Entertainment
10 Things You Didn’t Know About GORDON RAMSAY (Part 2)
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you know who Gordon Ramsay is. It’s easy: he’s a legend. With countless restaurants around the globe, innumerable TV shows, and a feisty personality, Ramsay has earned his reputation as one of the best chefs in the world. While he’s definitely a famous guy, there are probably still some things that remain unknown by most. Here are 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Gordon Ramsay (Part 2).
10. Being A Chef Wasn’t His First Career Choice
It’s hard to imagine Gordon Ramsay without his trusty apron and outstanding kitchen skills. It’s almost like he was born to be a chef. But, surprisingly enough, cooking wasn’t what he originally wanted to do with his life. His first love? Soccer. When he was a teenager, Ramsay set his sights on a professional sports career. At the age of 15, he even played for Scotland’s Glasgow Rangers team and was quite successful during this period. Unfortunately, a knee injury prevented him from pursuing his career and forced him to go back to school. As luck would have it, he ended up graduating from a technical school with a degree in none other than Hotel management. So, he does know a thing or two about customer service – putting everyone who ever doubted him on “Hotel Hell” to shame. His decision to later focus on cooking in college was, according to him, a complete accident. And while it was an accident, it did work out pretty well for him in the end. He was able to study under some of the best chefs and food professionals in the world and work his way up to make a name for himself in the industry. Things happen for a reason, and Ramsay becoming a chef was definitely a happy ending to a potential athletic career cut short. Luckily, he was able to turn things around and find success elsewhere!
9. 5 Important Things To Know How To Cook
As a professional chef, there are obviously a lot of things that Gordon Ramsay has to know how to cook. It’s his job. From fancy dishes to everyday meals, he’s got to have everything covered. But, as regular, normal people, the bar is set a little lower for us. Some people can barely even fry an egg without setting their whole kitchen on fire. It’s not everyone who’s born with a spatula in their hands. But to Gordon, that’s not an excuse, though. According to him, you don’t need to be a world-class chef to know how to prepare the most basic things. Not only to feed yourself properly – but also because it’s an essential and vital skill to have. He thinks that everyone should be able to master at least 5 basic dishes. You need to be able to cook a great burger, no matter how someone wants it – rare or well-done, it shouldn’t matter. You need to know how to whip up a good breakfast – regardless of what that means to you – whether it’s smashed avocado, a poached egg, or even an omelet. Then there is being able to make a killer chicken dish or basically any go-to white protein dish, a braising dish (you know, the kind you can cook on a Monday night and still eat on a Friday) and a great cake – because well, dessert should never be skipped. So while you might not be a Michelin-star restaurant owner like Gordon Ramsay, mastering the most basic skills can surely help make you feel like one during your next dinner party.
8. His Kids Are Not Spoiled… At All
It’s no secret that most celebrities’ kids are, let’s say, a little more fortunate than others. Fancy cars, fancy clothes, and a huge trust fund to count on. But for Gordon, keeping his kids humble is imperative. So much so that he has publicly announced that none of his kids will inherit his fortune. He doesn’t say this out of spite or to be mean, however. He simply does it to avoid spoiling them. He and his wife agreed that each child would get a 25 percent deposit on an apartment someday, but that’s about it. And that’s not all he does to keep them grounded. For instance, whenever the whole family takes a plane, they don’t all fly together. He goes first-class, while his kids stay in business class. He once said that his kids haven’t worked anywhere near hard enough to afford that. At that age, at that size, they don’t need to sit in first class. Can you imagine boarding the plane, and while you’re heading down 30 rows of seats, your dad casually goes to sit in the massive recliner chair in first-class? While it may sound a little harsh at first, Ramsay explained that they simply haven’t earned the privilege yet. It helps to keep them level-headed and strive to have an impeccable work ethic, just like their father has. It teaches them that to get something in life, you need to work for it. Apparently with Gordon Ramsay, there are no free rides – even if you’re part of the family.
7. He Is Extremely In Shape
Turns out, Gordon Ramsay is not only skilled in the kitchen. His unfortunate knee injury surely didn’t stop him from staying in top shape and staying fit. What most people don’t know about him is that not only does he have a black belt in karate, but he’s also highly trained in other martial arts. So, anyone who can’t handle his verbal onslaughts in the kitchen probably shouldn’t challenge him to a physical fight either. But fighting skills aren’t the only thing he’s good at. Gordon has participated in over 15 marathons, three ultra-marathons, three half-Ironmans, and two Ironman World Championships. That’s one heck of a long list of accomplishments! Remember, Ironman competitions require running a full marathon, bicycling for 122 miles, and swimming 2.4 miles. Gordon clearly loves the competition and thrives under pressure, which is probably why he’s such a good chef. He knows that one of the dangers that goes along with being a cook is weight gain, so he compensates by exercising a lot – and he loves it. When he’s at home, he usually runs along the Thames and cycles around to various village tea rooms. He once told an interviewer that training was his release and now that he had an outlet via racing, he finds cooking even more relaxing and attacks both with the same attitude.
6. There’s Some Beef With Mario Batali
Over his numerous spent on TV screens, Gordon Ramsay has managed to create a lot of beef with other celebrities – and not the medium-rare kind, some real, insulting beef. One of the most notorious is the public on-going feud he has with Mario Batali. For those who don’t know him, Mario Batali is a famous chef from the Food Network who once owned a lot of restaurants in America. Ramsay has always been quite critical of Batali throughout his career, and it all started when Mario made the mistake of criticizing Gordon’s food, calling it “dull and outdated.” Obviously, this didn’t sit well with Ramsay, so he retaliated by calling Batali “Fanta Pants” – a knock on his signature orange pants – and from that moment on, they have hated each other. Batali even banned Ramsay from all of his restaurants, although he did say he would be open to burying the hatchet, eventually, provided Ramsay made the first move. He even said that if Gordon called and asked him to sit down for a drink, they’d be cool. But right now, it’s not cool. But judging by the fact that this argument has been going on for more than 10 years, it’s hard to say if Gordon has the intention of ever letting bygones be bygones.
5. He Has A Soft Spot
It would be safe to assume that Gordon isn’t exactly the most delicate and tactful person out there – at least, not when it comes to critiquing food. He knows what’s good and what’s bad, understands how certain things are supposed to be made, and strongly believes in ethics. So, when he sees someone not doing their job properly, he will say something – and not be shy about it. While we’ve seen his colorful vocabulary explode because of people’s incompetence, the stern chef does have a soft spot for the junior chefs of this world. Despite his temper, frequent yelling, and repeated ‘F’-bombs, when he’s with his kids or on “Masterchef Junior,” he can’t help but be a big, old softy. Since he didn’t start cooking until he was about 19 years old, when he sees young kids of 8, 9, 10 years of age trying to get everything perfect and getting upset over small things, it breaks his heart. He has said that by the time they get to 18 they would have been cooking for 10 years. He says he only wants to help them realize their true potential and that they still have a lot of time to become great chefs. So while he chooses to use tough love with the older chefs, he doesn’t do the same with the young future generation of chefs.
4. One Of The Highest-Paid Celebrities
With a handful of successful restaurants and a ridiculously crazy amount of TV shows, it’s not surprising that Gordon Ramsay earns the big bucks. He is, after all, one of the top chefs on the planet, so it’s only suiting. However, most people would be shocked to know that Gordon is among the world’s highest-paid celebrities. In 2016, he even tied Beyonce and surpassed Kim Kardashian West for the 34th spot on Forbes’ list of highest-paid celebrities. His pull for that year was around $54 million, but that has long been surpassed since then. In 2020, he ranked no less than number 19 with an earnings of $70 million. Both his booming restaurant business and unrivalled media empire have helped him to reach the top of his field. But that’s not even the best he can do. Last year, he sold a 50% stake in his North American holding company, meaning he could be set for another windfall in 2021. With a net worth of over $220 million, he is a multi-millionaire, and the second wealthiest chef in the world, right behind Jamie Oliver. Gordon now has 34 restaurants in operation and earns almost a quarter-million dollars per episode from his shows, so needless to say, we might very well find him a little higher on that list in the years to come.
3. There’s One Thing He Won’t Eat
We all have that one thing we just flat out refuse to eat. Whether it’s because of the color, the smell, principles, or just plain stubbornness, we all have our own reasons for not wanting to eat certain things. This rule also applies to the best chefs in the world, including Gordon Ramsay. Even though he is known to be extremely adventurous and open to trying everything at least once – from a beating open heart to any kind of insect – there is still one thing he does not wish to eat. And that thing is airplane food. Of course, not to be confused with his restaurant, Plane Food, located at Heathrow Airport in London. It makes you wonder – how bad could airline food be if even Ramsay himself refuses to even touch it? While anyone who’s had airplane food before knows it’s not exactly a gourmet experience, it’s also never been that bad. But to Ramsay, it’s a big no-no. Apparently, he worked in the airline industry for over 10 years, so maybe he knows a little too much about how the food is really made. Like where it’s been prepared and how long it takes before it actually gets on board the flight. We can’t really blame him for not eating it, though. Who can confidently say that they love airplane food, anyway? Yea, probably no one.
2. He Has His Own Video Games
For those who have always dreamed of being praised – or roasted – by Gordon and his opinionated personality but haven’t had the chance to meet him in person, do we have the perfect solution for you. If watching him on TV just simply isn’t enough to satisfy your quest, you can now interact with the chef – well, kind of – by staying at home. In addition to having multiple shows, Ramsay also has his very own video games. For Nintendo Wii, there is the “Hell’s Kitchen” game, a time management cooking video game based on the show of the same name. Featuring a very realistic depiction of Ramsay, the game places you as a chef under his guidance while serving customers at the restaurant. If you’re more of a mobile gamer, then there’s “Restaurant DASH,” in which players use their virtual culinary skills and restaurant management prowess to become “the next rising star chef” while traveling around the globe, all under Gordon’s strict mentorship. So, if you perform well under pressure, and you feel like you don’t have any real-life cooking skills worthy of Gordon’s attention, these games are the perfect outlet for you to live out your fantasy.
1. He Was Once Held At Gunpoint
While traveling around the world has its advantages and benefits, it can also be dangerous in certain situations. Since Gordon is a world-renowned chef, he’s had to travel quite a lot in his lifetime in order to earn that title. In 2011, for an episode of the British show “The Big Fish Fight,” Gordon had to go all the way to Costa Rica in order to investigate the area’s illegal shark fin trade. This industry in Costa Rica – worth billions of dollars – was extremely dangerous, and totally unregulated. During the trip, they ended up coercing an illegal fishing boat to allow them to film on board in hopes of getting a closer look at their trade. As he went swimming off the side of the boat, Gordon made a grim discovery. He found a sack full of shark fins below the boat and brought it on board. As you can imagine, the crew wasn’t too happy about being outed. They started screaming while pointing rifles at Gordon, telling the crew to stop filming. The police came and advised them to leave the country for their own safety. So yea, being a chef might not be the world’s most dangerous job, but when you’re Gordon Ramsay, it certainly comes with its own set of risks.
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