Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Gordon Ramsay

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Gordon Ramsay.

Gordon Ramsay is a highly acclaimed British chef, restaurateur, television personality, and writer. He founded Gordon Ramsay Restaurants in 1997, which has earned 17 Michelin stars, with eight currently held. His flagship restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London, has maintained three Michelin stars since 2001. Ramsay gained prominence through the British television series Boiling Point in 1999, establishing himself as a globally recognized and influential chef.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1997: Ramsay judges catering students

In 1997, Gordon Ramsay appeared as a judge on a MasterChef-like series for young catering students, where he was seen bullying a contestant.

2003: Ramsay lies to vegetarians about soup

In 2003, when asked for his most recent lie, Gordon Ramsay said he lied "To a table of vegetarians who had artichoke soup. I told them it was made with vegetable stock when it was chicken stock."

2005: Ramsay offers ham pizza to vegetarian

In 2005, on the second series of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon Ramsay offered pizza to a vegetarian and said it was vegetarian. After he took a bite, Ramsay said that it contained ham.

June 2006: Ramsay wins High Court case

In June 2006, Ramsay won a High Court case against the London Evening Standard newspaper, which had alleged that scenes and the general condition of Bonaparte's had been faked for Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares; he was awarded £75,000 plus costs.

June 2007: Lawsuit by terminated general manager

In June 2007, Gordon Ramsay's show was sued by Martin Hyde, the terminated general manager of the New York restaurant Purnima (Dillon's), who alleged fakery in Kitchen Nightmares.

August 2007: Lawsuit Dismissed

In August 2007, the lawsuit filed against Gordon Ramsay's show regarding the restaurant Purnima was voluntarily dismissed and ordered into arbitration as stipulated in their contract.

2007: Ramsay jokes about electrocuting vegetarian children

In a 2007 interview, Gordon Ramsay joked, "My biggest nightmare would be if the kids ever came up to me and said 'Dad, I'm a vegetarian.' Then I would sit them on the fence and electrocute them."

2008: Ramsay and Wareing fall out; Wareing keeps Pétrus

In 2008, Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing fell out. Wareing kept the restaurant premises and Michelin stars of Pétrus, while Ramsay retained rights to the name.

April 2009: Foxtrot Oscar uses pre-prepared food

On 17 April 2009, it was revealed that one of Ramsay's restaurants, Foxtrot Oscar in London's Chelsea area, used pre-prepared food that was heated up and sold with mark-ups of up to 586%.

June 2009: Insults exchanged with Tracy Grimshaw

On 5 June 2009, Gordon Ramsay began trading insults with Australian A Current Affair journalist Tracy Grimshaw, which led to an apology from Ramsay.

October 2010: Start of computer system hacking

Between 23 October 2010 and 31 March 2011, Chris Hutcheson and his sons accessed Gordon Ramsay's company systems almost 2,000 times.

2010: Ramsay defends use of pre-prepared food

In 2010, reflecting on the Foxtrot Oscar controversy, Ramsay was unapologetic about using pre-prepared food, citing it as standard practice.

March 2011: End of computer system hacking

Between 23 October 2010 and 31 March 2011, Chris Hutcheson and his sons accessed Gordon Ramsay's company systems almost 2,000 times.

March 2012: Ramsay files lawsuit against Laurier Gordon Ramsay

On 21 March 2012, Gordon Ramsay filed a $2.7 million lawsuit against his former partners of his restaurant in Montreal, Quebec, the Laurier Gordon Ramsay (since renamed The Laurier 1936), over lost licensing fees and defamatory statements made against him.

2013: Inclusion in "The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time"

In 2013, TV Guide included Gordon Ramsay in their list of "The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time."

January 2014: High court case loss

In January 2014, Gordon Ramsay lost a high court case regarding the York & Albany pub, where he claimed his father-in-law misused a "ghost writing" machine to make him a personal guarantor for the £640,000 annual rent. The judge dismissed the case and ordered Ramsay to pay all legal costs and outstanding monies.

2016: Ramsay jokes about vegans on Twitter

In 2016, Gordon Ramsay joked on Twitter that he was allergic to "Vegans," clarifying it was a joke and that he meant "vegetarians."

June 2017: Chris Hutcheson jailed for hacking

On 7 June 2017, Gordon Ramsay's former father-in-law, Chris Hutcheson, was jailed for six months for conspiring to hack a computer system relating to the Ramsays' business interests.

March 2020: Ramsay lays off staff due to COVID-19

On 24 March 2020, Gordon Ramsay laid off more than 500 staff in the UK after several of his restaurants temporarily closed due to COVID-19 lockdowns, drawing criticism despite his high net income.

March 2022: Controversial remark about Cornwall

On 23 March 2022, in an interview for BBC Radio 2, Gordon Ramsay made a controversial remark stating, "Trust me I absolutely love Cornwall, it's just the Cornish I can't stand." This was later clarified as a tongue-in-cheek statement by his spokesman.

May 2022: Legal battle with former business partner ends

In May 2022, a New York Superior Court judge ruled that Gordon Ramsay should be paid $4.5 million (£3.6 million) in damages and court fee coverage, ending an eight-year legal battle between Gordon Ramsay and his former business partner at The Fat Cow Gordon Ramsay restaurant in Los Angeles, Rowan Seibel.