Imagine an ordinary day transformed by an extraordinary opportunity. A few months ago, I received an unexpected email. It led me to meet culinary titan Gordon Ramsay. I faced imposter syndrome and shot in a high-stake situation, testing my photography skills and self-belief. Join me behind the scenes of the day i worked with Gordon Ramsay himself.

The Unexpected Email

Back in April, on an ordinary day, my inbox chimed with an email that was anything but ordinary. "Food Photography" the subject read, unremarkable at first glance. Yet, the content? A producer hunting for a Melbourne-based food photographer for a project with none other than Gordon Ramsay. Work with Gordon Ramsay? This had to be a prank. Spoiler: it wasn't,

My colleague Matthew was in the room when I got the email. He was confused about why I was shocked and feeling like an imposter. He offered me a reality check, “They wouldn’t have come to you if you couldn’t do it.” I knew he was correct but I still needed to have my moment of panic.

So over the next few weeks the producer and I went back and forth via email, ending in an initial let-down: they chose to use 1 photographer, not 2, and they had gone with a different photographer instead of myself. Gutted? Absolutely. Yet, life loves a plot twist. The producer called me a couple of weeks later for a bigger, better episode. This was the episode to determine who went into the final. And just like that - It was on; I was going to shoot with one of the culinary world’s biggest names.

The Day Of Shooting

My phone buzzed, displaying a single word from Carly, who was playing my assistant for the day:

“Breathe.”

She knew I'd be at home, making coffee and having an existential crisis. She wasn’t wrong. She picked me up not long after and we headed towards the set, the new hotel on the site of the old Pentridge Prison. We arrived and scoped out where we needed to be. Having fuelled up on more caffeine I rang the producer to let him know we were ready to go. We met up with him and the second photographer in the grounds and then headed on inside. I have to tell you, it was quite an experience navigating the narrow prison gantries with bulky photography equipment. The other photographer and I were shown to a split hotel conference room. Him on one side and myself on the other, both hidden from each other’s (and the other contestants) view. We settled into our designated conference rooms and began setting up.

During setup, we met with the art directors and producers. They told us some contestants wanted a green screen. We nixed that idea straight away — I was shotting wine and it would have been disastrous. Can you imagine the lovely green colour-cast in the white wine? No thanks. So the producers agreed and told the contestants the green screen was off the table. If they were working with video then sure. But photography? It’s not needed.

From there – everything moved rather quickly. The sound-techs miked me up and the room flooded with a bajillion camera and light crew. It was a lot. Chaotic and exhilarating all at once.

Rules Of Engagement

So there were strict rules for me: no directing, no suggesting, no interfering. I was not allowed to offer any feedback whatsoever to the contestants. Nothing. Nada. I understood that my photography wasn't being judged. Only the contestants' concepts were. Because of this, I couldn't be involved in art direction, composition, or story-telling. I only gave advice on lighting and technical aspects. My job was simple: capture the contestants' vision, no matter how great or terrible it was. The shots were theirs, the execution mine.

And I had 15 minutes. Each contestant had fifteen minutes to translate their concept into a photograph for their Gordon Ramsay wine. It was explained that I would either shoot 2 or 3 contestant concepts (there were 5 contestants left in total at this point). I ended up shooting 3. Gordon would check the contestants' progress halfway through their 15-minute time limit. Asses their concepts, offer feedback and advice and ask questions. Now I WAS allowed to answer HIS questions if he deferred to me at any point.

Then we got the call: t-minus 5 minutes and we’d be on. There I was crossing my fingers I didn’t trip over a cable on national television in front of Gordon Ramsay.

In The Spotlight With Ramsay

Halfway into the first contestants session and he walked in. Gordon. Freaking. Ramsay. The man, the myth, the legend. He’s larger than life, exactly like you see on TV but also different, more real. It’s a surreal experience when an icon you’ve watched and admired for years walks in, casually greeting you by name the second he enters the room (okay, sure, I’m aware they briefed him 2 seconds before he came in, but still, cool, right?) like we do this every day.

Now here's the kicker: we were in the middle of filming with the second contestant. It was the three of us - me, Gordon, and the contestant - kneeling on the ground. As Gordon reassured the contestant, he looked at me and put his hand on my shoulder. He said:

“You’ve got one of the best photographers in the country here”

And I swear, my brain short-circuited. I mean, can you imagine? On the outside I was gracious towards him and professional. Inside my brain was a different story. I know he said the same thing to another photographer, but I won't downplay it. That moment was epic. You can’t put a price on that shit.

After we wrapped that particular contestant, I ran over to Carly.

“Did Gordon Ramsay say that to me? About me?” I asked her.

“I was trying not to squeal out loud when he said it” Carly replied.

A priceless endorsement, unexpected and immensely gratifying.

Seriously – EPIC.

Aftershoot Euphoria

We had wrapped all shooting and filming for the day in the late afternoon. And Gordon had moved downstairs to finish up the remaining segments of the episode. We could have left at this point, but there is NO WAY I was leaving without getting me a selfie and a moment with the man. So we hung around for a while. The entire crew was lovely, friendly, and easy to talk to. Gordons on-set assistant told us to hang around so we did. Eventually he came out. And even though it was late and he’d had a full day on set, Gordon stopped for a photo and a quick chat. As he was walking away, he turned around to me and said “Incidentally – great shots”. Internally I was squealing; externally I said thank-you. There was no need for him to say that, and yet he did. A casual yet affirming compliment, away from the cameras—a genuine acknowledgment that was the cherry on top of one of the best days I’ve ever had.

And Carly. There was no way I would’ve been able to pull that off like I did without her. With just 15 minutes per shoot, having Carlz assist me with the lighting was invaluable. Instead of stopping to adjust the lighting, I could shoot and direct Carly to make changes. This made the process faster and the shoots went smoothly. The moral support helped keep me calm too.

I got home and collapsed into an exhausted heap.

Over the following days I did two things:

Sent an email to Gordon Ramsay’s executive assistant, with an attachment for him. A quick and concise note, saying thank-you for the opportunity of working with him, and should he or his restaurants ever need anything, London and NYC are only a plane ride away.

I tracked down the person who had recommended me to the producer in the first place, and sent her flowers and a card. Also saying thank-you. Turns out she was a follower of mine on Instagram who worked for the same production company. We had never exchanged a word before the email I received. It proves a saying of mine: Someone is always paying attention.

Both these things help to ensure that my work and I remain in the peripheral vision of this network of people. Which leads me to the next part.

Where Will The Ramsay Experience Lead?

Now, I’m not about to sit here and say, “And then I was suddenly BFFs with Gordon Ramsay.” Life’s not a fairy tale. But that gig? It was a game-changer. It could take me anywhere. More work with the production company? Possibly. More work for the Gordon Ramsay brand or the man himself? Not outside the realms of possibility at all. I have an ‘in’ now.

There is a confident subtlety in that anticipation, and that’s not me being presumptuous, but instead having the awareness of my proven skills and the network I have cultivated. A network that has gained important new connections, broadening the range of future opportunities.

This is the power of positive industry relationships. Let this be a reminder that opportunities come from hard work, talent, and a little good timing.

The other thing is this: 'No' is a two-letter word, not a roadblock. That initial rejection was the best thing that happened. And that first ‘no’ turned into a HUGE ‘Yes!”

The lessons learnt through this whole experience are so crucial not only to my own success, but also to YOURS. Always deliver your best, because someone, somewhere, is paying attention, and you never know when an ordinary day (or a ‘No’) could turn into an unforgettable chapter of your career story.

Working with Gordon Ramsay, receiving that off-the-cuff commendation, and walking away with a story I’ll rehash until my grandkids roll their eyes —it’s set a new kind of fire within me. I’m ready for the next challenge, the next opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and knock it out of the park.

So here’s to the unknown, the unexpected, the rejections and the fear. I’m living proof that when one door closes, sometimes another one swings wide open, with a Michelin-starred chef on the other side, ready to change everything you thought you knew about what’s possible.