Fans of world-famous chef and television personality Gordon Ramsay are well aware of his direct, critical, and often blustery but ultimately caring personality. How can the same man that brings adult professionals to tears in Hell's Kitchen turn around and be charming and goofy with kids in MasterChef Junior? The answers may be in his stars. To better understand the polarity in his public persona and gain insight into his incredible success, we've provided a peek at Gordon Ramsay's natal chart.
Gordon Ramsay's Birth Chart
Gordon Ramsay was born on November 8, 1966, in Johnstone, Scotland, at 6:05 pm. This birth data has an AA Rodden rating and is considered accurate. His birth chart pictured below offers unique insight into his over-the-top, volatile personality.
Here's Why He's an Intense Perfectionist
Ramsay has two bundles of planets called stelliums, one in Scorpio (♏︎) and another in Virgo (♍︎). All the planets in these two stelliums are in a sextile aspect (60° of separation). When planets are sextile to one another, the energy created is one of harmony and cooperation. For Ramsay, this is a powerful indication of his obsession (Scorpio) with perfection (Virgo.)
Scorpio Stellium
Ramsay's Scorpio stellium definitely explains his well-known intensity. At the same time, Ramsay is passionate, likable, and inspiring. His Sun (☉), Venus (♀︎) and Neptune (♆), as well as his South Node (☋), are all conjunct in Scorpio the Sixth house. He's a prime example of the Scorpio drive, passion, and aggression. So, it's fair to assume he's a very intense (Scorpio) man, but Venus makes him likable, while Neptune makes him inspiring. Ramsay himself says that it's his "level of passion that often gets misconstrued as anger." Venus, the ruler of Taurus, ties the stellium to his fulfillment in life, his North Node (☊) in Taurus (♉︎), meaning he's most fulfilled when he's engaged in something he's passionate about.
Virgo Stellium
Ramsay has a perfectionist, hypercritical, and detail-oriented Virgo stellium in his fifth house. He has Mars (♂︎), Pluto (♇), Uranus (♅) and the Moon (☽) in Virgo. Pluto and Uranus in Virgo indicate a man who is a rebellious, impulsive, pragmatic, sharp-eyed individualist, who despises authority and is anything but superficial. These two outer planets fused with his Mars and Moon speak of his tremendous drive (Mars/Pluto), his abruptness (Uranus/Moon), and his emotional conviction about demanding creative (5th house) perfection from himself and others (Virgo Moon). In Ramsay's case, this would be the culinary creations. Uranus, the ruler of his Aquarius (♒︎) mid-heaven ties all this to his public image (10th house). The ruler of this Virgo stellium is Mercury (☿) in Sagittarius (♐︎). Mercury also rules Ramsay's Rising Sign.
He Definitely Has the Gift of Gab
Gordon Ramsay has Gemini rising, showing that he's chatty, restless, and impatient, but goes after what he wants in a light-hearted manner. Gemini's ruler Mercury is in Sagittarius. You can assume that Ramsay is enthusiastic and usually has something funny to say. Ramsay's Mercury is in a trine (△) aspect to Jupiter (♃) in Leo (♌︎). This combination ensures he's a showman (Leo) and a salesman with a gift for gab, who's happy to sign autographs and have his picture taken with fans he meets on the streets. Of course, it also says he's strongly opinionated, is prone to rant, and isn't shy about telling anyone exactly what he thinks.
One of Ramsay's most well-known catch-phrases - "idiot sandwich" - isn't something he said spontaneously in the kitchen. Rather, it was a self-satirical sketch he did on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2015 called "Hell's Cafeteria."
The Secret of His Success
Ramsay's birth chart has a bucket pattern, which occurs when all planets but one are distributed within a 180° semicircle ("bowl" of the bucket). The remaining planet (the handle planet), is the most important planet of the bucket pattern. It's the point of release. You could say it's key in carrying the individual's life along, and the individual is prone to show off this energy.
Ramsay has all but one planet in the lower half of his chart. Saturn (♄), which is opposite (180° of separation) his Virgo stellium, is the handle of his bucket. Some might see this as restrictive and inhibiting, but for Ramsay, it's been the controlling and moderating influence in his life. It's Saturn, the planet of self-discipline, perseverance, ambition, authority, and maturity, that makes Ramsay enterprising and high reaching. It's also what's made him a success.
Gordon Ramsay's Life Journey
Is there any indication that Ramsay would find success and fulfillment as a chef and restaurateur in his birth chart? Yes! In Evolutionary Astrology, the South Node (☋) and North Node (☊) reveal your life's mission. Ramsay's South Node in Scorpio and his North Node is in Taurus (♉︎).
Scorpio South Node
The South Node often says something about your young life. When the South Node is in Scorpio, early life was likely emotionally chaotic. It's reported that Ramsay had a tough early life. His father was an abusive drunk, and he had a brother who was into drugs and sent to jail. He initially wanted to be a footballer, but that dream was taken away after an injury, and he wound up working in a kitchen, eventually training under old-school chefs who were always in his face. This was the culture Ramsay was brought up in. This became his habit pattern (Scorpio SN), and he continued to recreate the emotional chaos of his younger life but mellowed (Taurus North Node) as he aged.
Taurus North Node
With his North Node in Taurus, he's sensual, and his fulfillment in life was to become mellower and take pleasure in pleasing the five senses: touch, sight, hearing, smells, and tastes. Nothing would give Gordon Ramsay more sensual pleasure (Taurus) or be more fulfilling (NN) than creating, preparing, and serving gourmet meals. Ramsay was to find his fulfillment in the kitchen. Becoming a chef not only increased Ramsay's self-worth (Taurus), it also steadily increased his net worth (Taurus).
Gordon Ramsay's True Personality
Ramsay's birth chart confirms that he's volatile and profane (but you probably always knew that), always honest, blunt, and straight to the point, but that he's also friendly and funny. Ramsay is also caring and concerned in his own tough-love way. Some say he's the nicest guy around, but that once he steps into the kitchen, he gets into "chef mode" - he's like a passionate coach who calls the plays, gets excited, and keeps everyone on their toes.
