Gordon Ramsay is setting his sights on Miami this year. Following the announcement that he’d be opening his first Miami restaurant in the fall of 2022—Lucky Cat in the South of Fifth neighborhood—the celebrity chef doubles down with an outpost of his TV-famous eatery, Hell’s Kitchen. Inspired by Ramsay’s hit FOX series by the same name, the expansive two-story restaurant is slated to open at Met Square in Downtown Miami in late 2022. Ramsay, who’s no stranger to Miami’s food scene, is thrilled to finally make it official.
“I’m so excited to bring [the restaurant] to Miami. With its impressive food scene, Art Deco architecture and amazing people, they really know how to bring on the heat, and I know Hell’s Kitchen will feel right at home,” he says.
The Miami location will be just as grand—if not more—than its sister properties in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe. Spread out across 16,736 square feet and two levels is a ground-floor patio, a second-floor dining terrace, an open kitchen, a commanding bar and several of the show’s aesthetic hallmarks, including fire and heat motifs and shades of coral and teal to represent Hell’s Kitchen’s iconic blue and red colors.
While much of the menu and design is still in the works, chef Ramsay—who already has 40 international restaurants under his belt—gives us a preview of what folks can expect when Hell’s Kitchen opens this fall. We caught up with the chef on the heels of his big announcement and got his take on Miami’s growing spate of European restaurants, his favorite thing to eat when he’s in town and whether or not he’ll consider a move to Miami.
Tell us about the menu at Hell's Kitchen. What are some of the dishes you’ve planned for Miami?
Miami is definitely going to be getting the Hell’s Kitchen classics that we have at the restaurants in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe like beef Wellington, scallops and sticky toffee pudding. But we’re definitely working on adding some local touches as well. We’re still developing dishes but we’re going to be bringing Cuban and South American influences into some of the new dishes.ta
Hell’s Kitchen the show presents a very tense environment, to say the least. What will the vibe be like at Hell’s Kitchen, the restaurant?
Well, any kitchen is tense, but step into the dining room and it’s a whole different story. Hell’s Kitchen in Miami will have that energy we have in Vegas, with the open kitchen and the masterfully designed dining room that hundreds of thousands of guests have come to love. Every time you walk into that space you just feel the energy and I really think we can bring that energy to Miami.
There’s somewhat of a British invasion happening here—Sexy Fish, Hutong, Novikov. Some of London’s biggest restaurants now have outposts here. What gives, and what was your motivation for opening in Miami?
I think Miami is an incredible melting pot for America. You have the close proximity to South America, the sunshine to lure Europeans and people fed up with the cold weather in the Northeast, so it seems like the right place for the bigger names out of London to start here. But let’s be clear about this restaurant, the only British import here is me. Hell’s Kitchen was perfected in the states and we know there’s an appetite for it!
You’ve amassed quite the restaurant empire. How do you approach each opening, and how will Miami’s be any different, if at all?
No matter what, each restaurant opening is so important to me, even if it’s the same concept. Every time I arrive at a new location, I walk the space and always make changes on the spot. You can see a restaurant in photos or videos but there’s nothing like being in it for the first time and feeling it. So my team is always prepared when I arrive to make changes, just ask our operations team!
I love the Miami food scene, it’s one of my favorite things to do when I come to town.
Will you move to Miami for the restaurant or have plans to live here part-time?
Only if David has a spare bedroom!
What are some of the places you like to visit in Miami?
I love the Miami food scene, it’s one of my favorite things to do when I come to town. I absolutely love KYU in Wynwood, it just hits every note for me from décor to the food and atmosphere. And there’s nothing like the classic Versailles. I vividly remember going to Versailles for lunch with my son Jack after we were shooting in the Everglades and the café con leche and sandwiches hit the spot!
Your go-to meal or dish when you’re in Miami:
A Cubano Sandwich with some Cuban coffee.
What’s the latest you’ve stayed out in Miami and what kind of trouble were you getting yourself into?
I’m never out too late, I love the daytime so much more! That said, I’ve enjoyed a cocktail at Broken Shaker after dinner but this old man likes his rest!
What’s the most embarrassing thing to happen to you in the kitchen?
Well, I’d have to say it was on MasterChef when we tasted an extremely creamy Mac N’ Cheese in the audition phase of the show and when I asked the contestant what it was she responded “Breast Milk.” Honestly, food has never flown out of my mouth so quickly!!!!
If you could have anyone in the world record your outgoing voicemail, who would it be and why?
I think David Attenborough. No one would expect such a calm and soothing tone on the other side of the line for my voicemail. But we’d have to have him end it with a “Now Piss off” no?