Almost 500 Cat Figurines Stolen From Gordon Ramsay’s Lucky Cat Restaurant

Gordon Ramsay has an intimidation about him that only a few have. The Hell’s Kitchen star has become a walking meme due to his over-the-top outbursts while still finding a way to be as credible as they come in the industry. Despite this, a brazen theft at his new restaurant in London has seen 477 cat figurines stolen.

The chef appeared on ITV’s The Jonathan Ross Show and talked about his Lucky Cat eatery in Bishopsgate. The place is—err, was—adorned with maneki-neko, better known as the golden cat models. Ramsay explained that “the cats are getting stolen” and the damage has racked up to a little more than 2,000 euros. He said each one costs 4.50 euros.

These figurines represent the bringing in of good luck and translate to “beckoning cat.” You’ve likely come across one of these items at some point as they feature a tiny ceramic or plastic cat with a raised paw. Being that they’re believed to usher in goodwill, many stores and restaurants have them propped up near the entrance to welcome in the good luck.

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People Keep Stealing Lucky Cats from Gordon Ramsay’s Restaurant

Ramsay has multiple Lucky Cat locations, and all of them feature a horde of maneki-neko. It doesn’t sound like people stealing these were ever an issue at his other spots, or at least not to the extent of his recent location. This branch of restaurants represents Ramsay’s intrigue for Asian cuisine as he takes inspiration from Tokyo with a menu featuring sushi, sashimi, and Robata grills. Many of these spots also feature an eight-person sushi counter.

A quick Google Images search shows that the cat figurines are very prevalent, with one seating area seeing a wall of rows of maneki-neko.  The place even offers a chocolate dessert in the shape of the iconic cat.

As for what will come from all these thefts, it doesn’t sound like much. No police reports have been filed. While it’s annoying and an inconvenience, I’d expect these small items to be easily replaceable for someone like Ramsay. Perhaps across the pond, this is like when I’m at a bar and see a cool beer glass that just so happens to fall in my wife’s purse.

Just kidding, I would never…