Of all the celebrity chefs and television personalities that feature on cooking shows, Gordon Ramsay is undoubtedly my favourite. I love his no-nonsense approach, his clear understanding of the restaurant business and his straight-talking. Although he is known for his foul mouth, he also shows his softer and more caring side in many of his shows. I find him fascinating to watch, I am addicted to anything in which he appears, and I love reading Gordon Ramsay facts.
Therefore, we thought some of The Fruity Tart’s readers may feel the same, so we compiled a list of fun facts. Here are 25 Gordon Ramsay facts that you probably didn’t know, including information about his personal life and Gordon Ramsay’s wife, his career in cooking and television, his hobbies, Gordon Ramsay’s net worth, and many other fun facts about Gordon Ramsay.
Gordon Ramsay Facts: His Early Life
Gordon Ramsay is from Scotland
Ramsay was born on November 8, 1966, in Johnstone, which is a town in Renfrewshire in Scotland. He has always been open about living in a council flat as he did not have a privileged upbringing. According to Wikipedia, his family then moved to Stratford-Upon-Avon when he was a child.
Ramsay Was a Footballer
His first career choice was not cooking, as he originally intended to become a professional football player. He was selected to play for Warwickshire, and it looked like had had a promising career in football ahead of him. He also took part in a trial for Rangers. However, he suffered a knee injury that hampered his career in sports and made him rethink his future.
Facts About Gordon Ramsay: His Family
Who Is Gordon Ramsay’s Wife?
If you watch this celebrity chef on television, then you may have wondered, who is Gordon Ramsay’s wife? Gordon Ramsay is a happily married man. He married Cayetana Elizabeth Hutchesen, better known as Tana, on December 21, 1996. When the couple met, Tana Ramsay was a Montessori-trained schoolteacher.
How Many Children Does Gordon Ramsay Have?
Gordon and Tana Ramsay have six children together and had another son who was stillborn. Their oldest daughter, Megan, was born first, followed by twins Jack and Holly, and then their youngest daughter, Matilda. Sadly, the couple had a miscarriage in 2016 in the fifth month of Tana’s pregnancy. The baby, a boy, was named Rocky. They then had another son, Oscar, via surrogate. On 11 November 2023, Gordon and Tana announced the arrival of their son Jesse James, who weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz. The family splits their time between their homes in London and Los Angeles.
Cooking is a Family Affair in the Ramsay Household
Although Gordon Ramsay is the star of the Ramsay family, everyone in the family is involved in the business in some way. The apple clearly doesn’t fall far from the tree, as his four older children have all shown an interest in the food industry. All of Ramsay’s children have appeared in his shows, as has his wife, Tana. His youngest daughter, Matilda, has her own cooking show, which also features her siblings. This is called ‘Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch’, and it airs on CBBC. Tana Ramsay has been a presenter of ‘Market Kitchen’, which is a UKTV food show.
Facts About Gordon Ramsay: His Culinary Career
Gordon Ramsay Facts: He Studied Hotel Management
After his injury, Ramsay decided to embark on a career in cooking, and he signed up for a Hotel Management course at Oxfordshire Technical College. He was sponsored by the Rotarians.
His First Head Chef Position was in Chelsea
Ramsay first became a head chef in 1993. He landed this position at the La Tante Claire in Chelsea, London. Ramsay worked at this three-Michelin-starred restaurant under chef-patron Pierre Koffmann. He had trained in France for three years prior to landing this position.
Facts About Gordon Ramsay: His Awards
8. His Restaurants Have Michelin Stars
Since he first became a professional chef and opened his own restaurants, Gordon Ramsay’s establishments have been awarded a total of 16 Michelin stars. Currently, his restaurants have a total of seven Michelin stars. Gordon Ramsay is one of only seven chefs from the UK to have a restaurant that has been awarded three Michelin stars, which is the highest accolade achievable. Another three-Michelin star chef from the UK is Heston Blumenthal. His London restaurant is the longest-standing restaurant in London to hold three Michelin stars, says Buzz Feed.
He Has Received Many Honors and Awards
Throughout his career, Gordon Ramsay has received multiple awards for his talents and achievements. Besides his Michelin stars, one of his most notable awards was being appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2006 honours list. This was in recognition of his contributions to the hospitality industry. He almost missed the ceremony when his plane was delayed. In 2013, Ramsay was inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame, which is a great honour for chefs. He has also won three Catey awards. He is only the third person ever to achieve three of these awards.
Facts About Gordon Ramsay’s UK Television Career
When Did Gordon Ramsay First Appear on Television?
Ramsay first appeared on television in the documentary series Boiling Point. The following year, he was featured in Beyond Boiling Point. His next appearance was in series three of Faking It.
Which TV Show Made Gordon Ramsay Famous?
Gordon Ramsay became well-known to television viewers in the UK in 2004 with the launch of the series Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. In the series, he helps troubled restauranteurs fix their ailing businesses. The series ran until 2007 in the UK. At the same time. Gordon began presenting Hell’s Kitchen in the UK. In the original version of the series, Ramsay trains celebrities to become chefs. Ramsay only starred in the first series of Hell’s Kitchen in the UK, despite being the show’s creator.
What Is The F Word?
Ramsay presented the series The F Word for five seasons. It is a food documentary, and its name is a play on F for food and also for the swear word repeatedly used by Ramsay.
What Other Television Series is Gordon Ramsay In?
Ramsay appeared in two series of Gordon’s Great Escapes. The first series was in India, and the second in Asia. His first series by his own production company, One Potato, Two Potato, was Ramsay’s Best Restaurant, which aired in the UK. He has appeared in three series of Gordon, Gino, and Fred with Gino D’Acampo and Fred Sirieix. Ramsay has also presented multiple cookery series, including many which are filmed in his family home.
He Has Presented a Game Show
Although he is known for his food-themed television series, Gordon Ramsay has also presented a game show called Gordon Ramsay’s Bank Balance. It is not the only time that Ramsay has veered away from food, as he has presented a documentary about the drug industry called Gordon Ramsay on Cocaine.
Does He Present Any Other Series?
Some of Gordon Ramsay’s most recent television series include:
- Next Level Chef
- Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars and Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars
- Gordon Ramsay’s Bank Balance
- and Gordon Ramsay’s Unchartered Showdown
Gordon Ramsay Facts: His TV Career in the United States
When Did Hell’s Kitchen Launch in the United States?
Hell’s Kitchen was Launched in the United States in 2005. In the first series, amateur aspiring chefs competed instead of celebrities. From the second series onward, only professional chefs took part in the show. Since 2007, Gordon Ramsay has also appeared in the US version of Kitchen Nightmares. The series inspired another Ramsay series called Hotel Hell, which focuses on hotels instead of restaurants. The chef has also starred in Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back since 2018.
Does Ramsay Present MasterChef?
Yes, Gordon Ramsay presents the US version of MasterChef. He originally presented and judged the series alongside Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot. However, later presenters and judges have included Aaron Sanchez and Christina Tozi. Ramsay also presents and judges MasterChef Junior in the United States.
What About Guest and International Appearances
Gordon Ramsay has made multiple guest appearances in series across the globe. He has been a guest judge on several occasions on MasterChef Australia alongside the regular judges, including Matt Preston, George Calombaris, Gary Mehigan, Andy Allen, Jock Zonfrillo, and Melissa Leung. He was also a featured chef on Quest. Other featured chefs who appeared in the series were Wolfgang Puck, Heston Blumenthal, and Jamie Oliver.
He Has Provided Voices for Animations
Gordon Ramsay has provided voices for animations, including characters in episodes of Mickey Mouse Mixed Up Adventures and Big Hero 6: The series.
Gordon Ramsay Controversies
Ramsay Threw Joan Collins Out of One of His Restaurants
Noted culinary critic A.A. Gill was dining in Gordon Ramsay’s flagship restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. The critic had brought along actress Joan Collins as his dinner date. Gordon Ramsay was not happy that Gill had previously criticized his food. So, he ejected Gill and Joan Collins from his restaurant.
He Was in a Feud with Chef Mario Batali
Fans of Gordon Ramsay will know that he is not afraid of confrontation or speaking his mind. One person who he has feuded with is chef Mario Batali. It was reported in the New York Post that the feud began in 2009 when Batali described Ramsay’s food as outdated and dull. Ramsay retaliated by calling Batali ‘Fanta Pants’ because he wears orange trousers. Batali then refused to have Ramsay in his restaurants.
He Was at the Centre of a Pre-Prepared Food Controversy
Those who have seen Gordon Ramsay on one of his many television programs will know that he promotes using fresh ingredients. He expresses horror when restaurant owners buy pre-prepared ingredients. He especially hates to see frozen food. Therefore, it was a surprise when information was revealed that put Gordon Ramsay at the centre of a pre-prepared food scandal. It was alleged that food served in Ramsay’s Foxtrot Oscar restaurant in London was serving pre-prepared food and marking the prices up by as much as 58 per cent.
The Celebrity Chef’s Food Likes and Dislikes
Gordon Ramsay Facts: Gordon Ramsay Loves Baked Beans
Although he is a famous, talented, and award-winning chef, Gordon Ramsay likes simple comfort foods just like everybody else. According to Mental Floss, Gordon Ramsay’s favourite snack is baked beans. However, he adds a few of his own chef touches to this simple ingredient. To the baked beans, he adds tobacco sauce, hot sauce, chilli flakes, and garlic. He puts this on a piece of grilled sourdough bread with a duck egg and some Parmesan cheese.
Ramsay is Not a Fan of Edible Foams
During an interview, Ramsay was once asked which was the worst food trend. He said that he has never understood the trend for adding foams to food. Nor can he understand why the trend has lasted for so long. He says that it is pointless as the foam collapses in seconds, so it is just a liquid by the time the plate reaches the table.
His Favourite Restaurant Dish is Beef Wellington
What Gordon Ramsay orders in a restaurant will on what is available on the menu. However, if there is a beef wellington on the menu, then this is his go-to dish. He has said that he chooses this dish because it is something he ate when he was growing up.
He Won’t Eat Frozen Meals
If you have ever seen Gordon Ramsay on Master Chef or Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, then you will have seen him sampling all sorts of food. He is pretty open to trying anything, However, the one thing that he will not eat is frozen food. When he visits restaurants for his television shows, he is always horrified if they are serving frozen food. He never cooks frozen food himself at home. Ramsay says that this is because it is so easy to make a meal using fresh ingredients.
Gordon Ramsay Facts: His Life Outside Work
Gordon Ramsay Facts: He Likes to Keep Fit
Although he has a very busy working schedule and family responsibilities, Gordon Ramsay finds time for hobbies. He likes to keep fit and participates in marathons, triathlons, and the Iron Man competition. Ramsay also has a black belt in karate.
Gordon Ramsay Facts: He Has Had Cosmetic Surgery
Ramsay has openly admitted that he has had cosmetic surgery done. Although he was never worried about his looks, he started to get paranoid after his children kept asking about the scars, wrinkles, and blemishes on his face. Ramsay’s looks were often covered negatively in the media, with comments saying that he looked like a deflated rugby ball. He decided to go under the knife to get rid of his blemishes. However, in an interview with The Guardian, he said he has no intention of getting further cosmetic surgery. His surgeon said he has no intention of going anywhere near Ramsay’s famous wrinkled forehead.
Gordon Ramsay Facts: Hilary Clinton is His Perfect Dinner Guest
Apparently, Gordon Ramsay does not go to dinner parties if he can avoid it. This is because he finds it difficult to be diplomatic and doesn’t usually enjoy the food he eats at other people’s dinner parties. However, he doesn’t mind cooking for dinner parties. If he could cook for only one celebrity, he would choose Hilary Clinton. He thinks she is a classy lady who would enjoy fine dining. Ramsay says he would serve her a short rib of beef braised in red wine.
More About His Life Outside Work
Gordon Ramsay Facts: He Supports Many Charities
Gordon Ramsay supports multiple charities. One of the main causes he supports is the Scottish Spina Bifida Association, of which he has been a patron since 2004. He has run the London Marathon ten times to raise money for this charity. Ramsay has also supported the work of UNICEF and charities supporting HIV and AIDs work in India.
He Doesn’t Watch His Own Shows
While some celebrities love to see themselves on the screen, Gordon Ramsay is not a fan of watching himself. Therefore, he never watches his own television shows, says Factinate. One reason for this is that he doesn’t want to start analyzing himself too much. He would rather just accept what gets shown on television without assessing the situation too much.
Other Facts About Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay’s Net Worth is $770Million
One of the Gordon Ramsay facts that his fans want to know is, ‘What is Gordon Ramsay’s net worth?’ According to Celebrity Net Worth, Gordon Ramsay’s net worth is $770 million. He has made this money through his restaurants, his books, and his television appearances. Ramsay is one of the richest and most successful and richest celebrity chefs in the world. He is the richest British chef, ahead of Jamie Oliver.
Ramsay Once Fell Off a Cliff
Fans of Ramsay will be horrified to hear that the chef could potentially have lost his life. Back in 2008, he was filming a segment about puffin hunting in the Westland Islands in Iceland. During the filming, he accidentally fell 26 feet off a cliff. Ramsay later said that as he fell, he thought he had reached the end of his life. Thankfully, he fell straight into the icy water without hitting the rocks on the way down. He was submerged for more than 45 seconds and only made it to the surface after removing his heavy boots and having a rope thrown down to him by the film crew.
More Facts About the Celebrity Chef
He Has a Video Game
Although Gordon Ramsay is famous as a chef and television personality, he has expanded his business interests in many ways. He even has his own video game, which was released in 2008. It is called ‘Hell’s Kitchen: The Game’. It is based on Ramsay’s television competition of the same name. The game received mixed reviews from critics.
He Doesn’t Mind Showing His Bottom
For some reason, Gordon Ramsay gets his bottom out on his television shows. This is a random thing to do, considering that most of his shows revolve around cooking and hospitality. In ‘Hotel Hell’, he was regularly seen from the rearview climbing into baths and showers naked. While filming a series of travel and food programs with Fred Sirieix and Gino D’Acampo, all three men regularly strip off to streak or go skinny dipping. It seems that Gordon Ramsay is not shy about his body and sharing it with other people.
We hope you have enjoyed reading these Gordon Ramsay facts. You might also like to read about Marco Pierre White, Bobby Flay, and Ree Drummond.
All images via Flickr.com under free for commercial use and modification rights. Article updated on 08/09/23.
this was i big help on my research about him!
Glad that you found it helpful!