Gordon Ramsay’s Ex-Right-Hand Man Sets Up Rival Restaurant Business

Stuart Gillies, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s ex-right-hand man and chief executive of his restaurant group, has set up a new company and applied for a trademark, ahead of the imminent launch of a new, solo restaurant company. Alfa-Zero Limited was incorporated, with Gillies as the sole director and shareholder, on 2 January this year, as reported by This is Money.

Gillies, who before being instated as CEO of Gordon Ramsay Holdings in 2016, had worked in different roles, initially as a chef, for the swearing celebrity chef for over 15 years. He was terminated from the company, without any official statement or confirmation from Ramsay, in February of this year. Before that, in January, when rumours began to surface, Gillies had denied the reports. Yet in March, company filings confirmed that former managing director Andy Wenlock had been appointed as director, fuelling suspicions that he would succeed Gillies. (Gordon Ramsay Holdings has still not confirmed this and Wenlock is still officially the group’s managing director.)

The application for a trademark in the name of WOOD & WOOD was registered in Gillies’ name on 25 April this year. It is stated in the “Class 43: Services for providing of food and drink; restaurant, café, bar and catering services; preparation and serving of food and beverages; reservation services relating to the aforesaid; Take-away food and drink service.”

Ramsay, meanwhile, last month confirmed that his restaurant Maze in Mayfair would close in early 2019, after nearly 14 years of trading; it was revealed that the business had posted a £3.8 million loss in the year to the end of August 2017.

Representatives for Gordon Ramsay did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

More soon.

• Gordon Ramsay’s former right-hand man plans to open a rival restaurant business [This is Money]