Gordon Ramsay is the most popular celebrity chef in the world. He's the television king when it comes to cooking, and his 44 restaurants aren't too shabby either.
Though he plays a hard-ass on TV (and he has one in real life), Ramsay is actually a very nice person. There are some other things you don't know about Chef Ramsay, and don't worry, he won't yell at you for not knowing them.
1. HIYA!
Gordon Ramsay has encountered many people on Hell's Kitchen and they're not all pleasant. One contestant tried to come at Ramsay, but he wasn't concerned at all. Why? Because he's a black belt.
"I have a black belt in karate," Ramsay told Playboy. "I love boxing. I can look out for myself."
2. Paging Bobby Flay
Ramsay has one person he wants to compete against on Iron Chef, and he's not keeping it a secret.
"I've been asking Bobby Flay for the last five years for that opportunity to go up head-to-head, and he still won't sign that damn contract."
There were even rumors that Flay vs. Ramsay was happening and would be a pay-per-view event, but they turned out to be false. Too bad. I would have watched.
3. He's Never Seen His Own Shows
You would think that someone of Ramsay's stature would at least find one of his own shows entertaining, but he says he never watches them.
"I don't want to get self-obsessed and start thinking about putting makeup on and watching the way I walk. "Oh, did I really say that?" F***it. It is what it is. I'd rather watch Deadliest Catch or go out for dinner."
4. Where's the Beef?
Gordon Ramsay says there's one thing he'll always order, "whether it's in the middle of Milan or the middle of Paris or the middle of New York." That menu item is beef wellington, his signature dish.
5. Fresh, Never Frozen
Gordon Ramsay has had to eat a lot of gross food in his lifetime, but there's one thing he refuses to eat: frozen meals.
"It's so easy to prepare a quick meal using fresh produce, such as a simple stir-fry, but people still resort to ready meals that all taste exactly the same."
6. Record Holder
The restaurant called Gordon Ramsay is the longest-running restaurant in London, England, to hold three Michelin stars. Ramsay himself is one of three UK chefs to be awarded three Michelin stars (the highest ranking a restaurant can get.)
7. F#$@ That
A Reddit user asked Ramsay if he thought he could go a full 60 minutes without swearing, and Ramsay said he could. "It's f*****g hard, but I'll have a good go."
8. Last Meal
We've all thought about it: what would your last meal be? Ramsay is no different.
"Sea bass is the king of fish, so my idea of the perfect last meal would be a beautiful fillet, pan-fried with a light sorrel sauce, or served roasted with artichokes and a chive crí¨me fraí®che," he told Bon Appétit. My guess is that wouldn't be too great coming out of a prison kitchen.
9. Workaholic
With all his shows and restaurants, it's no surprise that Gordon Ramsay classifies himself as a workaholic.
"I work incredibly hard. I have about three to four hours a day off and I work my freakin' ass off because I get so excited with projects!"
10. What If...
A fan asked Ramsay what he would be if he wasn't a chef (what a world that would be) and he had a pretty good answer.
"I would probably be a Navy SEAL. They are disciplined."
11. Don't Invite Him Anywhere
Unless he's hosting, you won't find Gordon Ramsay at any dinner parties any time soon.
"I really try not to go"”mostly because I can't sit there and pretend everything's delicious when it's not. The food is so often shit. It's just too hard to be diplomatic."
12. Paging Hillary Clinton
When asked who the one celebrity in the world he'd want to cook for is, Ramsay answered Hillary Clinton. He even has the whole menu planned out.
"I would say something authentic, rich, and a sauce that had been doused with lots of red wine. Like a braised short rib, because she's of that era"”of that age"”that she understands fine food."
Do you watch Gordon Ramsay's shows?