Gordon Ramsay

On Top of the World

By: Neil Simpson

Narrated by: Richard Aspel

Best known as the host of Fox's Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares, Gordon Ramsay is one of the most driven, successful, and irate chefs around. He has thrown Hollywood actresses out of his restaurants and is notorious for his anger, but his food has been served to numerous heads of state, and he is one of only three chefs in England whose restaurant is rated at three Michelin stars.

In this illuminating work, Ramsay discusses the violent, alcoholic, absent father who died just days after the pair had been reconciled as adults; the best friend and protégé whose bizarre suicide came hours after the two had shared a final meal; the decade-long battle to save his younger brother from heroin addiction and crime; and the real reason why he has not attended the births of any of his four children.

Sometimes hilarious and frequently heartbreaking, this is Gordon Ramsay’s full life, from tenements and poverty to top-notch restaurants and fame.

©2009 Neil Simpson (P)2012 Bolinda Publishing

Good read

I really enjoyed it- both entertaining and heartfelt. It gives a glimpse of the chef that is more sincere and friendly than what you find submitted by the media and on edited tv appearances.

A couple of question decisions on the authors part but over all a fantastic book.

The audio in the beginning was a bit rough but cleared up about a quarter of the way through. It was odd when the author would compare Gordon to top tier chefs but then also say he made his “Oliver move” implying that somehow Jamie oliver had surpassed him. Ending the book with an unconfirmed or concluded scandal seemed a bit tasteless and offhandedly insulting too Gordon but that’s just from my perspective and find 98% of Gordon firebrand rants to be providing a lot of valid points which is more telling about my tolerance for perceived insults and wrong doings than anything. Over all a fantastic telling and will definitely be a repeat listen for me.

I’d prefer a different narrator

I know Americans and British are worlds apart, but the way this is narrated I can’t take it seriously. This Aspel geek sounds like the mad professor on the Simpsons cartoon. It sounds even more ridiculous when he has to cuss, which if we all know Gordon Ramsay mannerisms, is quite often. I like the book because it’s more in depth and somewhat more objective than Humble Pie, not to mention more recently written, but I just can’t get over this narrator.

Went slow. Narrator spoke very slowly.

The book was very long but would've been better had the narrator not paused so long between paragraphs. It was annoying.

Great book

Great book it's a little longer than needed. it's a good listen for most of the book

****king fabulous

Where does Gordon Ramsay rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Right up there

What did you like best about this story?

The humour, the drama, unbiased story

What does Richard Aspel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great expression, really well interpretted

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction, just more interest in any book that I've listened to for ages

Any additional comments?

A great 'read' wish there were more like this one!!!

pretty good read

simple biography nothing more or less worth a listen if you like Ramsay or are a cook

Don't judge a book.....

The saying holds true in this story of Gordon Ramsey.

"Public persona" does not truly define the "real" person. An interesting story of "the man" vs "the myth".

Good story, though it took a bit for me to adjust the the speakers accent.

Whats the latest news?

This read very much like a collection of celebrity gossip columns. Not a style that I found appealing.

Well Done

I got this hoping it was not too similar to Ramsay's "Humble Pie" I was not disappointed. They share some facts but you will not feel as if you are on "repeat" I was pleased with the narrator as well.