The Netflix docuseries Being Gordon Ramsay is the modern bookend to Boiling Point, the Channel 4 miniseries that made Gordon Ramsay a TV sensation in 1999. The two have similar bones: each follows Ramsay as he works to open a restaurant, and gives a glimpse at his life both in and out of the kitchen. But the intervening 27 years make a huge difference in Being Gordon Ramsay.

There’s the sort of myth of Gordon Ramsay: the persona that’s been created through shows like Hell’s Kitchen, that he’s a foul-mouthed and hypercritical super-chef. As Ramsay’s wife Tana says early on, people think they know him because they see him so often on TV series and commercials and now YouTube. But anyone who gets to meet him—as I did multiple times while covering several of the aforementioned TV project—knows that he’s incredibly thoughtful, kind and funny. He’s the person who remembered my name years after we first met, and who took the time to ask about my interest in food. He’s as compassionate as he is passionate. Being Gordon Ramsay lets that side of him shine through more publicly, and that’s its biggest appeal.

The six-episode series isn’t novel in its format; like every other show of its type, it intermingles talking-head style interviews with a camera team following Ramsay, his family and colleagues around. And there are plenty of familiar themes, such as the strain that a high-profile career places on someone’s family. Anyone looking for some major revelation isn’t going to find it in this show. Yet that’s not the point. The purpose of Being Gordon Ramsay is to just capitalize on that worldwide fascination with Chef Ramsay, and in that sense it’s a lot of fun.

Die-hard Ramsay fans will note that it covers things that have been talked about before in other shows and in his books, such as the impact that Marco Pierre White had on his career, and the infamous Joan Collins story. There are also a few rare moments in which the docuseries repeats itself. But casual viewers or those who want to know more about celebrity chefs will learn a lot about the nitty-gritty of restaurant launches and what goes on underneath the TV veneer. And the best parts are the ones that have nothing to do with anything, like Ramsay’s pride at his daughter Tilly getting her first chef’s whites, and his thoughts on what it’s like to have her following in his footsteps. The bit in which he insists on stopping mid-interview to get a local cup of coffee is another highlight for its sheer randomness, but also what it says about him.

There’s a wonderful amount of self-reflection in Being Gordon Ramsay, and it comes organically, instead of feeling like a producer is prompting him for a deep soundbite. He speaks openly about how he looks at situations differently at 57 than he did earlier in his career, and that shift in perspective is obvious across the six episodes. There’s still an ambition and a drive for perfection, but it’s more measured. Hearing so much from Gordon in his own words also gives audiences the ability to understand why he does things a certain way, and gain a greater appreciation for his work. They understand how he drives himself as much as he pushes everyone around him, and why it’s impossible for him to settle. Ambitious people have always been natural docuseries subjects, but Being Gordon Ramsay presents a much fuller picture than just “here’s another celebrity tell-all” or “here’s someone else whose huge career is at odds with their personal life.”

That also goes a long way to explaining why Ramsay would want to star in and executive produce another documentary series, when there’s no shortage of a spotlight on him. He’s told his story before. Being Gordon Ramsay is a chance to look back on that story, and re-examine it with the benefit of hindsight. It’s great to see him traveling across the globe and working to build a cutting-edge restaurant, but it’s even better to simply sit with him and listen to the lessons he’s learned. The creative team know that Chef Ramsay is entertaining on his own, and let him lead the way, rather than trying to manufacture a story.

Being Gordon Ramsay is long enough to be a great binge-watch but doesn’t overstay its welcome. The best approach is to watch it and then contrast it with either Boiling Point (which is available on BritBox) or any episode of his FOX repertoire. Getting to know Gordon Ramsay is a pleasure, and this show reintroduces him to the public, giving them the welcome opportunity to appreciate everything he brings to the worlds of food and entertainment.

Being Gordon Ramsay is now streaming on Netflix. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Netflix.

Article content is (c)2020-2026 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.