Ramsay moved to London, where he joined Marco Pierre White in the early days of Harvey's in Wandsworth. After a couple of years, Ramsay moved to Le Gavroche to work alongside Albert Roux. This was followed by three years of working in France in the kitchens of Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon, where he enhanced his expertise in classic French cooking. In October 1993, Ramsay became chef of the newly opened Aubergine, where he won many accolades, including two Michelin stars within three years of opening.
Ramsay’s first book, “Passion for Flavour,” was published in October 1996. His second book, “Passion for Seafood,” was published in May 1999. “A Chef for all Seasons” was published in September 2000, followed by “Just Desserts” in September 2001 and “Secrets” in 2003.
In 1998 at the age of 31, Gordon set up his first wholly owned restaurant, Gordon Ramsay, on the former site of La Tante Claire in Chelsea. A year later he opened Pétrus with his protégé Marcus Wareing as Chef Patron, in St. James's. Within seven months it had won a Michelin star.
In June 2000, Ramsay won the Chef of the Year Award at the Cateys. His restaurant Gordon Ramsay was voted the Top Restaurant in the UK in the 2001 London Zagat Survey and was also named as the best Fine Dining Restaurant in the 2001 Harden's Guide. These ratings continued in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
On Jan. 19, 2001, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay gained its third Michelin star in the Michelin Red Guide Great Britain & Ireland.
In October 2001, Ramsay opened Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's, which gained a Michelin star in 2003.
At the beginning of October 2002, Gordon Ramsay Holdings Limited took over the food and beverage operation at The Connaught Hotel with Angela Hartnett at the helm. Her restaurant MENU won its first Michelin star in January 2004.
In 2003, Gordon Ramsay Holdings re-launched The Savoy Grill with Marcus Wareing. The restaurant achieved its first Michelin star in 2004. This was followed by the opening of Boxwood Café at The Berkeley. At the same time, the Michelin-starred Pétrus came from St. James's to join Boxwood Café at The Berkeley.
May 2004 saw Ramsay star in “Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares,” a series of four one-hour programs later awarded a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Award. The program was launched simultaneously with his recipe book “Kitchen Heaven.” Shortly after this, Ramsay was given two weeks to direct a group of celebrities toward Michelin-standard cooking in the ITV series “Hell’s Kitchen.”
2005 confirmed Ramsay as one of the UK's major television talents. A second season of “Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares” was followed by the very successful U.S. version of Hell’s Kitchen for FOX. November brought the debut of “The F Word,” a high-octane food show with cooking, food campaigns and celebrity guests. The action was set against the backdrop of a full working kitchen and over the course of the show Ramsay and his brigade prepared a three-course menu for diners.
May 2005 saw the release of Ramsay’s sixth book, “Gordon Ramsay Makes it Easy,” which includes a DVD with recipe demonstrations – a new concept in cookbook publishing. Gordon also launched his eighth restaurant, Maze, in London's Grosvenor Square with Jason Atherton. Winning instant acclaim and a host of awards, Maze showcases a flexible grazing menu focusing on French cuisine with Asian influences in an informal and relaxed environment.
In July 2005 Ramsay opened his first restaurant in Japan at The Conrad Tokyo, the city's newest luxury hotel, with Andrew Cook leading the kitchen brigade. The year was rounded off with the award to Ramsay of an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s New Year's Honours list.
In 2006, a third season of “Kitchen Nightmares” aired in the UK and Season Two of FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen ranked No. 1 in its time period among key demographics. In the UK, a second season of “The F Word” was screened in June, garnering strong ratings and accompanied by the publication “Gordon Ramsay's Sunday Lunch and Other Recipes from ‘The F Word.’” In May, a range of Gordon Ramsay tableware became available in partnership with Royal Doulton.
Ramsay’s eponymous restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, reopened in September 2006 following a major refurbishment. It retained its No. 1 position as the UK’s top gastronomic experience as rated in the 2007 Harden’s Guide. Ramsay’s autobiography, “Humble Pie,” was published in October 2006. Detailing an an honest account of his life in and out of the kitchen, the book topped many of the best-seller charts and is currently leading in its recently released paperback format.
In November Ramsay made his U.S. restaurant debut with the opening of Gordon Ramsay at The London, in The London NYC Hotel in New York. Formal dining takes cues from Restaurant Gordon Ramsay on Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea, whereas The London Bar offers a more casual dining and bar experience, modeled on the small-plates concept of Ramsay’s latest British restaurant, Maze.
2007 has been another eventful year, kick-started by the award of one Michelin star to La Noisette in Knightsbridge and a second star for Petrus in the Michelin Guide 2007. In March, Ramsay opened his first pub, The Narrow in London’s Limehouse. Located in a historic building on the banks of the River Thames, The Narrow serves classic British dishes in a relaxed environment. Gordon’s second pub, The Warrington, will open in Maida Vale later this year, following a major restoration and renovation. In his eighth cookbook, “Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food,” Ramsay shows readers how to prepare great-tasting, real fast food in less time than it would take to have a pizza delivered.
2008 will see many more exciting projects, including the launch of Gordon Ramsay at The London, West Hollywood, and the opening of a restaurant at the newly built Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport, London.
SCOTLAND