Gordon Ramsay MasterClass Review (2026): Is the Cooking Class Worth It?

Last updated: May 2026. Written by Josh Hutcheson. See our review methodology.

Who is Gordon Ramsay and why does this class matter?

Gordon Ramsay holds 7 Michelin stars across his restaurant group, including 3 stars at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea (held since 2001 — one of only a handful of restaurants worldwide to maintain that rating that long). His TV career (Hell's Kitchen, MasterChef, Kitchen Nightmares, The F Word) made him the most recognizable working chef in the English-speaking world.

What separates Ramsay's MasterClass from his TV persona: the class is patient. The shouting, the "you donkey," the kitchen-drama theatrics that define his shows are largely absent here. What's left is a working master demonstrating cooking technique with surprising warmth and clear pedagogical intent.

This class is the entry point we recommend for almost any new MasterClass subscriber interested in cooking. Ramsay teaches at the level of "you've never made a good scrambled egg before" and works upward to restaurant-grade beef Wellington over 20 lessons. The pace is forgiving for true beginners; the technique is genuinely useful at every level.

What's in Gordon Ramsay's MasterClass

• Length: 20 lessons, 5 hours 12 minutes total
• Format: Most lessons filmed in Ramsay's home kitchen, with recipe cards and supplementary techniques in the included workbook
• Focus: Foundational cooking technique with applied recipes

Notable lessons

• Knife skills — the most fundamental kitchen skill, taught with patience that the YouTube tutorial alternatives lack
• Butchery — breaking down a chicken, carving a leg of lamb, butchering a duck
• Eggs — properly scrambled eggs (this lesson alone has gone viral several times), poached, soft-boiled
• Pasta from scratch — egg pasta dough, ravioli, pappardelle
• Beef Wellington — the signature Ramsay dish, taught from butter pastry to plating
• Lobster ravioli — combining the pasta and sauce skills
• Roasted chicken — everyone should be able to roast a chicken; this is how
• Salmon technique — pan-searing, crisping skin, holding the right doneness
• Stocks and sauces — from chicken stock fundamentals through pan sauces

The follow-up: Cooking II: Restaurant Recipes

Ramsay has a second MasterClass series, Gordon Ramsay Teaches Cooking II: Restaurant Recipes, that's also included in the subscription. The follow-up covers more advanced restaurant-style dishes:

• Crispy duck
• Sesame-crusted tuna
• Cauliflower steak with hummus
• Beef short rib slow-cooking
• Restaurant-style desserts

Take Cooking I first. The fundamentals there make the Cooking II material accessible. Trying to start with Cooking II is workable but means missing technique context the first class establishes.

Watch Gordon Ramsay Teaches Cooking I →

The strengths

The pace is right for almost every level

Ramsay teaches knife skills like he assumes you've never held a knife. He teaches scrambled eggs like he assumes you've made them wrong your whole life. This is the right pedagogical choice for the broadest audience — experienced cooks can still learn from his fundamentals presentation, but beginners aren't lost.

The personality is dialed back

Hell's Kitchen Ramsay is exhausting in long doses. MasterClass Ramsay is calm, focused, occasionally funny, sometimes warm. The class works as a teaching tool because the theatrics aren't getting in the way of the instruction. This is genuinely how Ramsay teaches in his own kitchens.

Production quality is exceptional

Filmed in Ramsay's home kitchen with multi-camera setups, professional sound, and food styling that makes the dishes look as good as they're supposed to taste. Even within MasterClass's high baseline, this class is visually strong.

The workbook + recipe cards are practical

Recipe cards include precise measurements, timing, and technique notes. The workbook is one of the most usable on the platform — you can cook from these recipes without re-watching the videos.

Beef Wellington alone justifies the subscription

The Wellington lesson is the masterpiece of the class. From butter pastry to mushroom duxelles to Beef tenderloin technique to plating, it's a complete dish lesson at restaurant-grade quality. Most home cooks have never attempted Wellington. After this lesson, they can.

The weaknesses

Equipment requirements creep up

Some lessons assume kitchen tools beginners might not own: pasta machine attachment, food processor, kitchen torch, instant-read thermometer, fine-mesh strainer. Most are cheap individually but collectively add to the setup cost. Budget $100-$200 in basic equipment if you're starting from scratch.

British ingredient terminology occasionally trips up American cooks

Ramsay uses British names (rocket = arugula, courgette = zucchini, prawns = shrimp, coriander = cilantro). Recipe cards translate, but live instruction sometimes uses British terms first. Minor friction; not a real problem.

Limited vegetarian content

Ramsay's class is meat-heavy. Vegetarian and vegan content is minimal. Alice Waters's class or Dominique Crenn's vegetarian class fits better for plant-forward cooks.

The Wellington is real work

Beef Wellington at the Ramsay level takes 6+ hours including resting time. The lesson teaches it well, but executing requires a meaningful time commitment. First attempts won't match Ramsay's results — budget multiple attempts before getting it right.

Who should take Gordon Ramsay's MasterClass

The Beginner Home Cook

You're learning to cook and want to start with someone who'll teach the fundamentals patiently. Ramsay's class is the strongest beginner cooking instruction on MasterClass and arguably the best beginner cooking class available online at the price point.

The Intermediate Cook Wanting to Level Up

You can already cook basic meals but want to upgrade your technique. The eggs, knife skills, butchery, and pasta lessons sharpen skills you thought were already adequate. The Wellington is your reach project.

The Aspirational Home Chef

You watch cooking shows, you've eaten at fine restaurants, you want to bring some of that into your own kitchen without going to culinary school. Ramsay's class is the bridge.

Who should skip Gordon Ramsay's MasterClass

The Advanced Home Cook

If you've already absorbed Ramsay-level fundamentals (and have made a Wellington before), Thomas Keller's MasterClass goes deeper on technique mastery. Ramsay's class will feel basic to advanced cooks.

The Vegetarian/Vegan Cook

Ramsay's curriculum is meat-heavy. Alice Waters for farm-to-table, Dominique Crenn for vegetarian fine dining, or Yotam Ottolenghi for Middle Eastern-vegetarian cooking are better fits.

The Recipe-Focused Cook

If you want a class that gives you 30 weeknight-quick recipes you'll cook this month, Ramsay's pace and Wellington-level ambition will frustrate you. America's Test Kitchen Cooking School or any recipe-focused subscription serves that need better.

How does Ramsay compare to other MasterClass cooking instructors?

For a full breakdown of every cooking class on the platform, see our 10 best MasterClass cooking classes ranked.

Final verdict

Gordon Ramsay Teaches Cooking I earns 4.7/5 in our scoring. It's not the deepest cooking class on MasterClass — that's Thomas Keller. It's not the most exciting — that's Massimo Bottura's modern Italian. It is the most universally useful starting point for almost any new MasterClass subscriber serious about home cooking.

If you can only watch one cooking class on MasterClass, watch this one. If you'll watch three, watch this one first.

For broader context, see our MasterClass worth-it analysis or MasterClass vs Coursera comparison. For more cooking-class options, see our cooking classes ranking.

Watch Gordon Ramsay + 30-day refund →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gordon Ramsay's MasterClass worth it?

Yes for beginner-to-intermediate home cooks. Ramsay's class is the most-watched cooking class on MasterClass for a reason — the pace is forgiving for beginners, the technique is useful at every level, and the production quality is exceptional. The strongest cooking class entry point on the platform.

How long is Gordon Ramsay's MasterClass?

20 lessons, 5 hours 12 minutes for Cooking I. The follow-up Cooking II: Restaurant Recipes adds another ~5 hours of advanced material. Both are included in the MasterClass subscription.

Should I take Gordon Ramsay's MasterClass before or after Thomas Keller's?

Before. Ramsay teaches fundamentals at a forgiving pace that Keller's class assumes you already have. Most home cooks should watch Ramsay first, apply his fundamentals over weeks of cooking, then graduate to Keller's deeper technique work.

Is Gordon Ramsay's MasterClass good for beginners?

Yes. Despite Ramsay's reputation from his TV shows, the MasterClass is patient and beginner-friendly. He teaches knife skills assuming you've never held a knife and scrambled eggs assuming you've made them wrong your whole life. The right starting point for new cooks.

Does Gordon Ramsay's MasterClass cover vegetarian cooking?

Minimally. The curriculum is meat-heavy — chicken, beef, fish, lamb. For plant-forward cooking on MasterClass, Alice Waters (farm-to-table), Dominique Crenn (vegetarian), or Yotam Ottolenghi (Middle Eastern) are better fits.

What kitchen equipment do I need for Gordon Ramsay's MasterClass?

Basic essentials: quality chef's knife, cutting board, heavy-bottom skillet, pot, instant-read thermometer. For specific lessons: pasta machine attachment (or roller), food processor, fine-mesh strainer. Budget $100-$200 in equipment if starting from scratch.

What's the difference between Gordon Ramsay Cooking I and Cooking II?

Cooking I covers fundamentals (knife skills, basic dishes, beef Wellington) for beginners and intermediate home cooks. Cooking II: Restaurant Recipes covers advanced restaurant-style dishes (crispy duck, sesame-crusted tuna, cauliflower steak) and assumes you've already absorbed the fundamentals from Cooking I.

Is the beef Wellington recipe really achievable at home?

Yes, with effort. Ramsay teaches the Wellington at restaurant quality, which takes 6+ hours including resting time. First home attempts typically take 8 hours and don't quite match Ramsay's results. By the third attempt, most home cooks can make a genuinely impressive Wellington. The recipe is achievable; the discipline is the bar.