As we reported earlier, Neil Ferguson has left his post as chef de cuisine at Gordon Ramsay at the London. He is being replaced by Ramsay kitchen staffer Josh Emett, who moved to NY to work on the restaurant and has been with Ramsay since 2000, when he was hired at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.
Though it is clear that Ferguson did not leave NY on his own, the official statement from the Ramsay Camp is as follows (full statement below): “We are thrilled with the level and caliber of work Neil Ferguson has achieved at Gordon Ramsay at The London,” said Gordon Ramsay. “He has always been a valued member of the Gordon Ramsay family and has done a fantastic job in opening the restaurant. We are very happy to have him back in London now to focus on some exciting projects we’re developing. At the same time, we are thrilled to have Josh lead the New York kitchen and continue the great work we’re doing there.”
Ferguson is returning to London to work on other Ramsay endeavors, but relations between Ramsay and Ferguson cannot possibly have gone undamaged. The two have worked together closely for years and Ferguson was meant to be Ramsay's eyes and ears in NY. Indeed, Ramsay said back in May that Ferguson was the right man for the NY job, unequivocally. From the Guardian UK: "Neil Ferguson was with me at Aubergine. He was Angela's head chef at the Connaught. We've sent him to eat in 162 restaurants worldwide. We have that level of trust."
· BREAKING: Ramsay Dismisses Neil Ferguson [~E~]
Official Statement
by Susan Magrino PR
Gordon Ramsay Holdings today announced that Josh Emett has been named Chef de Cuisine at Gordon Ramsay at The London. Emett, who has been at the restaurant since its opening in fall 2006, replaces Neil Ferguson who has successfully introduced Gordon Ramsay’s cuisine to the United States and now returns to London where he will focus on upcoming projects for Gordon Ramsay Holdings.
“We are thrilled with the level and caliber of work Neil Ferguson has achieved at Gordon Ramsay at The London,” said Gordon Ramsay. “He has always been a valued member of the Gordon Ramsay family and has done a fantastic job in opening the restaurant. We are very happy to have him back in London now to focus on some exciting projects we’re developing. At the same time, we are thrilled to have Josh lead the New York kitchen and continue the great work we’re doing there.”
Emett joined Gordon Ramsay Holdings in 2000 as Senior Chef de Partie at the three Michelin-starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea before joining the team at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s. In 2003, Emett joined Marcus Wareing as Head Chef at the reopened Savoy Grill, a Gordon Ramsay restaurant. In 2004, Savoy Grill was awarded its first Michelin star. Soon after, Emett and Wareing opened Banquette for Gordon Ramsay, a new restaurant directly above Savoy Grill that offers the chefs’ unique take on an American diner. In 2006, Emett moved to New York City as a key member of Gordon Ramsay at The London team.
