The 'Hell's Kitchen' Altercation That Earned One Contestant A Hefty Court Settlement

Gordon Ramsay is notorious for his fiery tongue, but even he can't escape the heat sometimes. Restaurateur and host of the hit reality-competition television series "Hell's Kitchen," Ramsay cooked up some controversy with one contestant early in its run. In 2004, Ramsay got into an altercation with one male contestant during filming of the American edition of the show. The contestant (whose name remains hidden under the terms of the court settlement) and Ramsay engaged in a shoving match where the contestant subsequently fell back and injured his ankle. Needing hospital treatment for the fall, the contestant was later removed from the series. Granada, the show's production company, begrudgingly paid the contestant $124,000 as a part of the court settlement.

Ramsay reportedly confided in a colleague after the incident occurred, saying, "The guy wound me up and I got angry. He hurt his ankle when he fell. It wasn't intentional. I'm Gordon Ramsay, for goodness sake: People know I'm volatile. But I didn't mean to hurt the guy."

This wasn't the first time Ramsay faced public controversy in his life, and it certainly wasn't the last. Ramsay has experienced several legal, personal, and relational disputes over the span of his life and career. Unfortunately for him, as a public figure most of them have seen page one of the tabloids. Thankfully, not all of Gordon Ramsay's memories are bad ones.

"Hell's Kitchen" entertains viewers by its influx of talented contestants as well as the comically-outrageous outbursts by Gordon Ramsay. Yet, for the contestants involved, it's safe to assume Ramsay's ferocity isn't met with the same joyous reception. Ramsay has gotten into some hot water with many contestants that have appeared on the show. However, these altercations were strictly verbal. Ramsay has never been shy to demean contestants by calling them names and has even been filmed insulting Hell's Kitchen customers. He once said: "Don't whistle at me, I'm not your f****ng dog. You look like more of a dog than I do." And this to a customer vying for his attention after being unsatisfied with their food.

Many of Ramsay's controversial moments have appeared off-screen. These include affair allegations with a professional mistress, serving pre-prepared food, framing a former mentor, and misogyny. Ramsay has also clashed with other TV chefs. Chef Marcus Samuelsson, well-known for his Food Network appearances, alleged in his book "Yes Chef" Ramsay shouted racist remarks at him after being upset Samuelsson didn't publicly reference him as a chef he admired.

Ramsay's 2004 "Hell's Kitchen" legal dispute was not his first nor last time being in trouble with the law. In 1993, Ramsay was arrested for gross indecency after drunkenly exposing himself outside of a UK tube bathroom. Additionally, Ramsay was sued by restaurateur Martin Hyde for allegedly faking and planting problems in his restaurant, Dillons, on Ramsay's hit show "Kitchen Nightmares." Further, Ramsay was sued by former employees of his now-closed Los Angeles restaurant The Fat Cow for wage theft.