Gordon Ramsay says the lack of women in the culinary industry is "appalling" as he admits he is 'pissed off'

Gordon Ramsay has been in the culinary industry for over four decades, having trained under the likes of Marco Pierre White and Albert Roux, and currently holds eight Michelin stars to show for it.

With such an illustrious career and constant projects to keep him busy, there is something that continues to irk the celebrity chef that he urges those in the culinary industry to come together and change.

Speaking to Radio Times to promote his new Netflix series Being Gordon Ramsay, the chef reflected on how the industry has changed over the years, specifically the last five years since the pandemic.

"I think it is so much more difficult now for the younger generation to sort of step out and stand alone two feet in businesses," he explained. "The cost of living is hard enough, rent rates, the amount of businesses that are failing. And then, of course, it's a tough climate out there, and so I don't want them to become disillusioned. This is one of the most exciting countries to be in with food."

And Ramsay remains hopeful that within the next 12 to 18 months, "we will absolutely be standing strong with some of the best countries in Europe", but it won't be an immediate change.

Ramsay continued: "We will bounce back strong and there will be that whole sort of evolution of these new restaurants opening up, [but] right now the climate is difficult and so I think, if anything, they just need to be a little bit more patient today and continue on that path.

"But most importantly, keep those dreams, keep that flame burning and it will happen because it is a long race. It's a marathon, it's not a sprint. So we'll get out of this."

But with such optimism, there's one thing that Ramsay admits "pisses" him off. Prior to our interview, Ramsay attended the 2026 Michelin Guide in which he maintained his three stars at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay – but while there, he heard a statistic he wasn't pleased with.

He told Radio Times: "I was at the Michelin Awards on Monday and the stats of 8 per cent of [the] industry is female. That is appalling. That is an embarrassment.

"I don't think there's many industries in Britain today with such a low rate. That is upsetting and that really pisses me off."

Ramsay added that the industry must "think of more energised, exciting ways of attracting more females".

"Your Clare Smyths, your Angela Hartnetts, your Kim's [Ratcharoen]... powerhouses," he continued. "But we're lacking that female touch, and so that was a shock, and that needs to be turned around.

"So we've all got responsibility on our shoulders over the next decade to search for more dynamic, exciting young women to come into the industry."

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