Gordon Ramsay has opened up about a “stupid” mistake he made while trying to get on the property ladder as a young man, revealing that he sold his Porsche to fund a flat deposit after his father-in-law turned down his request for a loan.
On the High Performance Podcast, the celebrity chef and TV host shared how, despite driving a luxury sports car, he found himself “skint” and unable to scrape together a deposit for a flat for himself and his wife, Tana.
In a conversation filled with his trademark colorful language, Ramsay, 56, recounted how his father-in-law, Chris Hutcheson, refused to lend him £20,000, which was half the amount he needed for a deposit. Ramsay thought he had a good chance of success, especially since he was treating Hutcheson to lunch.
“We were young, we were stupid, and we were skint,” he told podcast host Jake Humphrey. “I remember asking her father for twenty grand for a deposit on a flat we loved. I thought lunch was going well, so I mentioned it, saying Tana and I had half and needed the other half. I promised to pay him back in a year.”
However, Hutcheson’s response was memorable: “Okay, here’s what I’ll do—I’ll have another lunch with you when you sell your Porsche.”
Ramsay reflected, “Here I was, driving a flashy 911, and we didn’t even have a house. It was the best advice he ever gave me—sell your Porsche.”
Ultimately, Ramsay did sell the car and, ten years later, bought it back—the very same one.
Gordon and Tana, who is a teacher, cookbook author, and broadcaster, married in 1996 and have five children together. They first met at a New Year’s Eve party in London.
Currently, Ramsay is set to host an Australian version of his UK show *Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars* on Channel 9 and 9Now, where he will mentor a new generation of food entrepreneurs alongside Janine Allis, founder of Boost Juice. Fourteen teams with innovative food business ideas will compete for a chance to make their concepts a reality.
