Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #72996 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-01
• Released on: 2007-10-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

Synopsis
Not a sausage. That is what Gordon Ramsay had when he started out as a chef, working 16-hour days, 6 days a week. When he was struggling to get his first restaurant in the black, he didn't think 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.P

LAYING 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

A good read if you are business minded!
I like most had read the first book 'humble pie' which is the story of the man himself and was a fascinating read.
This second book 'playing with fire' is a book about his buisness ventures. ie. How he set up his restaurants, got the finance, expanded his empire and all the buisness dealings. I really enjoyed this book as the business side of things really interested me. However this second book is clearly going to appeal to a smaller market than his first. My wife who loved the first wasn't interested in reading this one for the same reasons that I liked it.
In summary a good read if you like books on successful business stories not so good if you are after another autobiography.

Fantastic read
This book tells of the business side of Gordon Ramsay's world. It is interesting, suprising, funny and revealing. In a strange way it reveals more about Gordon Ramsay than his autobiography Humble Pie. Well, well worth the read and highly recommended.

Don't get burned
You shouldn't be misguided into thinking that this is an autobiography follow up to Humble Pie. The book is about how to start, run and keep a business. In the book Gordon reveals ideas on how to run a successful business and maintain the high standards to keep it at the top. It is a great read and he also tells us a bit more about his staff which is good because, as Gordon says, he wouldn't be where he is today without them. I think that for this book to be enjoyable to you, you either have to be a Gordon Ramsay fan or are interested in the running of a business. If you're not, then it could get a bit boring for you. If you are a fan though, this is a great book and a good follow on from Humble Pie.