Gordon Ramsay’s empire grows with 5 new openings in City of London tower 22 Bishopsgate

It has been a busy few weeks for Gordon Ramsay. He took time to film a Super Bowl advertisement with actor Pete Davidson and then make po’ boys – a sandwich originally from the US state of Louisiana – for broadcasters at the big game in New Orleans. The activities personify his curious amalgam of roles: part television chef, part brand ambassador, a headline generator and, ultimately, an entertainment industry bigwig with star power. Those ever-evolving characters are in evidence at 22 Bishopsgate, where Gordon Ramsay Restaurants has taken a 20-year lease for, count them, five new ventures in the tallest skyscraper in the City of London. There is a new outpost of his “Asian-inspired” restaurant Lucky Cat; a 12-seat chef’s-table version of his three-Michelin-star Chelsea flagship, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay; a cooking academy; a 60-seat Lucky Cat Bar; and another brasserie-style Bread Street Kitchen, which is expected to open later in the year. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gordon Ramsay (@gordongram) As you would expect from a savvy media operator, the twists and turns of the lead-up to the openings can be tracked in a forthcoming Netflix documentary, Being Gordon Ramsay. It is co-produced by Fox News and entertainment content company Studio Ramsay Global. Back on the 60th floor of 278-metre 22 Bishopsgate, the 120-seat Lucky Cat is the centrepiece of Ramsay’s new offerings. The place encountered controversy for blurring distinct culinary traditions when it first opened in Mayfair in 2019, and the menu’s mix-and-match methodology – where sushi rubs up against Chinese bao and Korean kimchi – is still in effect. In many ways it feels like a restaurant better suited to the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, where interiors could double as a stage set for a Ramsay show, money is flaunted and reality is suspended. As you work through Lucky Cat’s numerous menu sections, “Snacks” offers pedestrian edamame and crispy squid, a generally crowd-pleasing dish that here comes heavily doused in vinegar and jarring hits of Japanese shichimi spice and Chinese Szechuan pepper. The sashimi and nigiri section has well-cut slices of toro and hamachi fish for around £5 a piece, while the caviar comes with eye-watering prices: up to £300 (US$373) for 50 grams (1.8 ounces). Kimchi fried rice, brimming with spring onions, shredded nori seaweed and a runny egg mixed tableside, makes a smart side for the menu’s high point: the Iberico pork chop. Dressed with miso and accompanied by kimchi-pickled gem lettuce and papaya that cut through the nicely fatty tender pork, it is a stand-out dish. Likewise, pan-seared Chilean sea bass is perfectly cooked and pearlescent, though the sticky crisp skin might boast a little too much nitsume, or sweet eel sauce. Meat and fish entrées range from £30-£50, then ramp up significantly if you enter the World of Wagyu section, where everything is market price. Even vegetable sides can set you back around £15. Similarly, the extensive drinks list offers some entry-level choices, but soon accelerates to take in rare – and pricey – Bordeaux and Burgundy wines as well as speciality sake and whiskies of all types and origins. The restaurant’s sky-high vantage point is a big draw here, and the opportunity to boast the highest dining room in London is no small thing. Indeed, the 60th floor offers incredible city vistas, from the 30 St Mary Axe building, also known as “the Gherkin”, and architect Richard Roger’s masterpiece, the Lloyd’s of London building, to St Paul’s Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament beyond. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 22 Bishopsgate (@22bishopsgate_) Because of the multifaceted, multinational demands of Ramsay’s business interests, his absence from the group’s kitchens has started to show – do not hold your breath waiting to see Ramsay at Lucky Cat. Despite the cluster of Michelin stars among his 80-plus restaurants, more casual dining spots like Street Burger, Street Pizza and Bread Street Kitchen are now routinely labelled mediocre. He has clearly hit a point where chasing plaudits is not paramount; instead, his focus seems to be exponential growth; the chance to become a brand franchisee is prominent across his website. It is often said that Britons are prone to sneering at flashiness and unapologetic success. It is impossible to dispute Ramsay’s pedigree, born of a maniacal will and a punishing work ethic that helped him become one of the early 2000s’ leading chefs. Earning and maintaining three Michelin stars at one place – Restaurant Gordon Ramsay – for more than 20 years is no small feat. What he has chosen to do with that success has alienated some discerning diners. Still, as his restaurant group’s most recent pre-tax revenue estimate – £95.6 million for the 12 months ended in August 2023 – shows, a sizeable audience wants to be part of Ramsay’s world.

Gordon Ramsay’s empire grows with 5 new openings in City of London tower 22 Bishopsgate

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Chef-entrepreneur opening 3 restaurants, a bar and a cookery school on 60th floor of 278-metre tower, all charted in a Netflix documentary

Chef-entrepreneur opening 3 restaurants, a bar and a cookery school on 60th floor of 278-metre tower, all charted in a Netflix documentary