Master Chef Gordon Ramsay’s Parenting Philosophy: “I Will Not Leave My Wealth to My Children”
Gordon Ramsay is an extremely famous name in the global culinary world, not only because he owns famous Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, but he is also a producer and reality TV star of top culinary shows such as Hell’s Kitchen or Master Chef.
A Scottish-born British chef, Gordon Ramsay currently owns a chain of restaurants with a total of 14 Michelin stars – a dream number in the culinary world. In addition, he is also the author of more than 20 cookbooks, some of which are world bestsellers. This famous chef has a net worth of about $80 million. His salary per episode is $225,000 and he earns an additional $10 million per year from his media and restaurant empire.
A hard-working and private man, he rarely talks about his personal life. So what he reveals about his family and how he raises his children may come as a surprise compared to what we usually imagine of famous millionaire families.
The children rarely eat at their father’s restaurants.
Gordon Ramsay has four children: Matilda, 15; twins Jack and Holly, 17; and Megan, 18.
He has a strict parenting style and rarely lets them eat at his famous chain of restaurants.
“I’ve never really cared about money. It’s not my number one goal and that reflects in the way I raise my children,” he told The Telegraph.
“The last time we went to Royal Hospital Road (Ramsay’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Chelsea, England) was for my daughter Megan’s 16th birthday, and it was the first time we’d eaten there with the kids. They [the children] have served pensioners in Chelsea at Christmas before, but they have never eaten there.”
“Meg is at university and gets paid £100 a week; the other children get paid £50 a week and they have to pay for their own phone and bus fare. They have to learn to save for things they want, like jeans. The earlier you give them responsibility, the better.”
“They all learn to cook as a life skill,” he says frankly. “I never want to push them into cooking. I don’t want them to put on an apron in the kitchen and people think, ‘Oh, that’s Ramsay’s daughter or Ramsay’s son’.”
He has not, however, stopped his children from following his example. His youngest daughter, Matilda, has shown a great love of cooking and has appeared with her father on the British CBBC show “Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch”. He also passed on his secret to success to his children: “If you want to be a good chef, you need to work with good chefs. And that’s exactly what I did.” With the guidance of MasterChef Ramsay, little Matilda promises to become a good chef in the future.
“When we get on the plane, my wife and I turn left into first class, and the kids turn right into economy.”
It seems that even when on vacation, his strict and disciplined parenting style has not changed. “They don’t sit with us in first class,” he said. “They haven’t done enough to deserve it. At their age, do you think they should be in first class? No. We’re very serious about it.”
“Me and Tana [his wife] turn left and then turn right. I also tell the flight attendant to make sure the kids don’t come up here and bother me, because I want to sleep on the plane.”
“I worked really hard to get into the pilot’s seat [in first class]. You appreciate what you actually do more.”
Gordon Ramsay’s personality is partly influenced by his “difficult” childhood. Born in Glasgow and raised in Stratford upon Avon by an alcoholic, philandering father who treated his wife badly, young Ramsay left home at the age of 16.
He struggled to make ends meet and, through talent and luck, became hugely successful. He wants to teach his children that money doesn’t fall from the sky, and that they need to work to create their own wealth.
“I’m not leaving my money to my kids.”
Despite having a comfortable life with his wife, a former teacher, and four children, with a vast portfolio of properties, high-end restaurants around the world and a career at the top of his game, Gordon Ramsay doesn’t think that will dictate his children’s future.
As a millionaire, Ramsay said he is glad his children are not spoiled, and that they all have their own dreams and goals in life.
“I have been very fortunate to have had a successful career for the past 15 years in the United States. That career has brought me a fortune and I appreciate everything I have.”
“However, my wealth will not be left to my children. Don’t think negatively; it is because I don’t want to spoil them,” he said. “The only thing I agreed with Tana is that they will get 25% of the deposit on the apartment, but not the entire