Things You Might Not Know About Gordon Ramsay

He was born in Johnstone, Scotland, on 8 November 1966. His family moved to Stratford-upon-Avon in England when Ramsay was five years old.

Ramsay decided to pursue a career in professional football (also known as soccer) as a child.

At the age of 15, Ramsay joined professional football club Glasgow Rangers, and his family moved back to Scotland for the opportunity.

“My dad was a Rangers fan and was incredibly proud of me,” Ramsay told Observer Sport Monthly in 2002. “But it was tough and nerve-wracking. I never knew if I could do it. I was scared most of the time.”

He played for the team for three years until a knee injury ended his dream of becoming a professional footballer.

“It was heartbreaking,” he told the Observer, adding: “I still love football and I think cooking is like football. It’s not a job, it’s a passion. When you’re good at it, it’s a dream job.” He earned a degree in hotel management before embarking on his culinary career.

After his sporting career ended, Ramsay decided to go into the hotel business. He earned his degree in hotel management in 1987.

Ramsay became a head chef at the age of 27.

In his early years as a head chef, Ramsay apprenticed with Marco Pierre White, Joel Robuchon and Guy Savoy, among others. However, at 27, Ramsay began his own culinary career. In 1993, he became head chef of the newly opened Aubergine restaurant in London.

In just three years, Ramsay helped the restaurant earn two Michelin stars, and in 1995, he was named Newcomer of the Year at the prestigious Catey Awards.

He now has 58 restaurants around the world.

Ramsay has restaurants — some with Michelin stars — in countries including the United Kingdom, England, China, and Malaysia. He has more than a dozen restaurants in the United States, in cities including Las Vegas, Chicago, and Orlando, Florida.

Insider’s Shaan Merchant visited Ramsay’s newest Boston restaurant, Ramsay’s Kitchen, in February 2022 and was not impressed.

Ramsay was once the highest-paid chef in the world.

Ramsay was once the richest chef in the world, thanks in part to his many television shows, including “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Kitchen Nightmares,” “MasterChef,” “Hotel Hell,” and “Faking It.” According to Forbes, Ramsay’s shows generate more than $150 million in annual advertising revenue for Fox.

In 2021, Ramsay was surpassed only by British TV chef Jamie Oliver in terms of wealth, according to Money Inc., despite his restaurant empire filing for bankruptcy in May 2019.