Gordon Ramsay
Genuinely moved by the fact that vitamin A deficiency is one of the major causes of childhood blindness around the world; Gordon Ramsay became a Sightsavers ambassador in 2006, when he joined forces with Sightsavers to help launch a campaign highlighting the major causes of childhood blindness, which include vitamin A deficiency, cataract and trachoma.
"No child should lose their sight unnecessarily. To think that a child may go blind just because they go without a few simple types of food is staggering. Sightsavers is trying to eliminate all types of avoidable blindness, including blindness caused by Vitamin A deficiency, and cataracts." Says celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay.
To support the campaign Gordon appeared on This Morning ahead of World Sight Day, when the campaign was to be launched. He spoke about the causes of childhood blindness and his involvement with the campaign. Gordon also cooked up some delicious new recipes rich in vitamin A such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach and pineapples, which people could cook at home. Trying to ensure the sufficient in take of vitamin A is one of the steps that poor families around the world can take in order to prevent their children being blinded by vitamin A deficiency.
Since becoming a Sightsavers ambassador, Gordon also submitted a photograph for 'Treasured: My Favourite Sight,' a photography exhibition by Sightsavers at the BA London Eye on the Southbank, London in 2006. The exhibition, which was a vibrant mix of the favourite sights of children in Bangladesh who had their sight restored by Sightsavers and our local partners, and the sights celebrities would miss the most if they were to lose their sight, raised awareness of the scale of avoidable blindness worldwide.
Gordon originally started his career as a professional footballer, playing for Glasgow Rangers from 1982 to 1985, but injury put paid to pursuing this.
His attention turned to cooking, and after catering college he enjoyed stints at renowned London restaurants Harvey's (with Marco Pierre White) and La Gavroche (with Albert Roux), as well as the Paris kitchens of Guy Savoy and Joel Robuchon. A brief spell as the personal chef of an Australian TV producer was followed by the opening of Aubergine in 1994.
In the next three years Gordon received two Michelin stars, before leaving to set up Royal Hospital Road. The success of this new venue was cemented when it was named the second-best restaurant in the world in a poll run by Restaurant Magazine, as well as earning three Michelin stars.
His empire has since expanded to nine restaurants in central London, as well as overseas eateries in Dubai, New York, Florida and Tokyo, and he picked up an OBE in 2006 for his services to the hospitality industry. In the same year he was named the most powerful and influential person in UK hospitality.
However, it's not just his cooking that has made Gordon Ramsay a household name, his famous temper has made him a favourite with the public and programme makers alike, and he has starred in series such as Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, Hell's Kitchen and The F-Word. He'd prefer to shirk the 'celebrity' label though, saying: "I am not a celebrity chef! People think the only reason I'm famous is because I asked Joan Collins to leave my restaurant…"
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