After graduating from North Oxon Technical College with a vocational diploma in hotel management in 1987, he relocated to London and started polishing his culinary abilities under chefs Albert Roux at La Gavroche and Marco Pierre White at Harvey's. Early in the 1990s, Ramsay visited France and worked in the kitchens of renowned chefs Guy Savoy and Jol Robuchon, creating traditional French dishes. Ramsay relocated back to London in 1993 and took over as head chef of Aubergine, which by 1996 had earned two of the publication's coveted Michelin Guide stars out of a possible three.
The renowned Gordon Ramsay restaurant, which Ramsay started on his own in 1998, received its third Michelin star and was recognized as one of the top restaurants in the world within three years. He established Gordon Ramsay's at Claridge's (closed in 2013) in 2001, which received a Michelin star two years later. In 1999, he opened Pétrus, which received a Michelin star within seven months of opening. Following were a growing number of Michelin-starred eateries, such as the Savoy Grill, the Boxwood Café (which was shut down in 2010), Maze, and La Noisette (closed in 2008).
Ramsay officially opened the world's first international restaurant named 'Verre' in 2001 in Dubai, UAE. In 2011, he ended his relationship with the eatery. His first American restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at London, debuted in New York City in 2006 (it closed in 2014), and in Versailles, Gordon Ramsay au Trianon, opened its doors in 2008 (outside Paris). Later, he established businesses in countries including South Africa, Australia, and Japan.