The Formula That Leads to Wild Success- Part 7: Gordon Ramsay
People who back their ideas and opportunities with hard work, a positive attitude and faith are very successful. They’re the individuals we look up to and admire in society. They follow the unofficial winning formula of humanity, which they put into practice each day.
They have maximized their talent by believing in themselves, having the audacity to put themselves in the spotlight and outworking everyone while never, ever giving up. We choose people like these as role models to look up to and to inspire us. They serve as a baseline- a standard of greatness- for us to study and measure ourselves against.
Today is the seventh profile in my series on individuals, who in their own unique way, followed this formula to overwhelming success. Over the course of the next few weeks, I will showcase three more individuals who have shattered the limits of what many thought was possible- to re-define greatness.
Today, I discuss the abrasive, polarizing yet gifted, Gordon Ramsay and, provide you with nuggets of wisdom from his remarkable rise to the top of the cooking profession. You can read Part 1 on Michael Jordan here, Part 2 on Oprah Winfrey here, Part 3 on Elon Musk here, Part 4 on Martin Luther King Jr. here, Part 5 on Misty Copeland here and Part 6 on J.K. Rowling here. Enjoy!
The Man Behind the Bluster
When we think of world-renowned chef, Gordon Ramsay, like the above picture, we tend to see things in black and white. Some of us visualize the cringe-worthy moments, courtesy of one of his famous outbursts on shows like Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares. Others see a risk-taking, courageous and relentless businessman; one who has taken a passion for his craft, fused it with hard work and reached heights in his profession that no one previously has.
The portrayal of Ramsay, as a villain, in addition to his representation as a titan in the cooking and entertainment world, are by no means mutually exclusive. Quite the contrary.
To discuss Gordon Ramsay, we must view him as a man whose passion and excitability have made him a star, while understanding that his name is also synonymous with antipathy. Not just adoration.
I chose to profile Gordon Ramsay due to the diversity of his pursuits, his remarkable work ethic- which has led to his fabulous successes- but also because of his status as the man everyone loves to hate. Ramsay’s personality is bold and refreshing, yet it can also be downright crude. Success does not have to equal being liked. Ramsay is the living representation of a wildly successful man who is disliked by many.
Gordon Ramsay is often referred to as the bête noire of the cooking world for a reason.
It could be that he’s a jerk. He certainly can be. Some of his staff and participants on his reality TV shows would agree. Then again, his wife, children and those close to him would certainly disagree. But it could also be that he’s accomplished extraordinary things as a chef.
He built his own media and cooking empire from scratch. Ramsay is the quintessential “rags to riches” tale of a self-made man who believed in himself and has never stopped working toward his dreams.
An Attitude for the Ages
I literally debated for several hours, struggling on whether I should choose Ramsay, largely because of one component of the formula: positive attitude. I started to question my own definition of what comprises a positive attitude. A positive attitude does not have to equal kindness. A positive attitude is best exemplified by treating others with dignity and respect.
Yet, a positive attitude also means believing fervently- with all of your inner core- in yourself and your dreams. A positive attitude means pressing on persistently in the face of adversity and temporary setbacks. A positive attitude bats away fear, yet also refuses to rest on its laurels, knowing that something bigger- something grander- is always on the horizon.
Ramsay’s belief in his capabilities and his upbeat, optimistic view toward achieving success in his business ventures is unmatched.
Hard work. Opportunity. Persistence. These are the three words that I think of when I analyze and make sense of the remarkably successful career Gordon Ramsay has carved out for himself. Love him or hate him, Ramsay has done things on his terms and achieved goals beyond many of our wildest dreams.
“Put your head down and work hard. Never wait for things to happen, make them happen for yourself through hard graft and not giving up.” — Gordon Ramsay
Starting Out
To know Gordon Ramsay’s ascent to becoming one of the most successful people in the world, is to understand his upbringing. Ramsay was born in Scotland, yet grew up in various towns in England and Scotland, moving around over 15 different times as a young boy.
His father, an extremely abusive, alcoholic, drove the family crazy with his wild ambitions and volatile behavior. Ramsay describes the situation:
“There were instances when the police were called to take him (his father) away; Mum was taken to the hospital while we kids were taken to a children’s home.”
Ramsay has discussed, sarcastically, how his father taught him how to swim. Of course, that involved viciously, “holding his head underwater for minutes on end.” After a difficult childhood filled with abuse and neglect, Ramsay knew he had to escape poverty and blaze his own trail. He left home at age 16.
Ramsay was a talented football player who drew the attention of Scottish powerhouse, Rangers F.C., playing with them as a “trialist” when he was 18. Ramsay’s number one love was football and it was on the pitch that he developed and cultivated his famously competitive desire.
However, Ramsay’s career as a professional footballer was not meant to be. He first smashed cartilage in his knee during training, then tore the cruciate ligament in the same knee. Just like that, his dreams of playing professional football were over.
But the lessons Ramsay took from playing football, the fierce competition, work ethic and camaraderie, were lessons that would stay with him for a lifetime.
To the Top of the Cooking World
“If you want to become a great chef, you have to work with great chefs. And that’s exactly what I did.” — Gordon Ramsay
Following his short-lived football career, the Scotsman ventured after his other love: cooking. Starting in London, then moving to Paris, he surrounded himself with the best chefs in the cooking profession. He had a burning desire to learn what it meant to be the best.
Ramsay arrived in Paris in the late 80's to work with Guy Savoy, a highly-regarded chef whose restaurant had earned the prestigious Michelin star.
Savoy became Ramsay’s mentor and taught him how to run an elite restaurant. There, Ramsay realized he wanted to become head chef at a top restaurant and start his own business. Ramsay made bold moves in subsequent years, eventually moving back to London, taking on head chef responsibilities at Le Tante Claire.
From there, he took over a restaurant, later renamed Aubergine, that earned its first Michelin star only 14 months later. The following year, Ramsay was finally ready to strike it out on his own. He opened Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, which only three years later, earned the highly-coveted, elite three-start designation from Michelin.
Ramsay’s career significantly took off from there. TV shows, top restaurant awards from Zagat, even the appointment of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. Ramsay made the transition from chef to media superstar. In 2013 Ramsay was inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame.
Accolades and The Final Analysis
“I go into every restaurant, every program, as if it’s the first day. And I give 110%. Because it’s not that money that turns me on. I find that side slightly embarrassing. It’s wonderful and it’s nice, but it doesn’t make you a better chef.” — Gordon Ramsay
Forbes has listed him as the 21st highest earning celebrity in the world.
Also per Forbes:
“As the producer and star of three hit shows on Fox–Hell’s Kitchen, MasterChef and MasterChef Junior–Ramsay has managed to parlay his chops at the stove to chops in front of the camera. These shows pull in high ratings week after week… and afford Ramsay a salary of over $400,000 an episode (with 51 episodes a year, that is a big payout).”
The foul-mouthed, impassioned cook has built an empire. He is the richest celebrity chef of all-time. Want to question his tactics? Surely, do so. But the results are unquestioned. He is the owner of four Michelin-star restaurants and his presence is ubiquitous on reality television.
Between all of his television work and work in the kitchen, it’s remarkable that Ramsay finds any time to spend with his wife and four children. Yet by all accounts, he’s a loving and devoted family man who cares deeply for his children.
Gordon Ramsay imagined building a restaurant empire, promoting his brand and creating a world that no chef had ever done before. He’s done an extraordinary job at sustaining his success by remaining the mastermind behind his business ventures and continuing to evolve his signature brand.
“The fundamental crux of a successful chef is being true to what you do.” — Gordon Ramsay
More than anything else, my greatest takeaways from the life of Gordon Ramsay are to be true to yourself and to work hard for what you believe in. For God’s sake, be true to yourself! In the time you have here on Earth, when possible, carve out time each day to do what you love.
Enlist your talents to make the lives of people better. The world will reward you for it. As the great Steve Jobs once said, “ Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” As Gordon Ramsay would tell you:
“The secret of my success is that I take nothing for granted.”
Please stay tuned for Part 8 in my series on Tuesday. In the meantime, if you enjoyed reading this, please be so kind as to hit the green heart, and let me know what you have to say! If you’re really feeling lucky, please consider following me here on Medium! Thank you so very kindly for reading.
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