Gordon Ramsay on why he won’t leave fortune to his children: ‘It’s to not spoil them’
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s four kids won’t inherit his multimillion-dollar fortune. The British TV personality has revealed why he and wife Tana will not leave their children their wealth.
In an interview with the Telegraph, the 50-year-old Michelin-starred chef said that despite having US$54 million (AU$72 million) wealth, he has not given his children – Megan, 18; Jack and Holly, 17; and Matilda, 15 – the typical lifestyle of rich celebrity kids. His children don’t even eat in his own fine dining restaurants unless there’s a special occasion, like one of his kids’ birthday.
Ramsay is adamant that they wouldn’t be left with his fortune. “It’s definitely not going to them, and that’s not in a mean way; it’s to not spoil them,” he said.
He conceded on giving them something to help them in the future, though. “The only thing I’ve agreed with Tana is they get a 25 percent deposit on a flat, but not the whole flat.”
Even during family holidays, this dad of four refuses to give his brood the same luxury, saying they had not done anything deserving yet. “They don’t sit with us in first class,” he said, referring to airline seats. “They haven’t worked anywhere near hard enough to afford that. At that age, at that size, you’re telling me they need to sit in first class? No, they do not. We’re really strict on that.”
And so he and his wife Tana turn left when boarding a plane, while their children turn right. His special instruction to the flight attendants is simple: “Make sure those little f------- don’t come anywhere near us, I want to sleep on this plane.”
As he explained, he can afford life’s luxuries today because he worked hard for them. His own tough upbringing had forced him to make a name for himself since leaving their family home at 16.
He and Tana, 42, have agreed that they wouldn’t bring up spoilt kids, allowing them to be responsible with money as early as possible. Their eldest daughter Meg, who is studying psychology in university, lives on a £100 (AU$165) budget a week, while her younger siblings get half of that (AU$83). The four also have to pay for their own phones and bus fares.
As a renowned chef whose name brings fear to kitchens everywhere, Ramsay doesn’t want to pressure his kids into taking the same vocation. “They all cook as a life skill as opposed to a career,” he said.
Out of his four kids, his youngest seemed to be the one following his footsteps. Matilda stars in her own cookery show, “Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch,” which will be in its third season this year. The show sees Matilda cooking a meal for her family according to each episode’s theme.
Ramsay isn’t the only rich and famous person who vowed not to leave their enormous wealth to their children. Richest man in the world Bill Gates said he wouldn’t leave his kids his massive multibillion-dollar fortune. The same is true with tycoon Warren Buffet, who had pledged 99 percent of his money to charity.
Elton John and husband David Furnish also would rather teach their kids the importance of money and good work ethics than to give them money. Asian superstar Jackie Chan’s only son, Jaycee, would have to make his own way as well because Chan will be giving away his fortune to charity in the future.
