The rise and rise of Ramsay restaurants

Gordon Ramsay spent two-and-a-half years as Marco Pierre White's sous chef at Harvey's, followed by 18 months at Le Gavroche and two years cooking in Paris for both Joël Robuchon and Guy Savoy.

This prepared the chef for his first solo venture at Aubergine, London, in 1993.

\* 1995: Ramsay won his first Michelin star at Aubergine. In 1997 he won a second.

\* 1998: Ramsay quit Aubergine after a row with shareholders A-Z.

\* In the same year he opened Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea's Royal Hospital Road and financed Marcus Wareing in opening his restaurant, Pétrus.

\* 2000: Pétrus was awarded its first Michelin star.

\* 2001: Ramsay won his third Michelin star for his Chelsea restaurant.

\* 2001, April: Ramsay opened Amaryllis restaurant at One Devonshire Gardens, Glasgow.

\* In the same year, Ramsay signed a deal with the Savoy Group and opened Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's in October.

\* In the same month he opened Verre restaurant in Dubai at the Hilton Dubai Creek.

\* 2002: Ramsay took over the food and beverage operation at the Connaught, installing Angela Hartnett as chef-patron at the restaurant, which opened last month. Hartnett was previously executive chef at the Hilton Dubai Creek.

\* 2003: Marcus Wareing to move Pétrus into the Berkeley hotel.