Gordon Ramsay revealed simple secrets to staying involved in his teenage twins' lives.
He's the foul-mouthed celebrity chef who found fame with his unique combo of good food and bad language.
But when the notoriously gruff Gordon Ramsay spoke to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking this morning, he revealed a softer side as the radio host asked him about how he's coping as a father to his four children.
Gordon Ramsay with his four children, (left to right) Holly, Matilda, Jack, Meghan, and wife Tana. Photo / Getty Images
Like Hosking, Ramsay is a father to teenage twins. He has two more daughters and says his girls are constantly asking for hand outs.
"I had to remind my daughters that 'I'm your father, not your sponsor'. I don't know what it is with girls but they seem a lot more expensive to buy for, especially at Christmas and especially being teenagers.
Ramsay's twins have just turned 18 and he revealed to Hosking the family celebrated with a lavish birthday bash.
"We had a sort of Great Gatsby-themed party. Big blow out. Olly Murs did a set, live band, it was great. Then at 10 past 12 they cornered me and said, 'Dad, it's time to you know what.' I said, 'What do you mean?' They said, 'Get the hell out of here. Let us enjoy the Great Gatsby.'
"We actually got kicked out of our own party."
Hosking, whose twins are 16, asked if Ramsay believes he's set his kids up sufficiently to head out in to the world.
"Being a parent is no passport so you've got to adapt every three months," Ramsay said.
He shared that he and his wife, Tana, have established that sitting down to a meal with their brood is the best way to connect with them and keep across what's happening in their lives.
"What we found, across the table, for dinner, lunch, breakfast, whatever may be, it's that social event that [sic] we find out what's happening in their little world."
He believes life's more difficult for teens growing up today "not just on the internet, Facebook," but that they're "just distracted in general. So eating's a great way of bringing it back to the family."
Hosking shared that, in his experience, the older his children get the more they're off doing their own thing, making getting the whole family around the table to eat "hard yards".
Ramsay concurred and offered: "The only thing I preach to them from a very early age is: 'The earlier you tell me, the more I can do.' They look at me like I'm some sort of weirdo - 'Dad, what do you mean?' - I say, 'No, let that sink in.'"
"All I want to do is give them the solution, not the problem. And that works. We've got a great relationship with them. Finding their passion has been my ambition. Watching them grow in to individual, hungry little talents."
Ramsay with his youngest daughter, Matilda, on an episode of MasterChef Junior. Photo / Getty Images
