When we see Gordon Ramsay swearing on TV and throwing food at contestants, it’s hard to believe that he’s the parent of four children as well. All his kids are pretty much grown up at this point, they are teenagers, but we have to wonder what it was like growing up in a household where there’s likely swearing going on all the time. He has so many new shows going on right now that it’s really hard to keep track of what he’s doing. He still has Hell’s Kitchen and it’s as popular as ever, but he’s also had Kitchen Nightmares, MasterChef, MasterChef Junior, Hotel Hell, The F Word and that’s just a few of them. He also has numerous cookbooks that he has released and between 15 and 20 restaurants all over the world. We’re not really sure how he does it all. How on Earth does he even have time for a family?

Ramsay is known for his tough attitude when it comes to his cooking shows and he has no problem telling it like it is. Would it be safe to say that he is just as strict when it comes to his children? We know he’s not just a hardcore cooking genius, he also has a soft side to him as well, but we also know that he expects his children to toe the line.

His children are just as talented as he is and when it comes to their aspirations, he stands behind them 100%. He has at least one child that is following in his footsteps and he couldn’t be prouder. Check out these 15 strict parenting rules Gordon Ramsay follows to raise his kids.

He Teaches Them That Money Is Not Important

Sure, we totally get the importance of that because we all know that money does not bring us happiness. Raising children to not focus on money sure can’t hurt. But it’s also easy to say when you are a millionaire. Anyone who hasn’t had any money, would probably disagree and say that money is pretty important. But that’s not how he wants his children to live. Whether those children think about money or not, they are likely very well taken care of and wouldn’t even have to worry about it anyway. “I’ve never been really turned on about the money,” he told the Telegraph during a break from one of his cooking shows.

“That’s not my number-one objective, and that’s reflected in the way the kids are brought up.”

It is a little surprising all things considered. As parents, we work hard to give our children a better life, especially if we didn’t have a great upbringing ourselves. But it sounds like Ramsay wants his children to work just as hard as he did. He has stated over the years that “you don't come into cooking to get rich.” So is he the exception to the rule because there’s no doubt about it, he’s rolling in the money.

His Children Are Not Allowed to Eat At His Restaurants

You would think if you have 20-some restaurants that your children would be dining at them all the time. What’s better than having a famous chef father. You would feel entitled to eat at the restaurant anytime that you want to but that’s not the way that Gordon Ramsay sees it. He does not allow his children to eat at his restaurants because he doesn’t want them to feel like privileged children. Nor does he want other people to see the children in the restaurant and feel that they should be treated special because they are his children.

“Last time we went to Royal Hospital Road [Ramsay’s three Michelin starred flagship restaurant in Chelsea] was for Megan’s 16th birthday, and that was the first time we’ve ever eaten there with the kids.

They have served the Chelsea pensioners there for Christmas lunch, but not eaten there.” We can totally see where he’s coming from with this one. He’s also stated that he was never much of a hands-on dad because of his career. “I've never been a hands-on dad. I'm not ashamed to admit it, but you can't run a restaurant and be home for tea at 4:30 and bath and change nappies.”

There Is No Swearing

We have to say that we are a little shocked. Not that we would think that he would be okay with his children swearing but how can he lay the law down when his whole career is based on his foul mouth? But he doesn’t care what he does, he’s the boss and he will talk any way that he wants. “Swearing is industry language. For as long as we're alive it's not going to change. You've got to be boisterous to get results.” When it comes to the way he raises his children, he demands respect and there will be no swearing.

“They know I’ve said bad words. I say it is an industry language. They don’t swear.

They don’t walk around shouting the f-word,” said Gordon of his children. We have to respect the way that he runs his household. His kids don’t see him the same way that viewers do because he’s just not that way at home. His daughter Tilly has stated that he’s just a “teddy bear” and that he laughs all the time when he is at home. Being at home has mellowed him in many ways and maybe that’s why there is such a stark contrast.

They Eat Very Healthy

When it comes to the Ramsay household, the children are expected to eat very healthily throughout the week. They don’t get treats all the time. Tilly stated during an interview that they get treats after dinner once a week but that for the most part, their mother wants them to have a healthy lifestyle. It’s definitely not a bad thing to have your children on a healthy diet to give them a great start out in life, but there is also nothing wrong with them having a treat every now and then as well.

“Mum tries to keep us all healthy, but on a Friday night, we are allowed some crisps and dips after school, before dinner. That’s our weekly treat,”

said Tilly. They probably eat very well at home regardless of what they are eating. Having a chef in the family means that you will always be eating the best produce and meats available to you. That definitely can’t be a bad thing. Ramsay states that there is a reason that he is so strict. “My wife is a schoolteacher, very disciplined. If you think I'm tough, trust me, and wait till you see when the children are on the naughty step. It's hilarious. So, we decided that I'm going to work like a donkey and provide amazing support for the family.”

Ramsay Doesn’t Let His Children Sit In First Class

Obviously, Ramsay and his wife are flying first class wherever they go. They are rich and they are done with living the coach lifestyle. But you might be shocked to hear that Gordon does not allow his children to fly first class with them. He sends them back to coach where they belong. We’re not sure whether to be shocked or to find it hilarious. His logic behind it is that his children have not worked hard enough to get that privilege. He has and that’s why he gets to be in that position. We’re not sure if he will ever allow them to until they can afford to pay for it themselves.

“They don’t sit with us in first class. They haven’t worked anywhere near hard enough to afford that. At that age, at that size, you’re telling me they need to sit in first class? No, they do not. We’re really strict on that.

I turn left with Tana and they turn right and I say to the chief stewardess, ‘Make sure those little ones don’t come anywhere near us, I want to sleep on this plane.' I worked my arse off to sit that close to the pilot and you appreciate it more when you’ve grafted for it.”

There Are No Vegetarians Allowed

We know that Gordan Ramsay loves meat. He is a big fan of eating seafood and all various types of meat and he would never become a vegetarian. He's stated that he would hate it if any of his children ever became a vegetarian, or worse, a vegan. Everyone knows that Ramsay’s favorite meal is beef Wellington, it’s one of his favorite for his chefs to cook on Hell’s Kitchen. It also happens to be Tilly’s favorite meal to cook the family as well. Daily Mail asked Tilly if she was ever tempted to become a vegetarian and she stated, “No. I don’t think Dad would like that.” Ramsay had even made fun of Girl’s Aloud star, Cheryl for her choice to be a vegetarian when she appeared on his show The F Word. She told Ramsay that she was a vegetarian and he joked. “Didn’t you get the message? Vegetarians aren’t welcome here.”

He also told the Daily Mirror that if his kids became vegetarians, it would be his “biggest nightmare.”

If one did happen to go for it, he would “sit them on the fence and electrocute them.” That comment didn’t impress Sir Paul McCartney who stated he would be willing to talk to Gordon about it. "I'd be happier if everyone was vegetarian. The planet would be better off for it," he told Sainsbury's Magazine.

Ramsay Is very honest about where food comes from

Obviously, Gordon Ramsay loves meat and they have even raised their own animals in the back garden. But Ramsay always made sure that his kids knew where meat came from and that the turkeys in the back garden would eventually be slaughtered for dinner. During the first series of The F Word in 2005, the children appeared on the show and they saw the birds go off to slaughter. At the time, Tilly was only a toddler and you can see the worry on her face as Ramsay tells his children to say goodbye to the birds. “Bye bye turkeys,” said Ramsay. “See you in the oven!” His son Jack was not the squeamish type and he wanted to go see them, “Can I see them be killed?” Ramsay isn’t cold-hearted and he doesn’t do anything in a cruel manner. There was definitely a lighthearted moment on the show and when he talked to his children about how the birds will become sausages, it’s actually a little touching how he teaches them. Of course, vegetarians wouldn’t be too impressed with the episode, but he’s not really worried about that. He is just a more unconventional parent.

His Children Are Expected to Be Involved With Charities

He may be a strict parent, but he also has a lot of good values that he wants to instill in his children’s lives. These days the children are all earning their own money and they have been brought up to know they should help others. All the children are involved in charities such as Great Ormond Street Hospital. If you see any of them in interviews, you can certainly tell that they all have good hearts and are genuinely interested in being involved in charities. That’s definitely a great thing to instill in your children, the importance of helping others. He is someone that believes in helping others as well. We have often seen him send some of his chefs off to be further educated on his dime. “I am the most unselfish chef in Britain today.” He believes in accountability when it comes to his career as well.

“The pressure on young chefs today is far greater than ever before in terms of social skills, marketing skills, cooking skills, personality and, more importantly, delivering on the plate.

So, you need to be strong, physically fit. So, my chefs get weighed every time they come into the kitchen.”

His Kids Will Not Be Spoiled

That’s probably the best news we have heard all day. We certainly don’t need any more spoiled trust fund children running around in Hollywood. Ramsay’s strict upbringing of his children may have a lot to do with the fact that he was raised in a tough home. He was born in Glasgow and his father whose name is also Gordon was a terrible father and husband. He definitely never had an easy life. He often saw his father take his anger out on his mother, Helen. Gordon moved out of his home at the age of 16 because he couldn’t get along with his father. A childhood like that can certainly change you and we can see why he demands respect in his own home. He’s certainly not anything like his father. Either way, he has no intention of raising spoiled children.

“Tana came from a super set-up, and I’m just ‘educated rough’ from a council estate. So we meet in the middle and the kids bounce off both of us.

They have a completely different life than I did growing up. I worked my arse off to get out of the mess that I grew up in and they’re grateful, they’re not spoilt.”

Ramsay’s Children Have to Pay For Their Own Phones

As we said before, all his kids are teenagers and they all make their own money. Tilly has her own show now called Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch and it was renewed for a second season. When it comes to their lifestyle part of not spoiling his children means that Ramsay is not paying for things like phones. They get allowances, but they have to pay for their own phones and even the bus fare that gets them from place to place. There is no limo drivers or town cars taking these kids to school.

“Meg’s at university and has a budget of £100 a week; the others get about £50 a week and they have to pay for their own phones and their bus fare. The earlier you give them that responsibility to save for their own trainers and jeans, the better.”

That’s what it comes down to and we have to admit that it’s pretty surprising. Ramsay is a millionaire and yet his kids are buying their own jeans, it’s a little bizarre. But they are learning good lessons about responsibility and we’re sure if his kids were in a real pinch, their dad would help them out.

He Doesn’t Want His Daughters Dating the Beckham Boys

We know that Gordon Ramsay and David Beckham had a cook-off at one point, but we’re sure that this is all in jest. Though we’re sure that Ramsay isn’t really that keen on his daughter’s dating anyone. In reality, Ramsay and his wife are quite close to David and Victoria. “Over the past 10 years we’ve naturally got on,” he explained.

“I see how hard David and Victoria work. But the connection is our ambition to get all eight children through school, college, university, and then dust ourselves down, when the kids are in their 20s, as having been decent parents. That’s hard. We feed off each other.”

That doesn’t mean that he wants his daughters dating their boys though and they have had that conversation with their children. "Three girls and a boy, and three boys and a girl – you’d be amazed at the synergy. We’ve promised that no one dates anybody, and so far…” He laughed as he talked to TV Magazine and stated, “If Holly said: ‘Yeah, Brooklyn and I…’ it would be: ‘No, Holly.’” It would be a little awkward and we’re sure that despite being close to them it would be weird if their children started dating. It’s just best to keep that off the table.

He Monitors How Much Time His Kids Spend On Devices

It’s always a good idea to have some clue on what your children are doing online because we all know there are plenty of dangers there. But Gordon Ramsay being the strict parent goes way beyond that and he bans devices from the bedroom when the kids are going to bed. Both he and his wife Tana are very strict when it comes to monitoring the kid’s mobile phones and tablets. “You go to bed to sleep, not to sit there Snapchatting,” he said.

“Tana was a teacher, so she’s pretty severe. Phones are outside the door [at bedtime]. And they don’t go to my restaurants with their mates, it’s Wagamama or Nando’s.”

The kids have asked for a VIP card and they aren’t getting that either. "They keep asking me to get a black card. What is that?! [A VIP card giving celebs free meals.] If you met them, you’d be surprised at how down to Earth they are.” All kids are going to ask for extra time on their phones or to be able to go to their father’s restaurants with their friends but Ramsay is firm on his rules and he’s not bending.

Don’t Even Dare Ask For Jobs for your friends

Gordon Ramsay has learned from personal experience that you never hire family to run or work in your businesses. When it came to his own issues, his father-in-law tried to rip Ramsay off. His father-in-law, Chris Hutcheson, used to be the CEO of Ramsay’s business empire, but the family was shocked to find out that Hutchinson had stolen $1.5 million from the company. That must have been horrifying for Tana to find out about her own father. Since then, he’s decided that no one is getting hired in the family again.

“We’ve dealt with some serious issues in our family and we’ve fallen out. It’s made us stronger and closer because I’m making sure those pitfalls are not in front of the kids. What’s the one thing I’d have done differently in life? I’d never have employed my father-in-law. Don’t. Employ. Family.”

He stated that if his daughters came to him and asked for a job for their boyfriends in the future, it would be a solid no. “If Megan, Holly or Tilly ever say: ‘Hey Dad, my boyfriend is executive chef at The Ritz and he’s got aspirations to open his own restaurant…’ It begins with F and ends with F. There’s no way I would ever, ever consider it. Business and family don’t work.” If you need any more advice, he said, “Anyone thinking of going into business with family, come and see me first. I’ll save you a fortune.”

The Children Are Expected To Clean Up After Dinner

It really sounds like there is a traditional household when it comes to Ramsay’s family. The children help out with cooking and when it comes to clean up, they are expected to tidy up after dinner. They are asked to set the table as well. It’s not very different from how a lot of us were raised growing up. Chores are never a bad thing, it’s another thing that teaches discipline in a child’s life. Plus, it must help out parents who don’t have nannies and who juggle careers and four children at the same time. “They tidy up after each and every dinner. It’s a system. It’s important they help set and clear the tables, it’s important they cook, it’s important they do their homework.” Every one of his children knows how to cook and it’s not because he expects them to be in the family business.

“They all cook as a life skill as opposed to a career. I never want to put that on us on them. I don’t want them with a badge, going into a kitchen [with people] thinking that’s Ramsay’s daughter or that’s Ramsay’s son.”

He’s definitely a strict parent, but it seems as if he has his children’s best interest at heart.

Ramsay’s Children Will Not Be Getting Any Money In His Will

Now, that one is a little surprising to us. Why wouldn’t he leave his fortune to his four children? Ramsay has stated on more than one occasion that his children need to be responsible and make a career for themselves. He expects them to make their own way in life and not to expect a trust fund to get them through life. He’s also not leaving them any money after he passes away. “It’s definitely not going to them, and that’s not in a mean way; it’s to not spoil them,” he said.

“The only thing I’ve agreed with Tana is they get a 25 percent deposit on a flat, but not the whole flat.”

Well, that’s certainly a decent offering to help them out in the future but we have to wonder what he’s going to do with his money. “I’ve been super lucky, having that career for the last 15 years in the US. Seriously, it has earned a fortune and I’ve been very lucky, so I respect everything I’ve got.” He has a passion for charities and helping people out so it’s possible that all his money will be left to charity when it’s all said and done.

References: dailymail.co.uk, telegraph.co.uk, independent.co.uk, thesun.co.uk