I thought I would put together some of the interesting things that we learned about Gordon Ramsay, from the interviews that he conducted while in Australia last month (the interviews can be viewed via this post) – I’m sure people will have a bunch of other comments relating to the hissy fit Tracy Grimshaw had and the complete over-reaction of the AUssie and world media!
1. Gordon Ramsay Holdings was advised to enter administration at the end of 2008 as a result of the global financial crisis and local laws worldwide that restricted working hours, conditions and pay at various sites through out his global empire. Gordon decided for the benefit of his providers, he wouldn’t take the easy way out and consolidated the business, contributing millions of his personal fortune to steady the ship.
2. It was reported that Gordon Ramsay had to sell his Ferrari to pay some of the bills, he admitted that this was correct but his new one was coming in the next month!
3. Gordon Ramsay, on the back of his marathon running (completed his tenth London Marathon earlier this year) will be attempting his first triathalon some time this year.
4. Gordon has taken up surfing, after watching all four of his children and wife, stand up on their boards within fifteen minutes of first trying. Gordon also got some surfing in while in Melbourne (and no doubt afterwards in Queensland) – one tabloid suggetsed that it was merely to appease the angry locals! Gordon described surfing as part of his new fitness regime – he says it’s addictive and great fun!
5. Chef Ramsay considers that one of the positives of the global recessions is that the focus in restaurants is now back on the customers. He suggests that chefs were getting a little too full of themselves and were dictating too much to their patrons. Gordon added that the crisis is removing a level of snobbery and returning to (all join in) rustic, local cooking.
5b. Tanya Ramsay was scheduled to be in Australia in June performing her own book signings and cooking displays, independant of her husband (although the broken wrist from falling while roller blading may have prevented it from actually happening) (I know not really about Gordon Ramsay, so I’ve called it 5b!)
6. Gordon Ramsay prefers pizza over a meat pie, Vegemite over Marmite, Rugby over soccer (saying he wouldn’t have made that choice ten years ago and that now that he is 15 stone in weight he is more like a rugby player), Sydney over Melbourne (but later said he was joking as he was in Melbourne at the time), Cold Play over U2, Sean Connery over Daniel Craig (whom Gordon Ramsay suggested was built like an Asian toddler), Kylie Minogue over Elle MacPherson and finally when asked if he preferred blondes or brunettes – the great chef answered blonde upstairs, brunette downstairs!!!
7. Gordon Ramsay, when asked whether he had become too much celebrity too little chef responded that his television work funds his restaurant business.
8. Gordon Ramsay said that he doesn’t know a chef that would turn down a quarter of a million dollars per hour to do Hell’s Kitchen (is he suggesting that this is how much he is getting paid??)
9. Gordon Ramsay said that he was uploading staff in Melbourne and Sydney who are acting as spies before he opens his Australian Maze Restaurant, to get insight into the local restaurant community!
10. The new Gordon Ramsay Maze Restaurant in Melbourne will feature the now famous Chef’s Table and he is looking for an apartment in Melbourne as part of his regular and un-announced drop-ins for his overseas empire.
11. Gordon Ramsay’s normal Sunday starts with a two hour run followed by a family lunch where he catches up with all of the things that he may have missed during the week.
12. The entire Ramsay clan may be coming to Australia for a holiday at Christmas.
13. Gordon Ramsay said that he never causes a scene when he goes out to eat and doesn’t ever send food back (maybe he knows what the chefs would do to it??!!)
14. The worst response that Gordon Ramsay’s has received for his criticism was an american chef who threw knife at him during the taping of a show!
15. Gordon Ramsay’s ideal last meal on earth would be a roasted sea bass on bed of crushed potatoes and a lemongrass vinegarette – eaten with his family!
16. Gordon Ramsay’s worst injury in the kitchen (obvious the knife missed its mark!) has been a burnt left bollock in in his own restaurant – Claridges.
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The Plonker Club
The Unofficial Gordon Ramsay Fansite
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