Gordon Ramsay may be known for yelling in kitchens, but what happened behind the scenes of one of his U.S. restaurants had him whispering to his legal team instead.
In 2017, Ramsay found himself in the middle of a quiet but potentially career-crippling lawsuit. A former business partner filed a multi-million-dollar claim alleging breach of contract and mismanagement in one of Ramsay’s high-profile U.S. establishments. The details were so sensitive, they were initially sealed from public view — and Ramsay refused to comment publicly at the time.
According to leaked documents, the partner claimed Ramsay had authorized reckless renovations without approval, leading to massive financial losses. At stake: the Ramsay brand in the U.S. — and his expanding empire in Las Vegas and New York.
Insiders say Ramsay flew back and forth across the Atlantic to manage the fallout quietly. “It was the one time he wasn’t screaming — he was silent and furious,” said a former staff member close to the case.
While the lawsuit was eventually settled out of court — with terms never disclosed — it reportedly delayed two major restaurant openings and shook investor confidence. The whole ordeal was kept under wraps, but some close to the chef say it almost made him consider walking away from American television altogether.
This was the rare moment where Ramsay wasn’t in control — and it almost cost him everything.
