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Editorial Review:
The bestselling follow-up to Humble Pie, now in paperback. When he was struggling to get his first restaurant in the black, Gordon Ramsay never imagined he'd be famous for a TV show about how to run profitable eateries, or that he'd be head of a business empire. But he is and he did. Here's how. "In the beginning there was nothing. Not a sausage - penniless, broke, fucking nothing - and although, at a certain age, that didn't matter hugely, there came a time when hand-me-downs, cast-offs and football boots of odd sizes all pointed to a problem that seemed to have afflicted me, my mum, my sisters, Ronnie and the whole lot of us. It was as though we had been dealt the 'all-time dysfunctional' poker hand. I wish I could say that, from this point on, the penny dropped and I decided to do something about it, but it wasn't like that. It would take years before the lessons of life, business and money began to click into place - before, as they say, I had a pot to piss in. This is the story of how those lessons were learned." This is Gordon Ramsay at his raw, rugged best. PLAYING WITH FIRE is the amazing story of Gordon's journey from sous-chef to superstar.In his no-holds-barred style, Gordon shares his passion for risk and adventure and his hard-won success secrets.
In his no-holds-barred style, Gordon shares his passion for risk and adventure and his hard-won success secrets.
In the beginning, there was nothing.
Not a sausage - penniless, broke, f*****g nothing - and although, at a certain age, that didn't matter hugely, there came a time when hand-me-downs, cast-offs and football boots of odd sizes all pointed to a problem that seemed to have afflicted me, my mum, my sisters, Ronnie and the whole lot of us. It was as though we had been dealt the 'all-time dysfunctional' poker hand.
I wish I could say that, from this point on, the penny had dropped and I decided to do something about it, but it wasn't like that. It would take years before the lessons of life, business and money began to click into place - before, as they say, I had a pot to piss in.
This is the story of how those lessons were learned.
Gordon Ramsay has launched a string of internationally celebrated restaurants in London with ten Michelin stars between them, with his stable of highly talented chefs, and has restaurants in Dubai, Tokyo, New York and Florida, with more planned.
The author of nine best-selling cookery books and an autobiography, Humble Pie, Gordon is one of the biggest television personalities in the UK with his hit shows, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, Hell's Kitchen and The F Word.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Misleading. Having just read Marco Pierre White's superb autobiography (Devil in the Kitchen)I thought it would be interesting to read GR's as a cross reference. The piece on the back was misleading. It inferred that this was a book that had soul/intimacy and insight. How far from the truth that is! GR seems to sneer at others whilst boasting at length and bigging himself up. He tries to come across as an everyman, for eg, he talks about leaving Aubergine and going for an interview taking his 'one suit from my sparse... more info
inspiring Playing with Fire is a great book to read as you learn how Ramsey became famous through his rise and falls in the restaurent business. Although i feel that Humble Pie was more interesting as it retold his life. Still, Playing with Fire is still inspirational.
Good information This could be any business. I am at the moment going through all sorts of emotions in buisness. One day things are up, one day things are down. It is good to read something which you can relate to.
Gordon writes about restaurants but it could be any type of business.
Before i got the book i didn't like Gordon Ramsey, don't know why? Just didn't.
After the book i admire Gordon, Good luck to you Gordon! I wish you all the best.
Much more illuminating than Humble Pie I enjoyed this book, and found it offered greater insights into the character and values of the author than his previous title. As the focus is more on GR's business, he is able to describe his actual experience with a passion that makes it more authentic than the autobiography of last year. GR is definitely at his most convincing and compelling when he's on his own territory - and this is something that he freely admits in the book. When he starts to stray into commentary on corporate customer... more info
