Gordon Ramsay has shut down an “over-exaggerated” claim about a dog pooping inside one of his London restaurants.
On May 1, TikTok user Gizzelle Cade shared multiple videos of her visit to Ramsay’s Street Pizza location in Battersea, where she noticed a dog standing on a training pad nearby. She claimed that the dog pooped on the pad in the middle of the restaurant and that the manager was “fine” with the pet’s behavior, prompting the TikToker to leave. Cade has continued to post TikTok videos since the incident.
The 59-year-old chef addressed the claims Tuesday when TMZ asked him about the TikTok videos.
“What we have seen is the CCTV footage, and under no circumstances did that dog do a pee or a poo,” he said. “So over-exaggerated, as always, clickbait.”
When asked if he would prohibit dogs from his dining establishments entirely, he responded: “Dogs are welcome outside and on the terrace of the restaurant.”
In the comments of one of Cade’s videos, which has more than 20 million views, social media users have criticized the restaurant manager for seemingly permitting the use of the training pad inside.
“So disrespectful to those eating,” one wrote, while another added: “I’m a dog owner, actually an assistance dog handler too so my dog comes absolutely everywhere with me (not a pet) and this is still a massive NO.”
“Absolutely, I would have walked out without paying,” a third wrote.
In a statement to The Independent, Cade responded to Ramsay’s remarks and accused him of avoiding “what many people see as the larger issue.”
“At its core, the question is actually very simple: were the standards and policies associated with the Gordon Ramsay brand upheld in this situation, or were they not? Mr. Ramsay has built an entire career around holding other restaurants and kitchens accountable for hygiene, safety, and customer experience,” she said. “Naturally, people are now asking whether those same standards were upheld here, and if not, what steps have been taken to address or rectify that moving forward. It really is a simple yes or no question.”
“Instead of directly engaging with the broader hygiene and policy concerns in a factual and transparent manner, Mr. Ramsay continues to focus narrowly on disputing one aspect of the incident while failing to acknowledge my experience as the customer directly involved or the larger customer concerns and operational questions that still remain unanswered. I look forward to correcting misinformation while continuing to share my perspective directly with my audience on TikTok in the coming days.”
The Independent has contacted Ramsay for comment.
In addition to Street Pizza, Ramsay operates more than 90 restaurants worldwide, with his brands including The Gordon Ramsay, Savory Grill, Lucky Cat, Gordon Ramsay Steak and Hell’s Kitchen, which was inspired by his signature reality show.
The chef rose to fame in the late Nineties, revealing his demanding management style in his 1999 BBC documentary, Boiling Point. He brought that persona to reality TV in the 2000s, starring in Hell’s Kitchen and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.
In 2005, he began the U.S. version of his Hell’s Kitchen series, where he enlists aspiring chefs to compete in high-pressure challenges. The program was recently renewed for seasons 23 and 24.