Gordon Ramsay Exclusive Preview: “Becoming a beast”

0:00Watch it early on the High Performance App. Available now Roman Kemp. The broadcaster opens up a powerful conversation on success and mental health.

0:13Hi there, welcome along to the High Performance Podcast. This is a special episode where we have a big announcement because on Monday we will be releasing an episode with a guest who we've been looking to get onto high performance for so long. Damien, I think you should be the man who has the honour of announcing who it is And also, I suppose, why we've both been so keen to speak to this person. Well, let's not keep people waiting any longer. It's the incredible Gordon Ramsay that's coming on as a guest. And we've wanted to get him on for a long time. But particularly when we interviewed his former colleague, Marcus Waring, Marcus described really powerfully the effect that Gordon had on a whole kitchen where he just lifted everybody's standards.

0:55He said he was magnetic. You couldn't take your eyes off him. and he was somebody that was just driving the culture of the kitchens with Marco Pierre White to even higher standards. And it's one thing setting a standard, right? It's another thing entirely setting that standard year after year, decade after decade, and across multiple genres. Some people are amazing chefs. Some people are amazing TV people. He's both of those things, and he brings the same approach to both of those things. Now, we go into such depth on this podcast. Gordon just doesn't speak like this. So I can't wait for you to hear it.

1:31And I've got some really big news as well. The whole episode is live right now on the High Performance app. So you don't need to wait until Monday if you don't want to. And the app is free. All you have to do is download the High Performance app from your app store and then use the code H-P-A-P-P when prompted. That's H-P-A-P when prompted. And you can hear the whole episode. But should we listen to a taster of it now? All right, then. Here's a little clip. Did you love the idea of arriving green behind the gills, inexperienced in Marco's kitchen, and then having in your head that one day I'm going to be a better chef than you?

2:09Yeah, because he wanted you to. He pushed you to the extreme. How did he do that? He drummed it in. You know, if you're going to do it, do it to your best. And if you don't want to do it to your best, get the fuck out of here. Don't waste my time, and certainly don't waste yours. And I think it's a lot of life lessons early on, because you're getting structured. You're getting hungry. You're getting knowledge. And all of a sudden, you're becoming a beast because of the monster he created and the monster you're working for. And so I see those environments all the time. And I say to the individuals, stay in that environment.

2:39Get what you need and get out. And when the shit hits the fan, learn to dance in the storm. It's a great place to be in. Because somewhere down the line, there's going to be a shit storm on your radar and you're going to stand tall in that storm and you're going to get through it. And when the storm would come to you in the kitchen, what was the best way to get out of that storm? Solution. Because I was experienced enough to handle that. And I'd know there wasn't any area in that kitchen, restaurant, bar, wine cellar that I hadn't tackled. And so that's where you go in search of. And I knew my weaknesses.

3:14And that's why stepping into Le Gavroche, I'd never baked before. But if I'm going to have my own business, I need to understand how to bake a poin poland, a sourdough, focaccia. I need to understand that. But I came out of Harvey's under Marco's tenor, going into Le Gavroche. I was posted to get on the fish and the meat, the top two sections. But no, I wanted to become a baker because it was one bit that I hadn't understood the chemistry of baking. So on that trajectory, you've got to still find those weaknesses to enhance that platform to make sure it is solid. So when that shitstorm comes, you are not depending on anybody because you've got it in your itinerary.

3:50When you get an arrogant at any point in this period needing to be slapped down, Or did you remain humble? I think arrogant is the wrong word. It's called confidence. And that's misconstrued to those that are lesser talented than you. Look at that arrogant twat. He doesn't like being told, no, dude, I've got my shit together. I know my shit. You're a dreamer. And in this industry, like many industries, there's dreamers that want it, but haven't got it to commit, haven't got it with mindset, haven't got it with their broad shoulders, and haven't got it in their attitude. So yeah, I'm going to put that down to confidence, not arrogance.

4:30So there you go. Gordon Ramsay, welcome to the High Performance Podcast. The full episode is out on Monday or it's available right now on the High Performance app. I can't wait to hear what people think about this. No, I think people are going to love it. And also it's worth reminding you that from Monday you can actually watch the episode on our YouTube channel as well. So there you go. Gordon Ramsay coming to the High Performance Podcast on Monday, YouTube at the same time. But right now, the whole thing is available on the High Performance app. Head to the App Store, download the High Performance app, use the code H-P-A-P-P as we welcome Gordon Ramsay to High Performance.