Gordon Ramsay's Playing WIth Fire

Synopsis from http://www.goodreads.com/

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. 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
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 Gordon Ramsay has launched a string of internationally celebrated restaurants in London with ten Michelin stars between them, with his stable of highly talented chefs, and has restaurants in Dubai, Tokyo, New York and Florida, with more planned.The author of nine best-selling cookery books and an autobiography, Humble Pie, Gordon is one of the biggest television personalities in the UK with his hit shows, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, Hell's Kitchen and The F Word.He was awarded an OBE in 2006.

My Comments :

I got this book from BookXcess more than a year ago. Didn't get around to read it till recently.

It's a pretty impressive book. Yes, I have heard of Gordon Ramsay and knows that he is a famous Chef but I didn't know that he is this impressive.

Reading this book made me realised why he is so successful at what he does. I think those who have aspiration to open a business of any type should read this book. The way he manage his restaurant business is very good.

For example, treating customers complaint as a source of feedback and way to improve on customers service. Following up with customers and the complaints. Then trying to make it up to the customer without loosing too much of foot ground. Some companies would just throw away customers' complaint letters instead of following up with the customer.

He also trained his staffs to pick up the phone within 3 rings. Also to give service with a smile. All these small thing goes a long way in turn a business into a successful one

At some part of the book he may sound cocky but can't fault him as he have talent. Even this book is not free from the "F" word but it was not too much that it hinders ones reading.

What I admire the most in this book is that not only that he put in good things about himself but also talks about his own short comings. It really impressed me coz normally people would also want to say good things about themselves more over it's in a book; recorded for perpetuality.

Hope to get my hands on his others books