This biography is exactly what you would expect from Mr. Ramsay: brash, honest and self-promoting. He starts off with an account of his childhood - a poor and roaming existence hampered by an alcoholic, undependable father. These events provide him with the drive to succeed in life and, after a brief attempt at professional soccer, Ramsay begins his quest to become a chef. Unable to accept any standard but the very best, he goes from job to job in various restaurants at the lowest positions as long as it provides him the chance to learn from the best. Overworked and underpaid, Ramsay learns the basics of his craft under some of the most tyrannical chefs in the business. This teaches him discipline and persistence which eventually starts to pan out for him. Fast forward a bit and you find Ramsay starting his own restaurants with a high degree of success. Although there are some interesting and unexpected chapters in the book - such as the one recounting Ramsay's brother's heroin addiction, the biography sticks to a familiar "... and then I did this and then I did that..." routine. No doubt Mr. Ramsay is a very driven individual, but it doesn't always make the most interesting reading. Furthermore, since I primarily watch him on "Kitchen Nightmares", I am not clear on many of the dishes that he describes in the text -they are basically over my head. His brashness is what saves the biography from becoming tedious - namely his comments on different aspects of his life and the people from his past. If you enjoy watching Mr. Ramsay on TV, I think you will get some pleasure from reading this rather fast biography on a very colourful character.

I found this book to be alright, it gives a lot of insight into why Gordon Ramsay is the person he is. I gained a whole new perspective into his life and a new respect for him. The writing itself isn't the best of course, because Ramsay isn't a writer, but if you can get past that, it's an informative autobiography.

Written in a no-holds-barred, uncompromising style, Gordon Ramsay tells his story in depth, candidly, and unusual for any autobiography, details the good and the bad, including those lurid parts of any successful man's life that one would rather forget, or at least avoid. You get it all in this book which makes the book valuable. Detailing the incredible hard work and long hours that is a common foundation stone to a self-made man, you also get an accurate feel for what is involved in running a restaurant, then restaurants, in today;s world. It is a story of struggle against odds, personal demons, social pressure, and the competitive world of haute cuisine and its objective, uncompromising standards.

A Ramsay Bio written by the man himself- this book has fairly quick pacing, a lot of quick wit, & even some life lessons he's learned along the way. Pretty much just the nuts & bolts of his rise to fame, pretty short chapter lengths & rather generalised detail. A good read nontheless.

Written in the same style as his verbal directness and demeanour that outlines his incredibly hellish rise to the top of the culinary world. Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and Hell's Kitchen TV series take on new meaning after reading his autobiography. His unswerving desire for perfection as a chef, through his incredible hardwork, discipline and no compromises attitude that the customers come first, has led him through personal and professional challenges that would reduce most others to a blubbering mess (and often do). His ultimate triumphs and successes on the world culinary stage as one of the world's best chefs is made all the more admirable when one reads his history.....and a history that as he states is just going to keep going and going due to his never ending drive. But he has compassion after all of it, more than was shown him at many stages of his life and his willingness to help others succeed as evidenced in his GREAT TV series even though he has to be often brutally honest with people to break through our all too human layers of delusions fed by egos that obscure the reality of a situation, raises him even further in my esteem....Ramsay is a a pheonix like GOD......having soared above a horrendous start in life thanks to his father. A great read from a great chef and a great person. Sure the swearing is a bit much but he is the first to acknowledge it (but when you're dealing with as many "donkeys" as he has it is obviously frustrating).

This book gives some insight into what makes Gordon Ramsay, Gordon Ramsay. This book will hook you in, it's tough to put down.