Appearing on ITV’s The Jonathan Ross Show this weekend, Ramsay said 477 of the maneki-neko (meaning ‘beckoning cat’) statues were stolen last week from the Asian-inspired restaurant at 22 Bishopsgate.
He added that each statue stolen costs the restaurant £4.50, which would mean a total of £2,146.50 was lost as a result.
The maneki-neko is a common Japanese figurine which is often believed to bring good luck to the owner.
Ramsay’s revelation is reminiscent of Jamie Oliver’s complaints back in 2012 that he was losing 30,000 customised Jamie’s Italian linen napkins every month to light-fingered diners.
Lucky Cat at 22 Bishopsgate launched earlier this month and is Ramsay’s third UK site under the brand.
It opened alongside a Lucky Cat Bar, and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High – a 12-seat chef’s table experience of the flagship three Michelin-starred Chelsea restaurant.
Located on level 60 of the building, Lucky Cat is a 120-seat restaurant featuring an open sushi bar and diner-facing hot kitchen.
Discussing his growing global restaurant empire, Ramsay told The Jonathan Ross Show: “It does get a bit scary, in terms of how big it is and the global impact. The team are incredible and there are some amazing chefs throughout.
“Opening in 1998 Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, I would never have thought it would be here today – this year we celebrated 24 years at three star Michelin.”
Earlier this week it was confirmed that Matt Abé will be leaving his role as chef patron at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay after a total of 16 years at the restaurant to open his own venture on the former Le Gavroche site in London’s Mayfair, which will be backed by Ramsay.
The Jonathan Ross Show airs Saturday (22 February) at 9:30pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.
