Gordon Ramsay has finally returned to London after angering his neighbours and locals in Cornwall when he spent lockdown at his £4million second home.
He was seen for the first time since his return to the capital on Tuesday.
The chef and restaurateur, 53, stepped out of his Range Rover alongside his daughter Holly, 20, and an aide, who was clutching a script reading words to announce the reopening of his Lucky Cat restaurant amid eased lockdown rules.
His return to London will no doubt set tongues wagging after he has came under fire for spending lockdown at his second home, with neighbours raging at his apparent flouting of goverment guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Oh no: Gordon Ramsay was seen for the first time in London on Tuesday, since his return to the capital after his controversial Cornish lockdown
Gordon was seen sporting a blazer and T-shirt ahead of filming a video for his 9.1million Instagram followers in which he announced the opening of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay on Royal Hospital Rd in Chelsea.
As he expressed his delight at reopening the doors he added a caption reading: ‘Exciting news UK… We’re ready to open our doors again on 4 July. We can’t wait to see you guys … we’ve missed you !!’
His script indicated he was preparing to release a similar video for Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay in Grosvenor Square, follow Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement on Tuesday that eateries and pubs will reopen next month.
He was trailed by his glamorous daughter Holly as he zipped around the capital in the swanky motor to get back to work after his idyllic stay.
Out and about: The chef and restaurateur, 53, stepped out of his Range Rover alongside his daughter Holly, 20
Outing: Gordon received huge backlash for sending his lockdown in Cornwall with his family in their £4million home (pictured in May)
In April, Gordon angered locals after relocating during the coronavirus crisis as the Government urged Britons not to travel from hotspots to the countryside.
Last month, he claimed lockdown has been an ‘absolute nightmare for all of us’, despite being lambasted for his moving around.
The star was spotted on a number of times on long excursions when outings were limited to an hour a day after relocating.
Gordon, announcing the reopening of his restaurant The Narrow in Limehouse, said of lockdown: ‘I know this lockdown has been an absolute nightmare for all of us…
‘But tomorrow at midday we’re going to open for an amazing barbecue down on The Thames at The Narrow. It’s in the Limehouse Link, a beautiful setting but more importantly, honestly, a long time coming.’
Reading up: He was joined by an aide, who was clutching a script reading words to announce the reopening of his Lucky Cat restaurant amid eased lockdown rules
Opening up: Gordon was seen sporting a blazer and T-shirt ahead of filming a video for his 9.1million Instagram followers in which he announced the opening of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay on Royal Hospital Rd in Chelsea
Assistant? He was trailed by his glamorous daughter Holly as he zipped around the capital in the swanky motor to get back to work after his idyllic stay
Gordon also confirmed earlier this month that he will reopen another London restaurant, gastro pub York & Albany, for takeaway service.
The star has taken out loans to shore up his restaurant empire which has been shuttered by the coronavirus lockdown, it was revealed last week.
He has registered charges with Barclays against 16 companies, which includes those managing some of his Michelin star outlets, according to the Sun.
Out and about: It was back to work as normal for Gordon following Boris Johnson’s reveal
The loans will provide a lifeline to companies which manage some of the TV chef’s flagship eateries, such as London’s Savoy Grill and Petrus.
Gordon also recently prompted outrage by using the government’s taxpayer funded furlough scheme to pay 500 workers sacked in March.
Gordon faced yet more outrage from Cornish locals by enjoying a beachside stroll with his entire family close to their home.
Eek: Gordon also recently prompted outrage by using the government’s taxpayer funded furlough scheme to pay 500 workers sacked in March
Assistant: Holly has joined her dad in his return to the capital after sparking rage in Cornwall
The fiery chef was accompanied by wife Tana, 45, and three of their five children – Jack, 20, Matilda, 18, and Oscar – during a brisk walk across the beach.
The Hell’s Kitchen star also landed in hot water with the local coastguard, who are said to have issued an official warning to him over his apparent flouting of lockdown guidelines.
Sources indicate that Gordon has been seen in Rock, Fowey, Port Isaac and Newquay – some distance from his £4million home in Trebetherick.
The warning is particularly troubling as at the time he was the face of a ‘Stayhome’ initiative on YouTube which he has been plugging on his ten-minute cookery shows, filmed in ‘isolation’ in his Cornwall kitchen.
Oops: Gordon faced yet more outrage from Cornish locals by enjoying a beachside stroll with his entire family close to their home
A source at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, whose officers and volunteers carry out regular patrols of the beaches and coastal paths, said: ‘We have reports of him being seen in dozens of different places since lockdown started.
‘He does not seem to be obeying the rules regarding social distancing, exercise and staying at home. His home, to Newquay, which is 23 miles away, and even at his third Cornish home in Fowey, which is 25 miles away and a 45-minute drive on a good day.
‘One of our staff spoke to him about the frequency with which he was being seen out and about, and the significant distances. After a period of reflection, he seemed to calm himself and took on board what was being conveyed in a most polite manner.’
Hypocrite? Appearing from home in his ‘Stay at Home’ YouTube campaign in April, Ramsay urged fans to remain behind closed doors and try some of his recipes until current restrictions are lifted
Appearing from home in his ‘Stay at Home’ YouTube campaign in April, Ramsay urged fans to remain behind closed doors and try some of his recipes until current restrictions are lifted.
‘Hi, I’m Gordon Ramsay. Now in order to stop this dreadful virus, we need to stay at home,’ he told viewers.
‘What do we do? Let’s cook along together. I’ve got loads of exciting recipes on my YouTube channel. Have fun and thank you.’
Outings: The TV personality has previously sparked criticism online for supposedly flouting lockdown rules (pictured with son Oscar in April)
The chef has been plagued by controversy from the moment he arrived in Cornwall.
Ramsay was forced deny ‘almost causing an accident’ after a local resident accused him of jumping a red light. In a taken by the irate local, he was seen wearing the same cycling gear he wore in a post shared with Instagram followers earlier that day.
At the time, people with second homes were not allowed to travel back and forth, choosing one home and sitting out the lockdown in it is not against official advice.
Controversy: The Hell’s Kitchen star has faced huge backlash from neighbours who claimed he’s ‘brought coronavirus to them’ during the lockdown
A friend of the family told MailOnline: ‘The family see Cornwall as their family home when the kids are back from uni and Gordon back from filming around the world it’s where they spend all their family time together.
‘They’ve been spending time there for 10 years and Jack actually lives in the house there full time too. Most of their neighbours are so welcoming and they love being part of the community.
‘They’ve been following the government advice along with the rest of the country since they arrived on March 20th and the campaign against them is hurtful and unnecessary at a time when we should all be coming together and supporting each other.’
Close family: Gordon relocated to Cornwall with his family – daughter Megan, 22, twins Jack and Holly, 20, daughter Matilda, 18, and wife Tana, 45 (from left to right)