Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1360 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Synopsis
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.

From the Publisher
In his no-holds-barred style, Gordon shares his passion for risk and adventure and his hard-won success secrets.

From the Back Cover
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.

Customer Reviews

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 warddrobe' then goes on to say that at the time he was earning £75000... As a nurse on less than half than that it was irritating.
His anaolgy for common sense, using NASA's huge spend on finding a biro that worked in space whilst the Russians used a pencil is badly researched as that is a common urban myth. Pencils lead could break off in space and cause damage to delicate machinery. (Stephen Fry...)
The book describes basically the MacDonaldisation of 'Haute Cuisine' and GR makes it very clear that money is his God. Nowhere does a love of food come through, it's all about greed and being the biggest. He doesn't come across as someone who likes his customers, rather he manipulates them in order to make maximum profit. I will never eat in one of his restaurants as it is unpleasant to feel that all you are is a cash cow.
He sneers at Marco Pierre White very early on in the book, whilst in Marco's book he is gracious and gives Gordon his due as well as explaining why they fell out.
The difference between the two chefs from council houses is that Marco loves food and clearly has grace, humility and class, whilst Gordon comes across as a boastful, greedy, envious, materialistic, insecure man with no class or understanding of what's really important. His success is clearly due to the fact that he can jump on any band wagon and format it. I actually quite liked him before I read this book.

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.