By Lee Pfeiffer

Gordon Ramsay, the abrasive British master chef who built his restaurant into an empire, is getting the kind of just desserts that will make his foes smile with satisfaction. His worldwide chain of restaurants has been hit hard by the international recession, as cash-strapped consumers are no longer willing to drop mega-bucks on Ramsay's well-reviewed, but (some say) outrageously over-priced menus. He is laying off workers even as he begins to sell some personal assets. According to The Wall Street Journal, the foul-mouthed chef is taking all sorts of drastic measures to try to save his business interests, which he co-owns with his father-in-law. Unlike most celebrities, Ramsay chose not to be paid a fee to lend his name and image to the restaurants, opting instead to own them outright. In good years, this drastically increased his profits. However, the strategy has come to haunt him as it has also increased his risk in during the current recession. For more click here