Gordon Ramsay has been a household name for almost three decades. Beginning his career under the watchful eye of Marco Pierre White in the mid ’80s, Britain’s sweariest chef, 58, is probably best known for his frustrated outbursts on shows such as Hell’s Kitchen and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.
But away from TV, Gordon is a proud family man – sharing children Megan, 26, twins Jack and Holly, 25, and Tilly, 23, with his wife of 28 years, Tana, 50. In a later addition to their brood, the family welcomed sons Oscar, six, and one-year-old Jesse in recent years.
There’s another family that is incredibly important to Gordon – the Beckhams. He and David have been friends for 20 years, and their partners Victoria and Tana are pals –with their broods also incredibly close.
With daughter Tilly – who starred on the 19th series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 – following in Gordon’s footsteps by training at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, the chef tells us how his children are anything but nepo babies, and how his own mum kept him grounded…
What do you think of Tilly’s decision to train as a chef?
My family is like an army now – but, thankfully, Tilly is the first one who’s interested in cooking. She paid for herself – worked, saved the money, and has gone off to culinary school. I said goodbye and put her on the ferry and I thought, ‘F***, why didn’t she ask me to teach her? Is that my first big major f*** up?’ I can’t wait to ask that question – but it just goes to show how unspoilt my kids are. They’re individually following their own path and aren’t dependent on their parents. I think that’s a good call.
Were you annoyed that someone else is teaching her?
It does f*** me off from a chef’s point of view, that she’s getting taught to cook by someone other than Gordon Ramsay. Now, does that mean she thinks I’m s***? Does she think that three stars is not relevant today?
What about your other children?
Jack is in the Royal Marine Commandos. He didn’t ask to be born into a sort of famous family, and he’s doing as I did – he’s grafting, fending for himself, becoming independent, and not relying on his parents. He’s got everything. I think the beginning salary for a Royal Marine Commander today is around £17,549 – and the course is brutal, but his passing out parade and the Green Beret mean something to him. I tell the kids that all the time – you’ll appreciate it more if you’re not handed it on a plate.
Are you motivated by money?
No, and the kids don’t ask for it. They’ve all crafted their own careers, which is great from a parent’s point of view. We’ve done exceptionally well – we even went back for two more kids!
What were you like as a child?
I was energetic, boisterous and competitive – but not really a handful. I was grateful.
Do your views on hard work come from your own childhood?
I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth – we had no f***ing silver in the house! I grew up in a council estate, and got the p*** taken out of me when I had to queue up for dinner tickets and lunch vouchers. We were labelled, and it felt like it’s a stamp on your character, so you want to work to get out of that s*** mess. And that’s what I did. You’ve got to be smart, but not forget where you came from.
You’ve said that your mum was your inspiration…
Growing up and watching mum juggle three jobs, seeing her work ethic… she instilled those values of graft and determination. My mum is my mentor. She worked incredibly hard, and was also dealing with four kids. I learned a lot just from watching that.
Have you ever repaid her?
Mum protected me and got me where I needed to go – so my payback to her was getting her out of her council block and buying her very own first amazing house, her own garden. I think it took her 12 attempts to pass her f***ing driving test, but we got her a little Mini Cooper when she did. My values were instilled by my mother.
Does that perfectionism affect your home life?
I will make sausage and mash with baked beans, but make it look like a f***ing three-star Michelin sausage, mash and baked beans. I’ll put the beans on one at a time, make mashed potatoes like Robuchon did with 70% butter. And then Tana will kick me up the a*** and say, ‘What in the f*** are you doing? Our son is five years of age, and you’re messing around with baked beans!’ So yeah, I get a little bit carried away sometimes.
Your friend David Beckham has retired to the Cotswolds. Could you follow suit?
What in the f*** would I do, retiring in the countryside? Looking all buffed up in Barbour wear and f***ing Wellingtons and a stick. Come on! At 58, I’d be the biggest pain in the a*** to everyone if I retire. I’m in control, and I wake up in the morning with something I’ve always wanted to do. So I’ve decided that I’d like to learn how to skydive!
