So a few weeks after appointing former News of the World editor Phil Hall as his new PR guru, Gordon Ramsay decides a full confessional is in order.
Ramsay admitted what has been known in the industry for some time - that Gordon Ramsay Holdings was on the verge of administration just after Christmas after breaching covenants on its £10m loan with Royal Bank of Scotland.
The interview, which was of course peppered with swear words and attacks on rival chefs, followed a series of denials from Ramsay's people that the business was in trouble.
"Completely inaccurate," we were told repeatedly.
It is a welcome change - every business goes through troublesome times and half the battle is admitting it.
The Hardens appear to take a little credit for the confession, albeit tongue-in-cheek.
UPDATE:
Phil Hall has just got in touch saying that as much as he'd like to, he can't take credit for Gordon's interview with the Sunday Times. "The interview was set up by his PR agency before I was appointed," he said. Fair play to the PR agency, maybe they're learning that complete denials aren't a long-term strategy after all.
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It definitely made interesting reading on Sunday, and shows just how hard it is to make money from restaurants. Also the relationship between the TV work and the restaurants - does the TV work promote the restaurants, or the restaurants provide the roots of the TV work.
Name me a chef who has managed a significant roll-out of his or her personal 'brand' without seeing their core restaurant operation crumble. Heston does TV, but there is little likelihood of a range of Fat Duck pasties made by Ginsters.
Gordo risks joining the long list of folks who have become the Pierre Cardin of gastronomy; putting his name to everything. Who would consider the haute couture when you can buy a two quid biro? GR has done the same already... those crappy chocolates...