropped the lawsuit and the whole thing went away. Guess chefs stick together
7 Profile Of A Narcissist
Gordon Ramsay is into Gordon Ramsay. End of story. Nobody builds the kind of business empire he has built from scratch without a streak of ruthlessness and narcissism in them. He has, by all accounts, an inflated sense of his own importance and a deep need for the adoration and attention of others. In an industry that is brutal and prone to fit pitching and yelling and screaming, he is in a class of his own. Ask anyone who works for him.
6 He Was Accused Of Faking A Reality TV Show
Martin Hyde was running a restaurant in New York City when Gordon Ramsay and his Kitchen Nightmares came calling. Martin alleges that the show staged and faked problems in his kitchen and that the program is a fraud. It was so bad, he claimed, that it ruined his career in the restaurant business. When he sued, the courts threw out his claim.
5 Family Man Or Cheater
The Daily Mail loves this kind of story. In 2008, it ran the tale of how "family man" chef Ramsay had been having a 7-year affair with Sarah Symonds that involved s*x drugs and hotel rooms and Miss Symonds hiring publicist Max Clifford. Of course, Ramsay said nothing and wife Tana was pictured standing next to her man in front of their mansion. He eventually fessed up and groveled.
4 Oh, Dear. More Cheating?
Not content with her 15 of fame, Sarah Symonds (the mistress) continued to wade in. In addition to the affair with her, she has claimed that Gordon had cheated on his wife Tana with a second woman, as well as a woman he met through his Hell's Kitchen TV show. Oh yeah, she also let drop that she was the chef's "confidante" and his "soulmate". Really, Sarah?
3 Throwing Pots And Pans And Yelling At Staff
Tash Pericic worked for Gordon Ramsay for a year. Her own words say it all: "He was a very difficult chef. He was like what you see on Kitchen Nightmares. I saw him throwing pots and pans at staff, and he'd scream at me in the middle of service... There was a night where I had the chef literally standing right in my face, screaming at me, and I had to pretend like that was fine."
2 He Was Once Threatened At Gunpoint While Filming
While filming a documentary in Costa Rica, Ramsay and his crew were soaked in gasoline and held at gunpoint because they were looking into illegal shark fin trade. Shark fin is an Asian food delicacy. The film, The Big Fish obviously ruffled some feathers. He managed to escape by diving into his car and driving off. Drinks all-around at the bar that night, we bet.
1 He's Had Work Done
He admits to having had laser treatment to decrease deep lines on his chin, joking that his children tried to insert pound coins into the deep creases. That was the final straw he said. He used the "F" word and "No" when asked if he was going to have anything else done, like those creases in his forehead. Some rumors say he already has had them done. Judge for yourself.