Gordon Ramsay loses 477 lucky cat figurines to theft

Gordon Ramsay has said that almost 500 cat figurines have been stolen from his new opening at 22 Bishopsgate in one week.

Numerous maneki-neko cat models are featured at the Lucky Cat restaurant in the central London restaurant, which are proving too tempting for light-fingered diners, according to the chef.

He told ITV’s The Jonathan Ross Show: “The cats are getting stolen. There were 477 stolen last week – they cost £4.50 each.”

The maneki-neko figurines are believed to bring luck, but for Ramsay they have come at a cost of £2,146.50 in a single week.

The 120-cover Lucky Cat restaurant part of what has been described as Ramsay’s most ambitious project yet. It is on the 60th floor of the 22 Bishopsgate building along with the Lucky Cat bar and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High, a 12 seat chefs table concept with views across the city.

On the 58th floor of the building is the Gordon Ramsay Academy cookery, while an outpost of the chef’s casual Bread Street Kitchen restaurant will open later this year.

Commenting on the restaurant’s opening Ramsay said: “I’ve been lucky enough to open restaurants all over the world, but there’s something truly unique about London. It’s where my journey began, and it’s the city I’m proud to call home.

"Watching it evolve into a global culinary powerhouse has been remarkable. Building this beautiful space has been an ambitious project, but that’s exactly what makes Gordon Ramsay Restaurants so special— we never stop pushing boundaries.

"I couldn’t be more excited to open three of our most iconic restaurants, all reimagined, taken to new heights, and built under one roof, it’s a dream come true and a major milestone for our business."