Entertainment
10 Times Gordon Ramsay Purchased Ridiculously Expensive Things
Gordon Ramsey is the most famous chef in the world and with that comes a lot of benefits, even if owning restaurants is a notoriously fickle and profit free enterprise. The best way to explain how difficult it is owning a restaurant is by sharing the statistic that after five years four out of five new restaurants actually fail, but when you’ve got the name recognition that Ramsay has, from years of screaming at other chefs on television, it actually can be a pretty lucrative enterprise. Beyond that, he’s got a ton of different television shows, merchandise related to those shows and also his own line of cookbooks and actual books. So, it’s safe to say that Gordon Ramsay is a multi-media superstar and that’s afforded him a life of luxury. So, let’s take a look at the top ten more extravagant things that Gordon Ramsay has reportedly purchased!
10. His Cornwall Holiday Home
This list will show you that outside of cooking, Ramsay takes few other things as serious. The things he does focus his time, or money, on are cars (mostly Ferraris), expanding his restaurant empire, a couple of watches and buying homes for his large family. This home managed to rub some of his neighbors the wrong way, as he lived in one of his vacation homes while another nearby home was being demolished in Cornwall, England. The home he didn’t demolish is impressive and makes you wonder why he needs two, but considering the fact that he’s opening multiple new restaurants a year then you’ll have to admit perhaps he restrained himself a bit by only owning two homes in Cornwall. That home cost an impressive $4 million dollars and is actually the largest on this list in terms of bedrooms, despite being a summer/vacation home, in that it has six-bedrooms, four bathrooms, three receptions rooms, a swimming pool, private tennis court and almost 3-acres of land for his four kids. The new home? Two kitchens, a swimming pool, a wine cellar and four en-suite bathrooms in a home that’s 100 yards from the beach. He’ll sell the older home after he moves into that home, it’s presumed, but still, it’s fun to think of Ramsay being the only neighbor that Ramsay will allow.
9. LaFerrari
The first car on this list is a Ferrari, and it’s something you’d better get used to as most of the cars on this list are Ferraris, how does the LaFerrari differentiate itself? Well, it’s super fast, even when compared to other Ferraris. With a top speed of nearly 220 miles per hour (350 km/h) and capable of reaching 0-60 miles per hour (or 100 km/h) in under 2.5 seconds, it may be the first entry on this list and the lowest Ferrari on this list but it very well could be the best. All that power has to come from somewhere and this car, is a car, and so it comes from under the hood. The LaFerrari features a 6.3 liter F140FE V12 engine against a relatively light weight of under 3,500 lbs, meaning that you’re basically at the wheel of a rocket ship, a beautiful, beautiful rocket ship. This is also the most expensive car on this list, as only 500 were ever produced, meaning that the price ranged to a high of just under five-million-dollars per car. Despite that high initial investment, subsequent sales by people who bought in around three-to-four million are already essentially doubling their investment as a recent LaFerrari was sold for over seven-million dollars at an auction, making it the most valuable 21st-century automobile produced. And they say that cars are bad investments…
8. Ferrari 458 Italia
The second car on this list and only the second (of FOUR) Ferrari’s included (trust us, Ramsay’s got many, many more Ferraris)! The 458 Italia may just be the fastest of all of them, as the 4.5 L Ferrari F136 F V8i engine can reach a top speed of just over 200 miles per hour (around 330 km/h) and a 0-60 miles per hour (or 100 km/h) of just 3.4 seconds! You’re basically spending about $1,000 for every mile per hour, though, as this car will run you $225,000 dollars off the line. Beyond that muscle under the hood though, the 458 Italia may be the best looking of all of Ramsay’s Ferrari’s as it features compact and aerodynamic lines, with a front grill that has a single opening, snazzy side air intakes and great-looking aerodynamic sections and a profile designed to push as much air as possible to radiators while still making the car look about as amazing as a car can look. This is one of the more highly customizable Ferrari’s as well, which means that in the case of Ramsay probably means that there’s all sort of broken plates inside and “You Stupid Cow” sewn into the leather and suede interior.
7. Ferrari 430 Scuderia
As you’ve learned thus far, Gordon Ramsey likes Ferraris and considering how simultaneously luxurious, powerful and sort of mean they are/look it’s not hard to see why this Italian super-car appeals to him. While not all of his Ferrari’s made this list, there are three on the list, which should show you just how in love with this car he is, as well. This version of Ferrari has a smaller engine than some of the others, with “only” a 4.3 liter V8 engine (which is small compared to some of the greater than 6 liter V12’s seen elsewhere on this list). That doesn’t hurt it’s horsepower though, as it still rocks out over 530 horses. That engine nearly helps this Ferrari reach 200 miles per hour at its top speed level and a 0-60 miles per hour (or 100 kilometers per hour) in just under 4 seconds (3.9 seconds). This is also a discount Ferrari when it comes to price, as it runs you about $217,000 brand new, which considering they stopped making them in 2009, means you’ll have to just wait for Ramsay to sell his before snapping one up.
6. His Home in Los Angeles
While Ramsay has stated that the only thing he misses when he’s not in Los Angeles is In-and-Out Burger, you have to think that he also misses his Los Angeles home, as he dropped a reported $7 million dollars on his residence there to make his real estate portfolio as international as his restaurant business. He’s in good company there, as well, as his neighbors with David and Victoria Beckham. The five-bedroom estate has four bathrooms, a swimming pull that’s surrounded by impeccable gardens and a gigantic garden should he want to go out and nab some fresh ingredients while cooking for his family. Being the most famous chef in the world means that you’ll often need to entertain people and Ramsay has the table just for that, as it can hold eight people. The kitchen is decked out with all the modern amenities that the world’s most well-known chef can use, although it’s not as impressive as the kitchen in his London home, which was built onto the side of his house and required the help of a crane to move in some of the appliances (see #2 on this list).
5. Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
Ramsay appears to have a thing for Ferraris and considering his reputation as a fine dining chef it’s perhaps not a surprise that he also likes the finer things in other walks of life. The most expensive Ferrari in his fleet of Ferraris is the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, a super-charged auto that went for a cool $270,000 brand new (and let’s face it, does Ramsay appear to be the type of person who’d buy a USED Ferrari?). A 0-60 mp/h (or 100 km/h) in just under 3-seconds, the Berlinetta has a top speed of 211.3 miles per hour and a wicked 545 horsepower output. All that power has to come from somewhere and thanks to it’s massive 6.3 liter V12 engine, a kerb weight of just under 4,000 lbs (or 1,630 kilograms) and a surprising 19-miles to the gallon fuel economy. Being a Ferrari the Berlinetta has all the best tech, as well, with things like class-leading anti-theft systems that utilize satellites and GPS to track down your stolen car, electronically adjustable steering wheel and AM/FM radio. Okay, that last one isn’t as impressive but when you’ve got satellites monitoring your car from space, why brag beyond that?
4. A Super Nice Rolex
Outside of homes, super nice cars and expensive restaurants, really the only other thing that seems to catch Ramsay’s eye is a fancy watch now and again. The most expensive watch in his arsenal is a vintage Rolex Submariner, which he’s been spotted wearing at numerous events and on a few episodes of his television shows. With a price-tag of at least $20,000, it’s not the most expensive watch out there (especially when we’re used to hearing that rappers drop millions of dollars on watches “all the time”). However, any watch owner knows just how collectible and valuable Submariners are, as they were the first waterproof watch ever released back in 1953 (with a depth of up to 100 meters/around 300 feet) and are highly sought after by collectors, which means that if he’s ever in a pinch he’ll at least have a couple things to pawn in between shifts at his Vegas restaurant(s), either that or some really great watches to stare at while he ponders his mistakes and rebuilds his empire.
3. Gordon Ramsay Steak Restaurant Las Vegas
Each season of Hell’s Kitchen, it appears that Ramsay has new restaurants opening all the time that he’s on the look-out to staff and that’s pretty much been the case for most of the years that Hell’s Kitchen has been on the air (even if he hasn’t actually ever given the Executive Chef job to the people that have won the show). The crown jewel in his restaurant kingdom, at least in terms of how expensive it was to purchase and renovate, was the space for Gordon Ramsay Steak Restaurant, which is set in the Paris Casino in Las Vegas. Ramsay doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to naming his restaurants, so it’s pretty obvious that this is a (very high-end) steak restaurant but what isn’t obvious is the menu beyond steaks. Beyond some great cuts of steak there’s caviar, fried blue point oyster, Beef Wellington (his go-to order when he visits other people’s restaurants) and even classic British Sheppard’s Pie to go along with the huge Union Jack flag found high on the ceiling of the restaurant.
2. His Home in London
Gordon Ramsey is from Stratford-upon-Avon, but saved his most impressive home purchase for his London, England home (which is home to his namesake restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsey). Purchased back in 2002, right before the housing market crashed (and rebounded, luckily for Ramsay who still owns the home), this home features a gate at the end of a gigantic garden which is large enough to grow whatever herbs or fresh vegetables he might want to add to his home-cooked meals. There’s also some shared amenities like a tennis court and a private park, which Ramsay shares with 15 other homes. The home is relatively “small” at least when compared to some of his other homes and most extravagant homes on this list, with five bedrooms, one large bathroom and a lounge. Ramsay being Ramsay there are actually two kitchens in the home, one is adjacent to a children’s playroom in the basement that his wife mostly uses to cook for the children whereas the second nearly million-dollar kitchen was actually built as an extension to the home itself. That second kitchen has a nearly seven-figure Rorgue cooker that weighs so much that it had to be lifted into the home by a crane (at nearly three tons).
1. Bentley Continental GT ($180,000)
Despite the fact that this list proves otherwise, Gordon Ramsay just seems ilke a guy with simple tastes and while he’s mostly spent his money on things that can make him more money in the future (and are thus sensible purchases like homes and restaurants), what man isn’t a sucker for a fancy car? There is really no fancier car out there than the Bentley, namely the Bentley Contintenal GT, a 616-horsepower care that has a 0-60 miles per hour (which is 0-100 km/hour) of 3.9 seconds (which is 3.9 seconds) and a top speed of 205 miles per hour (or 330 km/hour). All that power is thanks to a six-liter twin-turbocharged engine. All that power needs equally powerful breaks and the Bentley Continental has just that with intelligent breaking. Beyond the performance of the car, people purchase it for it’s luxury and when it comes to that there’s really no match to what the people at Bentley are working with, so obviously it’s rocking fully leather coated seats, large heads up display and wood paneling on the dash. There’s also all sorts of next level technology in Ramsay’s car of choice, such as built-in satelitte navigation, parking assistance, internal Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and more. Of all of Ramsay’s cars this seems like the car he drives to work day in and day out, as it’s the most comfortable, tech-savvy and practical… Which considering it’s list price sounds absurd but still, he can clearly afford it.