Gordon Ramsay has become one of the most well-known chefs in England as a result of several television programmes in which he stars. However, the language and behaviour on these programmes has become increasingly vicious and virulent over the last few years, as though Ramsay had either become tired of having to perform for the television cameras, or was trying to increase his image as a foul-mouthed bully.
And bully he is. It's typical of a bully to smooth-talk those you want to suck up to, be rude to those you know will keep on liking you whatever you say, and to expend your anger and frustration on those who don't come up to your standards.
This is all the more peculiar given that in the Wikipedia article on Ramsay, it states that “After working at Harveys for two years and ten months, Ramsay, tired of "the rages and the bullying and violence", decided that the way to further advance his career was to study French cuisine.” Plainly he's learned the wrong approach from his time at Harveys.
So, on the basis of what we see of Ramsay on television, how would he measure up to the "ideal" boss I wrote about in my previous article?
Encouragement is Paramount
Not in the Gordon Ramsay school of learning: no points on this one, Gordon.
A Boss Who Listens Will Be Listened To
Ramsay never listens to anyone, unless they're praising him for his cooking. He appears to listen, but as soon as the person has finished telling him their situation, he immediately either tells them what they're doing wrong, or shouts at them for being a fool. He has no time for fools whatsoever, but somehow he manages to attract plenty of them to appear on his programs.
Sometimes the Employee will Be Better Suited for a Different Job
Ramsay certainly appreciates this, but seldom knows what better job to suggest - without ridiculing the other person.
Don't Insist that Employees Work Through their Breaks
In the sort of work chefs and kitchen staff do, it's often hard to get breaks. But you get the impression that Ramsay, hard worker that he is, would work most staff into the ground.
Keep in Touch With the Staff
I wrote in my earlier article that you should never berate staff in front of others. Ramsay spends most of his life doing this. He isn't interested in people's problems or quirks; he's only interested in whether they can perform to his measure. If they fail in that area, they're a failure altogether.
Be Honest About Where Things are At
Ramsay never balks at being honest. The only problem is that he's tactless, undiplomatic, and unpleasant with it. He can never tell anyone about what they've done wrong without swearing constantly. His level of verbal abuse has become higher and higher the better-known he's become.
Hard Work Deserves Rewards
Ramsay certainly believes in hard work, and to give him credit, he works extremely hard himself. Occasionally he'll be seen rewarding someone, like some young female chefs who appeared on Hell's Kitchen recently. He took them out for a meal in a restaurant where they had to eat in the dark. Unfortunately, once they were back in the kitchen, it was Ramsay-as-usual: shouting, abuse, swearing, demeaning. It's become his modus operandi.
Don't Stint on Technology
Ramsay's kitchens are always up-to-date, and woe betide any kitchen he visits that isn't. On this point we can perhaps give him some credit!
Carrots Aren't Just for Donkeys
Ramsay does motivate people occasionally, and does enjoy seeing people make a business run well after it's been struggling (especially if he can take most of the credit). But his work ethic is so strong that anyone who's slacks at any time is likely to reap the full force of Ramsay's disappointment. There are no half measures with him.
Praise Never Goes Amiss
I believe Ramsay thinks he praises people often. Unfortunately, his kind of praise always comes with barbs in it, and I imagine a lot of people wish they hadn't been praised at all.
Gordon Ramsay has had a tough life: his family was itinerant, unsettled; he described his father as a "hard-drinking womaniser"; his potential football career never got off the ground due to constant injuries; he worked for some very tough and sometimes outrageous chefs.
Perhaps as a result he's ambitious, focused, and determined. While these qualities have made him as successful as he is, they also seem to have caused him to be vile to any number of people.
