Top 10 Times Contestants Clapped Back at Gordon Ramsay

“The F Word” (2005-10)

From clapback to a lesson learned? This war of words actually turns into a touching moment between Gordon and Chef Adrian - not something we see often on any Gordon Ramsay show. While trying to perfect a souffle -- arguably one of the most challenging dishes to make -- Adrian falls short, gets in Ramsay’s face, and gets kicked out of the kitchen. The chefs eventually kiss and make up, with Ramsay inviting Adrian back in to improve his technique and finish dinner service. He may be known for getting angry, but Ramsay is also invested in serving customers quality food. Maybe, in this case, he could’ve accomplished that with a little less yelling.

“Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares” (2004-14)

Sometimes, knowing the basics can get you pretty far in the kitchen. But when Gordon learns that Chef Dave has never cooked mussels -- something that should be old hat for most head chefs -- he can’t help but rub the chef’s nose in it. The argument quickly devolves into mockery and name-calling, with Dave doing his best Ramsay impression. Gordon laughs, seemingly confused by the whole thing. Unlike many blowups we’ve seen in the past, this one fizzles quickly. And a little momentary aggravation yields one of the silliest clapbacks to date.

“Hell’s Kitchen” (2005-)

Chef Ramsay is notorious for name-calling in the kitchen, whether it's calling contestants “donkeys” or “donuts.” It’s up to you to decide if these insults are warranted, but one thing’s for sure: they are always entertaining. Take, for example, Chef Giovanni, who cooked up some chicken fit for a dog’s dinner. He earns a new nickname from Gordon: [“dickface.”] Not very pleased with his new moniker, Giovanni fights back and seems ready for a full-on blowup. That is, until Gordon gets in his face. He seems to take Gordon’s insults with a grain of salt, even though they’d have many other chefs shaking in their slip-resistant shoes. The confrontation didn’t sour the contestant on Ramsay, though, as he returned as an all-star in season 17.

“Hell’s Kitchen” (2005-)

Mashed potatoes? More like potato soup. While Gordon might be known for his outbursts, what he’s really all about is high-quality food. When Chef Andrew serves up some liquid mashed potatoes and then tries to fix them by cutting corners, Gordon calls him out. Many chefs would take the critique and restart the dish, but not Chef Andrew. When he calls his action “a brilliant idea” and then argues with Gordon to justify it, he gets promptly kicked out of the kitchen. Surprisingly, he didn’t have much to say after that and quietly left the show, but not before strangely leaving his shoes with the maitre’d.

“Kitchen Nightmares” (2007-14)

Unlike many of the clapbacks on this list, Black Pearl owner David Leonard never raised his voice or got into Chef Ramsay’s face. But he’s still known as one of the worst restaurant owners ever to appear on the show. David shows his flippant and ungrateful attitude through his terrible work ethic and intimidation of staff members. Gordon calls him ungrateful, and a slippery eel, with the restaurant’s co-owners and staff in agreement. This contestant should’ve known that calling Chef Ramsay “Gordy,” lying about the quality of his food, and complaining about the restaurant’s makeover would not win him any fans, especially not Gordon Ramsay.

“Kitchen Nightmares” (2007-14)

One thing you should never do to Gordon Ramsay is lie to him. He’s known for dressing in disguises and even using black light technology to find out the scoop on failing businesses. So when he asks Chef Damon of Oceana whether the crab cake he ate was cooked fresh, Damon should have known that honesty is the best policy. Instead, he denies they were frozen and then challenges Gordon to a fight when his lie is uncovered. Here’s a message to all the chefs out there: If your food is frozen, Chef Ramsay will be able to tell! You’re truly not fooling anyone but yourself. Hopefully, Damon learned that lesson.

“Hell’s Kitchen” [UK] (2004-09)

Ever thought you’d see Gordon Ramsay dodge slaps like Neo dodging bullets in “The Matrix”? In this episode of “Hell’s Kitchen UK,” an exhausted and dejected contestant -- “Coronation Street” actress Amanda Barrie -- decides it’s a good idea to smack Chef Ramsay in the face. Little did she know that Gordon has the reflexes of a cat and a black belt in karate, so he leaves the encounter unscathed. Amanda, on the other hand, quit the show soon after, and the moment has gone down in history as the only time Ramsay almost met his match.

“Kitchen Nightmares” (2007-14)

It’s Amy’s Baking Company. Need we say more? The owners of this Arizona eatery have become infamous for their erratic and unethical behavior, from Samy threatening Gordon and stealing servers’ tips to Amy screaming and storming out at the slightest criticism. There are almost too many clapbacks to count, leaving one to question if the couple knew what show they were signing up for. They are also known as the only set of restaurant owners in the history of “Kitchen Nightmares” that made Ramsay give up and walk out. They were certainly beyond help, and the restaurant closed for good in 2015.

“Hell’s Kitchen” (2005-)

Sometimes, confronting Chef Ramsay pays off, as was the case when contestant Tennille blew up at him during a hectic challenge. Tired of his critiques of her portion sizes, she throws his insults back in his face before being ejected from the kitchen. The emotional confrontation continues in the back, where Tennille agrees to quiet down and return to service. For once, Ramsay welcomed a combative chef back, leaving us to wonder, “What’s gotten into him?” But we know it was Tennille’s passion that inspired her clapback and carried her into the final four, with Gordon calling her “the greatest comeback” the show had ever seen.

“Hell’s Kitchen” (2005-)

Most contestants hold back their violent tendencies when insulted by Chef Ramsay. And then there’s Joseph, an ex-Marine and contestant on season six of “Hell’s Kitchen.” During a heated elimination ceremony where he wasn’t even on the chopping block, Joseph got frustrated with Ramsay’s requests. After ripping off his blue jacket and getting in Ramsay’s face, he asks one of the world’s most famous chefs to take it to the parking lot. Cool as a cucumber, Chef Ramsay kicks him off the show, but not before one last verbal kick in the pants. That last step is a doozy.