Every Gordon Ramsay-Led Cooking Show, Ranked
1Master Chef
Gordon Ramsay Master ChefFox
Master Chef has undeniably become one of the most beloved cooking shows on TV, and currently sitting at 13 seasons, it seems to be a staple of cooking TV that is here to stay. The show follows a pretty traditional cooking competition format, with amateur and home chefs competing in a series of challenges to take home the title of master chef.
However, the gigantic open kitchen and the constant involvement of Ramsay and a rotating panel of judges make for a rather exciting and fast-paced cooking show that leans into the personalities and camaraderie of its contestants and hosts.
For those who enjoy competition shows without drama, Master Chef may easily be your top pick for the best Gordon Ramsay program, but for us, it does not rank as high for that very reason.
2 Gordon, Gino, and Fred’s Road Trip
From Richard Ayoade in Travel Man, to Steve Coogan & Rob Brydon in The Trip, British TV has a way of building up highly entertaining travel shows around the personalities of those making the journey. Gordon, Gino, and Fred’s Road Trip fits this formula swimmingly as Gordon Ramsay, Gino D’Acampo, and Maitre d’ Fred Sirieix travel across various countries to experience their cuisine and culture.
The show also highlights the friendship between the three through witty banter and occasional s***-talking. Its focus on the three and how they interact throughout may not appeal to everyone — the format does feel more apt for British TV than American — but it delivers quality in exploring other cultures and entertainment.
3 Kitchen Nightmares
Ramsay’s Kitchen NightmaresFox
Kitchen Nightmares gave us one of the all-time most absurd pieces of reality TV ever committed to the medium in the infamous “Amy’s Baking Company” episode, which even had its follow-up to try to piece together the complete mess that was the attempt to reinvigorate the restaurant.
While the show focuses on Ramsay coming in to fix the problems of a restaurant through mentorship, the series’ major draw has also lied in the heavy drama, revealing gross kitchens and unhinged staff/owners thinking they can stand toe-to-toe with Ramsay.
This is a Gordan Ramsay staple of television, and you can revisit the most intense moments in one of the countless online compilations.
4 Next Level Chef
Gordon Ramsay Next Level ChefFox
While it is difficult not to shake the idea that the show was inspired by the dystopian movieThe Platform, which saw success on Netflix, Next Level Chef is an inventive way to shake up the regular formula of a competition cooking show. Three teams compete, and in each round, they are randomly assigned a level, with the top having the first pick at ingredients and the best food, with the bottom having bare-bones and receiving scraps.
The show challenges competitors to make the best of what they get, and having the top floor does not always prove to be the best-made meal, making it easy to always cheer for the underdog team. The show’s record-breaking popularity is no surprise here, and it also wonderfully presents Ramsay as both an experienced chef and a defined personality as he pushes competitors and explores the versatility of food with his team and fellow judges.
5 Hell’s Kitchen
Gordon Ramsay Hell’s KitchenFox
At 22 seasons and counting, one would be hard-pressed to find a more definitive TV show led by Gordon Ramsay than Hell’s Kitchen. Debuting in 2005, the show has seen over 400 contestants enter the famous kitchen in the hopes of securing a full-time position at one of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants around the globe.
A purposeful boot camp that pushes contestants to the extreme has seen its fair share of contestants break down, explode, and even, in one case, challenge Ramsay to a fight outside. Still, the program is great for picking favorites and cheering them on throughout the season. It is the longest-running Gordon Ramsay show for good reason, and it is also easily his best.
