3 Lessons From Gordon Ramsay That Explain Why He’s So Successful

He’s always three steps ahead.

It’s no surprise that Gordon Ramsay is one of the most successful chefs of all time. He owns around thirty critically acclaimed restaurants around the world, has had many successful shows on Food Network (i.e. Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen), and he has his own self-titled YouTube channel that has amassed over 15 million followers.

He may not be a billionaire, but it would be atrocious not to take his advice as someone with over 20+ years invested in the cooking industry. So let’s get into it.

Here are three lessons that Gordon Ramsay has followed throughout his culinary career that have made him one of the best chefs of all time.

1. Have The Utmost Respect For The People Who Buy Your Product

If you’ve watched any of Gordon Ramsay’s shows on Food Network, you instantly see how much respect he has for customers. In Kitchen Nightmares, a show where he helps failing restaurants get back on their feet, he curses out any owner who either A. sends shitty food and knows it’s shitty or B. is being disrespectful to their customers.

Just look at how much of a dick he is on Hell’s Kitchen. He has zero tolerance for his chefs serving food that isn’t perfect. If the food is even slightly overcooked, he gets defensive of his customers and tells them to “fuck off” and restart it. If your dish gets sent back by a customer, your heart will stop.

Customers are the backbone of anything you do. Whether you want to sell paintings, lemonade, or you’re just singing on the street with a hat people can drop money in, you’re providing a service that you want people to love.

As a business person, you don’t just love your customers, but you get defensive if you feel like anyone is trying to fuck them over.

How to implement this in your own life:

Assume every customer is a nice customer until proven otherwise.

I’ve dealt with my fair share of bad customers tearing tickets at a movie theater. By far, most of them were nice. But the ones that called me a bitch and yelled in my face were the ones that stuck with me the most. So I had a confirmation bias that every customer was horrible and that’s how I treated them.

Never assume the worst in people. All it does is bring out the worst in you. Allow customers to prove themselves to you rather than shutting down at first glance.

2. Always Be Three Steps Ahead

“I don’t like looking back. I’m always constantly looking forward. I’m not the one to sort of sit and cry over spilled milk. I’m too busy looking for the next cow.” — Gordon Ramsay

You can’t get over how ahead of the curve this guy is as a chef. During this pandemic, he’s probably made more from his YouTube channels than James Charles. How?

I still watch Food Network, but not nearly as much as I used to. There are still some great programs on there, but the media has moved away from television in general. This man joined Youtube in 2006 for God’s sake! Before people even knew it was profitable to post videos online.

He’s able to see the potential in any business and capitalize quickly. While other chefs are still trying to make it on Food Network, Gordon Ramsay stays relevant because he knows which platforms will blow up and takes his business there.

Fun Fact: He has TikTok.

How to implement this in your daily life:

Take a lesson out of Warren Buffets' arsenal and be aggressively patient.

The best way to spot a platform with potential is to see how much money investors are putting into it. When people are investing 6 million dollars in Substack, that shows that the platform has potential. That doesn’t mean there’s no way it could shut down in the future, but it can be a game-changing platform that millions of people will flock to.

You don’t have to be smart to invest, you just have to have an open mind for potential. Once you get to that platform early, you’ll have a competitive advantage over everyone who caught on late and needs to build their following.

Investing your time on a platform can give you a greater R.O.I. over a shorter period of time than an index fund.

3. Do Different Activities to Have Fun at You’re Craft

Gordon Ramsay isn’t just a chef.

He originally wanted to pursue a career in soccer, but couldn’t due to an injury. He dabbles likes to participate in ironman marathons which are very endurance heavy triathlons. Not to mention he has five kids to take care of.

Fun fact: He barely cooks at home.

I mean, could you imagine running three plus shows on Food Network, doing massive charity events, and looking after your own restaurants scattered around the world?

Gordon Ramsay probably has seen more food in his life than we’ll see for four lifetimes. Working hard at your craft is crucial, but it’s essential to enjoy your hobbies to maintain your passion and sanity.

How to implement this in your daily life:

What do you enjoy doing on the side?

To be honest, most people figure out their hobbies before they figure out their real passion. Something as simple as watching anime can be a hobby. Heck, going to the gym can be a hobby.

I go to the gym every day now and it’s been a wonderful way for me to get out of my writing cage. I also watch anime every now and then on the weekends so I get some entertainment out of life.

If you can’t find your hobby, ask the people who are closest to you. They know more than anyone what activities you like to do or simply Google things online that you’re interested in.

Once you find it, try to allocate as little as thirty minutes a week to it. It never hurts to get some fun in.

Conclusion

Gordon Ramsay is the best chef of all time for a reason. He started his career over twenty years ago and he’s still relevant today. Why?

He has the utmost respect for his customers, he’s always three steps ahead of the game, and he does different activities when he gets a chance.

All you have to do is be optimistic until proven wrong for customers, research the hell out of potential platforms for your brand, and ask those around you what hobbies would be best for you.

So what are you waiting for?

Start now.