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348th out of 469 books
—
977 voters
Roasting in Hell's Kitchen: Temper Tantrums, F Words, and the Pursuit of Perfection
Everyone thinks they know the real Gordon Ramsay: rude, loud, pathologically driven, stubborn as hell.
Now, for the first time, the world's most famous--and infamous--chef tells the inside story of his life: his difficult childhood, his father's alcoholism and violence, his brother's heroin addiction, his short-circuited soccer career, and his fanatical pursuit of gastronom...more
Now, for the first time, the world's most famous--and infamous--chef tells the inside story of his life: his difficult childhood, his father's alcoholism and violence, his brother's heroin addiction, his short-circuited soccer career, and his fanatical pursuit of gastronom...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
March 13th 2007
by William Morrow Paperbacks
(first published November 7th 2006)
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you can probably read this book in an hour. its fine, its not life-changing, but it at least got me off of my biography-month-is-destroying-my-love-for-people-i-love jag. gordon ramsay is what he is: he makes food, he says "fuck" a lot, he wants people to cook more and appreciate food more in their own kitchens, and if you work for him, he will probably bust your balls a lot. end of book. its mostly quick because its written exactly as he talks, which is fast and peppered with delightful british...more
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Gordon Ramsay is one of the most fascinating celebrities in existence and has demonstrated his great charisma, talent, and expertise several times over on his hit television shows Kitchen Nightmaresand Hell's Kitchen. Ramsay's autobiography, Roasting in Hell's Kitchen, is worth the read regardless whether you're a fan of his or not because reading of his achievements is tremendously empowering and motivating. You can't help but have magnified respect for Gordon Ramsay after reading this book.
Roa...more
Roa...more
http://sosaysthewhale.wordpress.com/2...
In a world where celebrity crushes tend to be leading actresses & rockstars, mine are chefs. Bobby Flay & Gordon Ramsay are my favorites, much to the dismay of my boyfriend.
I work in a bookstore and one of the wonderful perks of working there is that I'm able to borrow anything that catches my eye. When I saw Gordon Ramsay's autobiography one day, I immediately pounced on it and knew I needed to read it.
Anyone familiar with Gordon's television show...more
In a world where celebrity crushes tend to be leading actresses & rockstars, mine are chefs. Bobby Flay & Gordon Ramsay are my favorites, much to the dismay of my boyfriend.
I work in a bookstore and one of the wonderful perks of working there is that I'm able to borrow anything that catches my eye. When I saw Gordon Ramsay's autobiography one day, I immediately pounced on it and knew I needed to read it.
Anyone familiar with Gordon's television show...more
okay I have to admit I've never seen a single episode of Hell's Kitchen or Kitchen Nightmares or anything else involving Gordon Ramsay. I was too focused on Anthony Bourdain...so I picked this up to find out how these two potty-mouthed chefs differ from each other in their backgrounds, views on cooking, and life in general.
I don't know if I'd read this again but wow, I learned a lot. Even if you despise the guy (I have no idea why you would but apparently lots of people do) give it a try. It's a...more
I don't know if I'd read this again but wow, I learned a lot. Even if you despise the guy (I have no idea why you would but apparently lots of people do) give it a try. It's a...more
A very in depth look at the iconic cook that we all know and love to hate from 'Hell's Kitchen' and 'Kitchen Nightmares'.
I walk away from this book with a renewed respect for Gordon Ramsay. It was surprising to me to find out that he came from such meager beginnings, and rough family life. Ramsay worked his way from the very bottom to where he is now. Ramsay is a story of someone that actually goes from rags to riches, but works his bum off to get there.
From the very beginning of the book, it's...more
I walk away from this book with a renewed respect for Gordon Ramsay. It was surprising to me to find out that he came from such meager beginnings, and rough family life. Ramsay worked his way from the very bottom to where he is now. Ramsay is a story of someone that actually goes from rags to riches, but works his bum off to get there.
From the very beginning of the book, it's...more
Gordon Ramsay made people look at culinary arts in a totally different light. This career took on a more "manly" persona, but why? What was it about Gordon's views that made this career as ruthless and difficult as it appeared on "Hell's Kitchen"? Is the career truly so tough, or is it all about ratings?
When I purchased this book, I thought I'd get the "dirt" on Ramsay's life. That good-looking tough ex-soccer player had to have an interesting story, and interesting it was. Ramsey didn't lead t...more
When I purchased this book, I thought I'd get the "dirt" on Ramsay's life. That good-looking tough ex-soccer player had to have an interesting story, and interesting it was. Ramsey didn't lead t...more
A speedy and quick but feisty and all encompassing read from my favorite celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay. A great read for fans, home cooks and wanna-be chefs alike; he talks like a person not a professional chef, making it an easy read for any of the above. He got down and dirty about his rocky childhood, the hatred he had for his father, and his junkie brother. He talks about having his go at football before settling into cookery school and the journey that took him all the way to where he is to...more
Celebrity autobiographies are always a mixed bag. They're equal parts self-promotion and self-medication more often than not. But sometimes they're revealing in ways they don't intend, and occasionally the author (or, frequently, the ghost writer) is pleasant to read.
So let's take it in reverse order.
The writing is not objectionable. There is an over-reliance on the simple declarative sentence. I'm not sure if that is pandering to the perceived audience or if it is a style choice/author ability...more
So let's take it in reverse order.
The writing is not objectionable. There is an over-reliance on the simple declarative sentence. I'm not sure if that is pandering to the perceived audience or if it is a style choice/author ability...more
I admit to having a bot of a celebrity crush on Gordon Ramsay. I've always loved his 'brutish' no-nonsense way of running his kitchens, as it's depicted on TV. When I saw this autobiography I though it would be a great opportunity to see how much of the bravada we see on screen is real and what is not. Reading this book showed me that, at the end of the day, Gordon Ramsay is really just like you and me. I never knew the tough life he had growing up and how he quite literally clawed his way to th...more
Eh. I am a big Gordon Ramsay fan (v much like Kitchen Nightmares), but the book was kind of a dull/needed editing. I mean, what do I expect? It seems like he wrote it, so it's written fine but not awesome. When will I realize this is the case with celeb memoirs?
I think I just wanted some more personal details and less cooking triumph boring ins and outs of restaurant industry. Also I would have liked it to have been straight chronological, whereas it starts that way and then jumps around manical...more
I think I just wanted some more personal details and less cooking triumph boring ins and outs of restaurant industry. Also I would have liked it to have been straight chronological, whereas it starts that way and then jumps around manical...more
Anyone who knows Ramsay only from Hell's Kitchen commercials will be very surprised at the person that is found in this text. Rather than being a simple (and rather crude) person, Ramsay's lived quite a life and given up a lot for the simple goal of becoming very good at cookery. His book gives a great deal of background of the making of the person of today, from his loves to his family issues. You never get the impression that he's hiding anything, and his stories are well-chosen and often high...more
This book had an interesting set up in that each chapter was on one aspect of his life and how that changed over the whole time. So, it was a timeline lateral movement. He first talked about his Father and growing up, then moved to sports, football, then how he learned to cook, and the growth of his career. In the book he doesn't talk about his own family really except in how it relates to his childhood family and his career. It was an ok book to read, but I feel like so much has changed for Ram...more
This is a quick read book. I read it in a day. I really liked the book. Gordon Ramsay does a lot of name dropping (went over my head). I'm not familiar with all those British chefs. I liked the pictures that he shared of himself & his family. Of course Ramsay comes from a dysfunctional/broken family. Don't we all? I enjoyed reading on how he became a success story. I think he's much more enjoyable on Hell's Kitchen. TMI alert, didn't need to know about his & his wife's fertility problems...more
This fast read was not nearly as good as Anthony Bourdain's books but better than Marco Pierre White's book. Anthony Bourdain comes across as a smartass that knows food and would be fun to hang out with. Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay are so full of themselves that it gets boring reading about all of their accomplishments. It was also hard to keep up with all of the people Gordon Ramsay has F'd over or who he thinks have F'd him over. He is much more entertaining to watch on television act...more
let me start by saying that i love love love Chef Ramsay! i watch Hell's Kitchen, Master Chef and Kitchen Nightmares. He awakened my passion for cooking.
But he's a chef, and i wasn't expecting too much from his book. Boy was i in for something!
i was totally fascinated by this book. he seems like such a jerk on tv (but ive heard that his students love him!) and it was interesting to read why he is the way he is and how he came to be that way.
this is the story of his insanely bad childhood, how he...more
But he's a chef, and i wasn't expecting too much from his book. Boy was i in for something!
i was totally fascinated by this book. he seems like such a jerk on tv (but ive heard that his students love him!) and it was interesting to read why he is the way he is and how he came to be that way.
this is the story of his insanely bad childhood, how he...more
Anyone who enjoys the Hell's Kitchen series will enjoy this book. Surprisingly, Ramsay admits that he has some problems with his mouth! Sheesh, do ya think? lol After perusing this bio, you'll come away with a completely different respect for those who endeavour to take up the Chef profession and it is by far a hell of a ride. You'll also have a deeper understanding and respect for what goes on in the kitchens of the world you visit. To you, you order an item off the menu and bam! it's put on th...more
Dec 14, 2007
Xysea
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Gordon Ramsay fans
Shelves:
autobiorgraphy
This was a marvellously entertaining and fast-paced version of Gordon Ramsay's life and work, from his own perspective.
Now, as a matter of course. I checked out a biography written about him by someone else for comparison's sake. I found both stories remarkably similar, for the most part, so I think Gordon's pretty good about talking about himself. (And I don't mean that in an egotistical way; he goes on in the book about deploring liars - something he & I share as a character trait - so it'...more
Now, as a matter of course. I checked out a biography written about him by someone else for comparison's sake. I found both stories remarkably similar, for the most part, so I think Gordon's pretty good about talking about himself. (And I don't mean that in an egotistical way; he goes on in the book about deploring liars - something he & I share as a character trait - so it'...more
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/5...
Having read Hell’s Kitchen I now feel that I understand Gordon Ramsay’s personality a little better. His fanatical pursuit of perfection seems to be as a result of his difficult childhood. However I wonder if his constant use of the f word is entirely necessary as all it really shows is lack of vocabulary. This makes me feel that maybe nowadays he continues to use it for effect in print and on the small screen.
He is obviously very passionate about his rest...more
Having read Hell’s Kitchen I now feel that I understand Gordon Ramsay’s personality a little better. His fanatical pursuit of perfection seems to be as a result of his difficult childhood. However I wonder if his constant use of the f word is entirely necessary as all it really shows is lack of vocabulary. This makes me feel that maybe nowadays he continues to use it for effect in print and on the small screen.
He is obviously very passionate about his rest...more
Two important clarifications:
1) This is an autobiography, not an inside look at the various tv shows of which you might be a fan. I wasn't necessarily looking for the insider's view, but was disappointed how little the topic was discussed.
2) Have your UK slang dictionary handy if you are an American. I read through the whole book without looking up "pig's trotters." Turned out to be an oversight, on my part, which greatly impacted my interpretation of many passages.
1) This is an autobiography, not an inside look at the various tv shows of which you might be a fan. I wasn't necessarily looking for the insider's view, but was disappointed how little the topic was discussed.
2) Have your UK slang dictionary handy if you are an American. I read through the whole book without looking up "pig's trotters." Turned out to be an oversight, on my part, which greatly impacted my interpretation of many passages.
Great look at the life of Gordon Ramsay. I have new found respect for him. True rags to riches story through hardwork. I couldn't believe his childhood story. Very fast read that is a page turner. He is cocky, but seems to understand that he is. Anyone who loves any of his shows will love this read. Two things to consider going in, his language and his language. He swears and some of his references are English slang, but easy to get the idea.
Oh, I LOVE Gordan Ramsey! He is so full of passion for cooking and his story is one you have to read. I certainly learned a lot about this man. He is not some spoiled little brat getting all the breaks in life. He has worked for everything he has. It is such a fascinating read, sad too sometimes. But I loved it! A lot of it I could personally relate to. It explains so much about why he is the way he is! oh, did I say I love Gordan Ramsey?
Really great autobiographical book that gives you a totally different perspective of Gordon Ramsay. Those who have seen Hell's Kitchen and thought Ramsay is an ass haven't seen Kitchen Nightmares. Those who still don't think he's a good guy haven't seen the F Word. If you're finally a fan, it is a terrific read that gives insight into why his work ethic is what it is, and gives a very frank look at his take on family and career.
I'm not much into cooking but I like Hell's Kitchen. This was an interesting book to read because it was a chance to get to know Gordon Ramsay ... and it should indeed change your perception about him. He writes as he speaks ... lots of "F" words.
Definitely a book to check out!
Blog review: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2007/06...
Definitely a book to check out!
Blog review: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2007/06...
The positive? Very much captured Gordon Ramsay's voice. The negative? It focused too much on Gordon Ramsay the man and too little on Gordon Ramsay the chef. I was hoping for something closer to Kitchen Confidential and got a more traditional memoir of family dysfunction, failures, and successes. I would have liked to see more about the what, why, and how of the food that made Gordon Ramsay famous.
After watching all of Gordon's TV shows it was interesting to hear more about his life. Obviously has father issues. It made me want to meet his wife who must be a strong person to hold his family together as he works 24/7. It confirmed my impression that family is really important to him and his kids especially. The writing is plain.
This book gave me a spanpshot of Ramsay. With most biographies and autobiographies, I like to feel like I spent a long time with the subject....kind of like having a big meal with them or spending the day with them. In this book, I felt more like I had a quick cup of coffee with him. I enjoyed it, but was left wanting to know more.
I'll admit that I'm a Gordon Ramsay junkie. I love his shows, his work, and his food. My main issue is this: I hold every chef-come-writer to one gold standard. Tony Bourdain.
Tony can write. Lord, can that man write.
This book felt like one large summary. Meh. 4 stars for Ramsay. 1 for the writing. 2 it is.
Tony can write. Lord, can that man write.
This book felt like one large summary. Meh. 4 stars for Ramsay. 1 for the writing. 2 it is.
Other than the fact that Gordon Ramsay swears too much, and this book is no exception, I come away with a new respect for him for what he has been through. If you want a closer, more intimate look at what drives the man behind Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, and Master Chef, this book is for you.
Brutally honest and informal, Ramsay's autobiography is very entertaining. It's a good read, you learn about his great highs and his often horrific lows. The material about his abusive father and heroin-addicted brother are especially heartbreaking. There's a bit of dragging as he goes through all of the places he worked at to learn more and more about cuisine (he's worked at a LOT of places), but it's all important information and helps you understand him better. Recommended for Ramsay fans and...more
somewhat interesting biography. Why is it that every chef comes from a horrible background? Does it take being physically and mentally abused to be a great chef? If every biography I read is an indication, no wonder I am not a great chef. Parts of his family life were downright boring.
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Gordon James Ramsay, OBE, is a British chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded a total of 16 Michelin Stars, and in 2001 became one of only three chefs in the United Kingdom to hold three Michelin stars at one time. Ramsay currently ranks 3rd in the world in terms of Michelin Stars behind Joël Robuchon and Alain Ducasse.
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