- Doritos Loaded has appointed Gordon Ramsay as its new global partner, with Ramsay set to develop eight exclusive Doritos Loaded recipes to be rolled out to restaurant and hospitality operators in key global markets, several of which will also appear in his own restaurants.
- The partnership extends into Doritos' existing relationship with Formula 1, with two bespoke Doritos Loaded recipes created exclusively for Formula 1 fan zone food trucks, including the signature Doritos Loaded Hellfire Chicken Nachos, built around Ramsay's own Hellfire sauce.
- This campaign follows a string of 2026 brand deals including I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! and PolyAI, adding to Ramsay's active endorsement portfolio this year.
- Doritos has a deep history of celebrity-driven campaigns, having partnered with musicians like Cardi B and Post Malone to connect with younger audiences.
PepsiCo Food Ventures has named Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay as the global partner for Doritos Loaded, marking the brand’s most significant culinary move to date.
The partnership is built around the shared philosophy that delicious, easy-to-prepare meals should be accessible to everyone, transforming Doritos’ iconic tortilla chips into a versatile meal base that can be enjoyed in a restaurant, delivered to your door, or customized at home.
Ramsay will create eight signature Doritos Loaded recipes for rollout to restaurant and hospitality operators across key global markets, with several set to appear inside his own restaurants.
The campaign also taps into Doritos’ ongoing Formula 1 relationship, with two recipes designed exclusively for F1 fan zone food trucks, the first being Doritos Loaded Hellfire Chicken Nachos, built around Ramsay’s signature Hellfire sauce.
The move reflects a broader industry trend: the biggest food brands are no longer chasing awareness alone, they’re chasing credibility. Celebrity chefs offer something traditional advertising cannot easily buy: permission for a snack to become a meal.
Ramsay similarly starred in Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe’s “The Great Redirect” campaign, another deal where an existing real-world relationship (his Hell’s Kitchen restaurant at the property) gave the campaign an organic authenticity.
Earlier in 2026, Ramsay fronted I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!’s brand relaunch after testing its new NutriRich formula across baking, sauces, and cooking, with the partnership integrated into his Next Level Chef franchise on FOX and his Idiot Sandwich YouTube series. In February 2026, he also starred in PolyAI’s campaign calling out poor customer service in hospitality.
On the Doritos side, this marks a strategic pivot. The brand has historically leaned on pop culture celebrity power, working with figures like Cardi B and Post Malone to connect with younger demographics, but the Ramsay deal signals an intentional push into foodservice credibility and premium dining occasions.
Takeaways
This is a smart, multi-dimensional deal. For Doritos, Ramsay doesn’t just bring star power, he brings culinary legitimacy at a time when snack brands are under increasing scrutiny over ingredients and ultra-processing. Anchoring a foodservice expansion with one of the world’s most recognized chefs is a credibility play as much as a marketing one.
For Ramsay, the deal fits squarely into his 2026 brand arc: he’s been consistently partnering with food and hospitality names where his chef identity does the heavy lifting, rather than simply lending his face to a campaign.
The Formula 1 activation is also worth watching. Tying limited recipes to live sporting events creates exclusivity and urgency, which is exactly the kind of experiential play that drives social buzz without relying on traditional advertising.
Can Ramsay genuinely elevate a mass-market snack brand into fine-casual dining territory, or does attaching a Michelin-starred chef to Doritos risk feeling incongruous to both audiences? Doritos has traditionally partnered with music and entertainment stars, what does the pivot to a culinary authority figure say about where the brand sees its future consumer?
