Gordon Ramsay

Gordon James Ramsay is a British celebrity chef, restaurateur, television presenter, and writer born on 8 November 1966 in Johnstone, Scotland. He is the founder of Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, established in 1997, which has been awarded 17 Michelin stars overall. Ramsay is widely recognized for his signature establishment, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea, London, which has held three Michelin stars since 2001, as well as his global dining venues and extensive broadcasting career.

Ramsay was raised in Scotland and England, living in Daventry and Stratford-upon-Avon during a childhood marked by frequent family moves. Initially, he pursued a career in sports and was selected to play under-14 football at the age of 12, but serious knee injuries ended his athletic ambitions. At age 19, he shifted his focus to culinary arts and enrolled at North Oxfordshire Technical College to study hotel management.

He began his professional cooking career as a commis chef at the Wroxton House Hotel and later ran the kitchen at the Wickham Arms. After moving to London, Ramsay trained under Marco Pierre White at Harveys before joining Albert Roux at Le Gavroche. He subsequently worked at Hotel Diva in the French Alps and moved to Paris to train with chefs Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon. He later spent a year working as a personal chef on a private yacht based in Bermuda, where he studied Italian cuisine.

In 1993, Ramsay returned to London as head chef at La Tante Claire under Pierre Koffmann. Shortly after, he became head chef and partner at Aubergine, earning two Michelin stars before leaving in July 1998. Later that year, he opened Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea. His company, Gordon Ramsay Holdings Limited, expanded internationally with venues across the United Kingdom, the United States, Dubai, Tokyo, Ireland, Canada, and Singapore, introducing concepts such as Gordon Ramsay Steak and Gordon Ramsay Burger.

Ramsay rose to public prominence on the 1999 British television miniseries Boiling Point. His media persona became known for a strict, fiery demeanour and aggressive approach. He hosted several British culinary series, including Hell's Kitchen, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, and The F Word. He also expanded his television presence to the United States, starring in American adaptations of Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, MasterChef, and MasterChef Junior, alongside Hotel Hell, Gordon Behind Bars, Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back, and Next Level Chef.

Over his career, Ramsay has received numerous accolades. Queen Elizabeth II appointed him an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2006 for services to hospitality. He became a three-time Catey Award winner, taking Newcomer of the Year in 1995, Chef of the Year in 2000, and Independent Restaurateur of the Year in 2006. Inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame in 2013, he has also set multiple Guinness World Records, including co-creating the largest Beef Wellington in 2023.