Gordon Ramsay surprises Marines in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace birthday ball
Aye, chef!
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay gave the Leathernecks of 5th Battalion 11th Marines a birthday ball they’ll savor forever in Las Vegas.
While working in his Hell’s Kitchen restaurant at Caesars Palace on Saturday night, the “Kitchen Nightmares” host heard that the Marines of 5/11 were throwing their annual Marine Corps birthday celebration across the hall.
Without hesitation, Ramsay dropped what he was doing to give the Marines a surprise visit.
Hundreds of Marines and their dates were in attendance to celebrate the Marine Corps biggest holiday and witness Ramsay’s surprise appearance.
“I wanted to take two minutes out to tell you all something very, very important. I have a son that is in the Royal Marines Commandos,” said Ramsay, who was still wearing his chef’s uniform.
Ramsay then congratulated and thanked the Marines for 247 years of service before sharing details about his time cooking for Marines in Afghanistan in 2010.
The “Master Chef” judge explained that when he returned home, he shared his experience with his son, commenting on the Marines’ comradery in the dangers of a warzone.
“He kept on asking me about the week I spent in Afghanistan, and he had no idea what was going on. He certainly didn’t give a damn about scrambled eggs or a Wellington. He just wanted to always talk about the Marines.”
Ramsay’s son, Jack Ramsay, has been with the Royal Marines since October 2020.
Lance Corporal Joseph LaManna, 21, from Sandy Hook, Connecticut, had a chance to speak with Ramsay following his heartfelt speech.
“I ran over to him, grabbed his hand and shook it. I’m like, ‘Mr. Ramsay, I just wanted to say my father makes the best Italian pasta in the world. Better than your Italian pasta!'”
LaManna told The Post that Ramsay got a good chuckle out of what he said before shaking his hand once more and leaving.
“Every time he makes a pasta dish, he will know, deep down, some random Italian father does it better,” LaManna jokingly said.
Lance Corporal Isaac Mambo, 23, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, said that for all the Marines, it was a complete surprise.
“My parents are from Kenya, and they always made great home-cooked food, so I’ve always been a big fan of shows like ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ and ‘Kitchen Nightmares’ I was super excited to see him,” Mambo told The Post.
Corporal Brittney Riggins, 22, from Albany, Georgia, told The Post how much joy Ramsay speaking to them on their big day brought her and her fellow Marines.
Riggins, who’s a fan of Ramsay’s duets on TikTok, was impressed by how genuine he was when speaking to the Marines.
“The amount of support he expresses for the military members is beyond respectful, [I] hope to see him again at next year’s ball!”