My semi-obsessive fixation with all things Ramsay (except for his incredibly stupid TV offerings, which actively destroy brain cells,) manifests itself this week with a front page story from the Wall Street Journal documenting his current financial difficulties.
As well-heeled diners went into hibernation, four of Mr. Ramsay’s high-profile restaurants — in Los Angeles, New York, Paris and Prague — “were starting to hemorrhage” cash last year, Mr. Ramsay said. He breached terms on £10.5 million, or $15.7 million, in loans that were partially backed by his personal fortune. An auditor recommended his company, Gordon Ramsay Holdings Ltd., file for bankruptcy. Mr. Ramsay sold his Ferrari and considered unloading his multimillion-dollar London home.
The humanity, having the growl of a Ferrari in your life then having it yanked away just because rich people don’t want to pay a couple hundred a pop to eat food with the fingerprints of some mouth breathing halfwit winner from Hells Kitchen all over it anymore. Tragic.
~KT
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Bill Burford did a peice back in 2007 in the New Yorker (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/04/02/070402fa_fact_buford) about how Ramsay was having issues with his New York venture (complete with Dale Mackay references) – and this was way before the Great Recession.
As Ramsay seeks to expand his empire, his public persona comes more and more into play and his reputation as a chef becomes less of importan. And, as Burford notes – there is a fundamental disconnnect between his asshole bufoonery with the discipline and restraint of his cooking.
Beyond all of that – his persona is so overblown and excessive, I think it imbues dining at his restaurants with a sort of dated greediness best left to Madoff and Russian Billionares.
good luck Araxis. A PR stunt gone wrong. Cut your losses now if youre smart.