16 Michelin stars for a frustrated footballer: How Gordon Ramsay became a great chef

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

As a child, he decided to become famous, however, he saw himself no less than the second Pele. Gordon Ramsay actually had chances to become a famous football player, but an unfortunate accident canceled all Gordon's plans. Nevertheless, he was not going to give up his dream of becoming famous. His path to haute cuisine was not dotted with roses, and the methods used by his teachers, Gordon Ramsay later demonstrated to the world in his cooking shows.

On the way to a dream

He was born in 1966 in Johnston, Scotland and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Since childhood, Gordon Ramsay dreamed of becoming a famous football player. Already at the age of 12, he became a member of the junior national team of Warwickshire, and 7 years later received an invitation to the Ranger. He had every chance of achieving success in sports, if not for the injuries he received on the field. After the meniscus ruptured, it became clear: you can put an end to your football career. He will never be able to regain his shape, and his leg can let him down at the most inopportune moment.

At that moment it seemed to him that his life was over. His plan, ambitious and planned for a decade ahead, collapsed, and he did not know how to do anything except football. After two weeks after his failed fate, Gordon Ramsay entered the North Oxfordshire Technical College to study hotel management. It was a step of despair, for, in fact, he did not know how to do anything. Ramsay himself describes his decision to enter a catering college as an "accident."

Working in a restaurant as a dishwasher was not easy, the salary was very modest, but the young man, who had recently kicked a ball across the field, suddenly realized that he was attracted by the kitchen. He liked how deftly the chef handles all the speed pots, conjures up sauces and makes airy desserts. And all employees, each with their own role, are part of the mesmerizing cooking process.

It seems that it was then that Gordon Ramsay decided that if he was not destined to become a great striker, he would become the greatest chef. From a decision to a dream, he was separated by a complete inability to cook. If he wanted to become the best, then he needed to learn from the real masters, and not from the ordinary owners of average restaurants.

The story is silent about how difficult it was for him to restrain himself, listening to curses in his address, how much food he sent to the trash can and how many plates with bad dishes ended up on his head. The kitchen has become Gordon Ramsay's greatest passion and passion.

The first Michelin stars

He worked as a chef in a hotel, later managing the kitchen and dining room, but was really inspired when he had to serve with the very temperamental and tough Marco Pierre White at the Harveys restaurant. It is him that Gordon Ramsay considers his mentor and the first real teacher.

Gordon Ramsay spent almost three years at the Harveys, after which he worked with Albert Roux at the Le Gavroche restaurant and at the Diva Hotel in a ski resort in the French Alps, and later studied the basics in Paris with Guy Sava and Joel Robuchon.

He returned to London in 1993, and five years later he opened his first restaurant in Chelsea. Only three years have passed since the opening of Gordon Ramsay, and it has already received three Michelin stars, making it the first Scotsman to receive such a prestigious award.

By that time he was already married to Cayetan Elizabeth Hutcheson. Tana was six years younger than Gordon, but she became a real guiding star for the cook. They have been together for almost a quarter of a century and are raising five children, the youngest of whom, Oscar, was born in April 2019. However, at the time when Gordon Ramsay was just beginning his career, Tana put up with the frequent absence of her husband at home, and even with the fact that he was late to her hospital, busy preparing New Year's dinner.

A dream come true

Along with the opening of his own restaurant, Gordon Ramsay also took up a television career. First appearing on television in 1998, by 2004 he had become one of the most famous and influential chefs in the UK.

He never restrains himself in front of television cameras, constantly uses foul language, makes very rude remarks to the participants and even allows himself to insult them. Shows with his participation beat all conceivable and inconceivable records. Gordon Ramsay really achieved his goal, becoming one of the best in the profession.

At the same time, the on-screen image of the chef is very different from that Gordon Ramsay, whom friends and relatives know. In life, he is quiet and attentive, a very caring and gentle husband and father. And the employees who work in his restaurants around the world are ready to follow their chef into fire and water. In Gordon Ramsay's restaurants, there is never a problem with personnel. Since 1993, 85% of his employees have stayed with him.

Gordon Ramsay, as in his youth, remains a very enthusiastic person and believes: if the show made at least ten people get up from the couch and go to the kitchen to cook, this is the best that he can do with his participation. The chef does not consider it necessary to restrain his emotions in the kitchen, because he is very honest, and the degree of heat in the transmission is always very high.

Despite his wide popularity as a TV presenter, Gordon Ramsay was and remains, first of all, a chef. He opens or takes over more and more new restaurants in different countries and is not going to stop.

At the same time, he tries to spend all weekends with his family, he certainly pays attention to his wife and children, while his wife cooks only on weekdays. On those days, when Gordon Ramsay himself is at home, he gets to the stove and begins to perform sacraments to feed his family. He does not recognize frozen foods and definitely cannot live without butter, moldon salt and fresh herbs.

He writes books and generously shares the secrets of his culinary art, sometimes, however, spicing up his master classes with strong words.

The famous publicist Friedrich Dürrenmatt wrote that "High culinary art is the only human ability about which nothing bad can be said." The modern classic was probably not in Asia and did not get acquainted with the peculiarities of the local cuisine. <a href = "https://kulturologia.ru/blogs/070219/42180/"/> Many of the products traditionally used there are deadly, and while savoring them, the client has to rely only on the skill and accuracy of the cook. Although, to be honest, northern countries sometimes offer dishes that are even more sophisticated and potentially dangerous.