Gordon Ramsay: The Biography

by Neil Simpson

He has cooked for prime ministers, ousted Hollywood actresses from his restaurants, set records for cursing on television, and changed the way Britain eats. As famous for his volatile persona as he is for his cooking, Gordon Ramsay remains London’s most talked-about chef, an international sensation whose eponymous restaurant boasts three Michelin stars. And with his hit television show, Hell’s Kitchen, Ramsay is now a household name in the US. At 18, Ramsay was a professional soccer player; at 30, he was a multi-millionaire. So how did he end up in the kitchen? In this, the first biography of the star chef, Neil Simpson offers a fresh perspective on one of the most driven and successful men in Britain.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Food, Cooking

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kate - The BookSirens Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

You might love him or hate him, but no other chef has had the kind of impact Gordon Ramsey has across the world. I find him both entertaining and an inspiration. When I picked up this biography, I hoped to learn more about the man. I’d read Humble Pie by Gordon himself earlier. Sadly, this book didn’t present anything new. I knew most of the stuff that the author writes about. At the same time, the book is an excellent introduction for someone who hasn’t followed Gordon’s career as I have and knows very little about him.

[Elisha (lishie) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book because I also enjoy watching Gordon Ramsay. I loved hearing some little bits of information about him and his restaurants and also learning about his troubled childhood and how he overcame it but does not blame it. I was interested in learning about his short soccer career before becoming a chef. The only thing about the book that bugged me was the biographer seemed to make excuses for every single thing Ramsay did. I would have rather had things just stated at points rather than commented upon. I can make up my own mind whether the man is sexist or if he is just doing it to stir up people, etc. All in all a good, quick read and I still like the Pompous chef. He is still my current BF ;). DH likes him too (on tv.)

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

You'll never look at him the same. He is an inspiration

[Stefan Haas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was quite good but a little bit too shallow for my taste. The main part is dedicated to his career where he was already a celebrity. The time before that was only briefly touched upon. I missed that.

[Malvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great introduction to the life of the highly energetic and passionate, foul-mouthed celebrity chef who never ceases to be brutally honest. While it covers a fair bit about his upbringing and his relationships with friends and family, it also contains a decent share of the "irrelevant" content presented in his TV shows as opposed to content about Gordon. One may feel that it lacked balance as Gordon is being portrayed positively as a perfectionist with a lot of emphasis on his achievements with limited insight into the negative side of Gordon. His obsession to be on TV certainly makes ones wonder if he's only keen on being judged by his food.

[Anastasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love to watch Gordon Ramsay on Kitchen Nightmares. He screams and yells a lot but when he stops to care, he really puts his all into it. Or so it seems after all the editing.

This isn't an 'authorized' autobiography. All the information could be found with an easy google search. Since I'm lazy, I read the book instead. I learned stuff I didn't know about the man, but it seemed like the book focused on a lot of the scandals. It felt like a literary version of the E!Hollywood Stories kind of tabloid show.

I enjoyed it and if you like celebrity gossip you'll like it too. But I think I'd rather read his actual version of events.

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book held my interest but not as a result of decent writing -- I would have loved to have read a book about Ramsay that didn't jump all over the place. Portions of it read as though it was written in 5-paragraph essay format with the author trying to bring two unrelated ideas together at the end.

Light reading to get me through lunch breaks and lulls at work.

His story alone makes this worth reading, but don't expect too much.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy, insightful read into what drives Gordan Ramsey and his road from a poor young man to a very wealthy, hardworking man. It was very interesting to hear some of the things that show his softer side as a family man. I was a bit disappointed that this was not so much an autobiography of his life but dealt more with his road to success.

[Neelz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting man, very positively portrayed as an underdog who makes good through hard work and perseverance. I did sometimes wonder how much artistic license the biographer took with the facts of Ramsay's life, but a compelling read is a compelling read.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always wondered why he was Scottish but did not have Scottish accent - now I know why. I enjoyed this book and am now going to read his autobiography. I feel sad though if the rumours in the press are true that he is cheating on his wife as in this book he does not seem like that.

[Srinivasan Nagobarao · Rating 3 out of 5]

Language used is very abusive like his show, however its expected and doesn't come as a surprise. Reward follows strugle if one can focus and have the determination to excel in what ever he choose to do.

[Kushal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique life. I can never make flippant summaries of Gordon ever again :(

Calling this a rags to riches story would not do it justice as it's so much more. Gordon is a life and business inspiration.

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Gordon, but it read like a grade school biography.
I stole that comment from Matt, but its so true.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book but did little to reveal the thoughts and personal life of this great chef. It was a career biography not a true biography. Perhaps that is what Chef Ramsay wanted.

[Sherri · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you think you know Chef Ramsay from his reality shows, you will be shocked!! Excellent book, read in 1 day!! A very insightful glimpse into his life!!

[Brittney]

Loved it!

[Catherine Washabaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow at times but good.

[Leigh Paddon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story of his professional and person life.

[Thành Hoàng Minh · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a exciting book .I would recomment it to my class.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gordon Ramsay defines Celebrity Chef. This super-readable book shows how he got there!

[Alaina Reschka · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading “Gordon Ramsay: The Biography”, there is one word that summarizes my feelings for the man and the book: conflicted.

The writing is straightforward, easy to read, but disconnected. The best way to describe the writing style is a novel-length newspaper article. A lot of the references are interviews from TV shows, other people, and newspaper articles. The only time I remember the book being emotional is in the last two chapters. One chapter talks about how he’s a good dad during the weekends, lets his son have junk and not tell his wife (pretty funny and cute), and the last chapter gives a summary of his most recent future in TV and how he has fought for so much. It’s nice to see this, but I feel like this should’ve been throughout the book instead of stuck at the end.

The writer has a bad habit in leading with something that puts Gordon in a bad light and adding something in the end that is supposed to put him back in the good light. For example, it says Gordon refused to be there during labor and only held his kids for a short time at the hospital. It’s not mentioned again until halfway through the book where it mentions he and his wife talked about it. Wouldn’t it make more sense to add that when first mentioned? While I do appreciate a biography that shows the good and bad of a person, the way this one’s organized paints Ramsay in a bad light.

One thing I do like is the chapter titles. Instead of plain ones like ‘childhood’ or ‘career change’, the titles humorously hint at what’s going to happen like one is named ‘Welcome to Hell’s Kitchen’, hinting at talking about Ramsay’s Hell Kitchen days.

This biography is factual and slightly inspirational, but cringy and disorganized. But if you are looking for a book to pass the time and are somewhat familiar with Ramsay, try the book out and see if you can get past the imperfections.

[Alistair Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book really uplifting to read. You can feel Gordon Ramsay's passion for cooking and his passion for life. Whilst I wouldn't want to work in a kitchen with him (!), you cannot argue with his dedication for work. This book also talks about the family life that complements his work and you can feel how important they are to him and the part they play in his success. As someone who is interested in Gordon Ramsay, I definitely enjoyed this book. I felt it conveyed his attitude to life.

[Veronica-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was a very entertaining read. I enjoyed reading about this man's personal achievements and what he risked to succeed. An extraordinary amount of pressure is what this Chef relies on to push himself forward to exceed his critics and their negative claims. I admire this man's dedication and personal commitment to food, family and most of all his need for perfection. I look forward to reading more from Gordon Ramsay in the future and only wish I could sample some of this imaginative and creative Chef's food. Highly recommended.

[Kranti · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a good breezy read
I admire Gordon Ramsay for his grit ,determination and passion for his craft
The book is in a simple language and gives a systematic view of his life
Though I am not a fan of using cuss words , it’s an inspiring read for those who have had difficult childhoods and especially a good read for youngsters wanting to make it big in the culinary word or for that matter in any entrepreneurial venture

[Craig Lueken · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very one note and frankly tell he didn’t write it. The photos were almost more interesting than the text. I truly feel bad for his family upbringing, but it felt glossed over, especially after reading Anthony Bourdain.

[Billy Curry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. Amusing life. What a work ethic. I read it on a flight from Melbourne to Europe. A must-read for ambitious cooks.

[Martin S]

Very inspirational book for chefs and those who want to marry chef :-)

[Myles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. I came away with an entirely new respect for Ramsey.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK book, if you like watching his TV shows good intro more about behind the scenes and other stuff.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Proof hard work and no ass kissing pays off. A truly great chef and good man