Gordon Ramsay is uniting his restaurant operations on both sides of the Atlantic through a deal that sees fresh investment flowing from US private equity house Lion Capital.
The celebrity chef, 58, is merging the British and American arms of his global dining empire into a single entity, jointly owned on a 50–50 basis by Ramsay and Lion Capital.
The arrangement builds on a previous partnership forged in 2019, when Lion Capital pledged $100 million to expand Ramsay’s US portfolio. Advisers from Rothschild & Co worked on the latest transaction, which will establish a central board headquartered in London.
Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, founded in 1998, includes 34 UK establishments and 32 US sites, alongside 22 other venues across China, South Korea, Malaysia, France, Dubai, Singapore and Thailand. From Michelin-starred destinations to casual pizza and burger outlets, the business employs 1,100 staff in the UK and 750 in the US. Globally, it recorded sales of $500.8 million last year.
In a statement, Ramsay said: “This is an exciting new chapter for our business, building on over five years of collaboration with Lion Capital. Together, and with the support of a brilliant team, we are poised to grow our international reach, create new partnerships and bring exceptional dining experiences to more people around the world.”
Ramsay has been ramping up his UK operations. He recently unveiled plans for a sprawling dining experience at 22 Bishopsgate in central London, spanning four floors and 25,000 sq ft. Expected to create over 250 jobs, it will offer five distinct culinary concepts, including a late-night terrace bar, an Asian-inspired ‘Lucky Cat’ and a Bread Street Kitchen.
Under Ramsay’s 2019 agreement, Lion Capital bought half of his North American restaurant interests and committed a further $100 million to open 100 new sites across the US within five years. This latest move consolidates all international interests, signalling a fresh phase of expansion for the TV chef’s worldwide restaurant empire.