Roasting in Hell's Kitchen: Temper Tantrums, F Words, and the Pursuit of Perfection Paperback – Illustrated, March 13, 2007

Great product. Would buy from seller again.

I read this book immediately on the heels of reading Marco Pierre White's "The Devil in the KItchen" and the two made a magnificent pair. You get the gossip from both sides and although I'm very partial due to my giant GR crush, I appreciated Gordon's book so much more. Why? Because he shows his vulnerability as a human being by digging deep into some very serious personal issues. White's book is definitely more about the food except, of course, when he pauses to trash a former colleague or employee or boast he HE was the first of celebrity chefs, not GR or anyone else for that matter. GR devotees see in him the tenderness that comes from being a battered kid hell-bent on escaping his past through food. Yes, the book is ghost-written but it matters not because I can hear Gordon's own voice in my head (swooooon) as I read. The book captures all of his wit and naughty humor and then some. Whether you are a GR fan, a chef or wannabe or just curious about this "squishy-faced" Scotsman we've come to know/love/hate, there is something for you in this book. A quick read with some great photos at end, I was surprised (and a little wistful) when I so quickly reached the last page.

First of all I am a huge Gordon Ramsay fan. I absolutely love Kitchen Nightmares and I wish he was still making more episodes (I hope he returns to the show at some point). And so, being such a big fan, I really wanted to learn more about life and his background so that I understood the show better. And, in that respect, this book was a big help: when you see the misery that Ramsay grew up with--a father with a wandering eye who fancied himself a rock 'n roller, constant moves to new cities, poverty--you begin to understand why business success means so much to him. When he crashes down on a restaurant owner (particularly a family-owned restaurant), it's not because he's mean or psychotic, it's because he genuinely cares about the people he's trying to counsel and their families. He knows firsthand the misery of a crappy childhood and a failed business and he's trying to help them avoid those things. Moreover, Ramsay is trying to help restaurant owners rediscover their passion for cooking.All of these things became much more clear to me as I read this book. I have to say, however, that while I'm an American of Brit descent and grew up with Brit parents, jeez, Gordon, lighten up on the Brit talk! I had to look up dozens of words to even know what he was talking about, or at least guess at them based on context. There is a LOT of British slang in this book--a LOT. Also, the writing is pretty lame. I'm a professional writer and Ramsay desperately needed a good professional writer to ghost-write this book for him/with him. The editor for this book was sleeping on the job.I learned a lot from the book, but I think Ramsay has a much better book inside him. He is unafraid to reveal the truth of his past and he is unafraid to be vulnerable (a great quality) but you have to love him at the start of this book or you'll never finish it. It was a struggle for me. If I were reviewing this book as a meal, I'd say it was interesting for its ingredients and its concept, but lacking in its execution. It does not, however, lack anything in the way of passion.

I admit to having a bit of a celebrity crush on Gordon Ramsay. I've always loved his 'brutish' no-nonsense way of running his kitchens, as it's depicted on TV. When I saw this autobiography I though it would be a great opportunity to see how much of the bravada we see on screen is real and what is not. Reading this book showed me that, at the end of the day, Gordon Ramsay is really just like you and me. I never knew the tough life he had growing up and how he quite literally clawed his way to the top of his field through nothing but hard work and determination. What we see on TV may seem cruel (albeit entertaining), but what's behind that mean-looking facade is a man who wants his proteges to give 110% because he's never given anything less in his whole life. I respect Gordon Ramsay even more after reading this book and I would gladly read more of his stories if he ever decides to put them out.

The book itself is a breeze to read on the Kindle. It is fairly short but doesn't come across that way on the Kindle. The pictures that he included in his book were definately a nice touch, 95% of them came out perfectly fine. The remaining 5% either came out pretty horribly or didn't come out at all. I am a big fan of his show and have had to explain to people in the past that he is doing some of the things that he does in part because he is looking out for the participants themselves. The only way to learn sometimes is to have a lesson become implanted because their is an unpleasant memory that is attached to it. His own personal history is so rough that I can see where he gets his drive to succeed in life. Anyone can make it in life we just have to not give up. And that lesson is worth infinetly more then the price of this book.

My friend loved it.

BIG BOYS ATTEMPT AT REPLICATING THE MANY SUCCESSES OF HIS NEMASIS MARCO PIERRE WHITEWORKS PRETTY WELL - HIS RECOLLECTIONS OF HIS RAGS TO RICHES RISE TO STARDOM ARE WELLWRITTEN AND MAKE FOR AN ENJOYABLE READ. - HIS REPUTATION OF DO UNTO OTHERS AS WASDONE TO YOU IS BORN OUT IN MOST OF THE CHAPTERS - ONE MUST NEVER FORGET WHERE WECAME FROM - HOWEVER ONE MUST NEVER LOSE TRACK OF WHERE WE ARE GOING.FOR GORDON HE SEEMS FIXATED ON TRYING TO TOP MARCO - IF MARCO WAS TO BRING OUT ABOOK ON NEEDLEWORK AND HOW IT APPLYS TO CHEFS UNIFORMS I'M SURE GORDON WOULD DOLIKEWISE - GORDONS BIGGEST WORRY RIGHT NOW IS OVEREXPOSURE.ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN - ROASTING IN HELLS KITCHEN WOULD BE A SIX.