He's the dish-dumping, insult-hurling taskmaster of TV's Hell's Kitchen and he's been behind well over two dozen global restaurant concepts since the late 1990s, and now celebrity chef and media personality Gordon Ramsay is heading (back) to Canada.
Ramsay will have his name on two of his most successful restaurant brands, opening a Gordon Ramsay Burger at the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver in Coquitlam and a Gordon Ramsay Steak at the River Rock Casino in Richmond, according to a media release issued Aug. 2.
The new ventures - his first in B.C. - are the result of a new partnership with gaming giant Great Canadian Entertainment.
The casino operator is hoping the Ramsay name will prove a big draw to the Metro Vancouver properties, offering an effusive take on the news in the release: "We are absolutely thrilled to bring Gordon Ramsay's extraordinary gastronomic vision to our properties," said Matthew Anfinson, Chief Executive Officer, Great Canadian.
"This partnership represents a monumental moment for our company as the addition of Gordon Ramsay Burger and Gordon Ramsay Steak in British Columbia will offer our guests an unrivalled dining experience, and we are eager for the opportunity to introduce additional Gordon Ramsay brands at other Great Canadian destinations in Canada," continued Anfinson.
Ramsay behind about 150 restaurants in his career from Michelin-starred to fast food
Ramsay and "Michelin" are often used in the same sentence, as the high-profile chef and TV star known for his unfiltered and brash approach to chefs and hospitality experiences has earned recognition in London from the prestigious restaurant publication. His Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, open since 1998, earned three Michelin stars; it's one of his most enduring restaurants of the about 150 individual locations of his various concepts that have opened over the past 25-plus years around the world.
While some of his concepts are fast-casual multi-unit ventures, like Street Burger or his fish & chips brand, Ramsay also has fine-dining restaurants and several locations of real-life versions of his TV hit Hell's Kitchen on his roster. (Personally, I've only experienced his food at the since-closed burger spot Fat Cow at The Grove and his cafe and upscale restaurants (also now closed) at the London West Hollywood, all in Los Angeles.)
In August 2011, Ramsay signed on and put his name on Laurier BBQ in Montreal, only to find himself removed and embroiled in legal battles and a "public quarrel" with his former co-owners just a few months later.
Gordon Ramsay Burger and Steak in Metro Vancouver: What to know
"The first Gordon Ramsay Burger opened in the Las Vegas Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in December 2012. Each location offers a range of classic to unique Ramsay-style premium burgers, fries, hot dawgs and shakes," describes the restaurant's website. Not ones to be modest, their burgers are also described as "life-changing" and menu highlights are things like the Hell's Kitchen Burger, Sticky Toffee Shake, Hellfire Chicken Wings, Kettle Chip Nachos, Beer-Battered Onion Rings, and the Chipotle Dawg.
Gordon Ramsay Burger runs locations around the world, from Boston to Busan. The Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, in Coquitlam, currently has four food concepts and Gordon Ramsay Burger is expected to open at the casino this fall.
Meanwhile, Gordon Ramsay Steak, which operates solely so far in the U.S. in places like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Baltimore, "brings you the finest cuts of meats dry-aged to perfection" and "encompasses an exquisite menu from Michelin-starred Chef Gordon Ramsay."
The River Rock Casino in Richmond is home to "The Buffet," along with Sea Harbour, Curve Lounge, a Starbucks and the Food Court. Gordon Ramsay Steak is set to debut there sometime in 2024.
Note: A previous version of this story did not include Ramsay's first and only prior venture, his short-lived partnership with Laurier BBQ in Montreal.
