Where Are They Now?: Former Contestants

[Kromm]

Winners and Losers, where are they now?  In job Hell? Or in a Heavenly job?

 

Also, of course, let's include the inevitable "the show lies about the job they get if they win" talk too.

 

BTW:  It WOULD be neat to actually hear more about any of the losers.  A few, I know, eventually pop up on other reality shows, but most of them just drop off the radar totally (because face it, most of them SUCK!)

 

------------

 

To start:

It was interesting that they had Season 10 Christina on the most recent HK episode.  Because while of COURSE the job she got there was actually three or four pegs down a ladder at Gordon Ramsay Steak, and she was in no way running the place, she just got promoted and is actually now the actual Executive Chef of a DIFFERENT Ramsay restaurant--Gordon Ramsay BurGR at Planet Hollywood Resort.  Which admittedly is probably not the most prestigious Ramsay property, but likely gets 20 times the business of any other one.   

Edited May 2, 2014 by Kromm

[MrsEVH]

Here are some links about past winners. The last one is about Jan'el  last year's winner.

 

http://www.goldderby.com/photos/468/hell's-kitchen-past-winners-(seasons-1-11).html

 

http://foodiegossip.blogspot.com/2011/09/hells-kitchen-winners-where-are-they.html

 

http://www.tmz.com/2013/08/23/hells-kitchen-winner-janel-witt-failed-drug-test-cocaine-caesars-palace/

 

 

 

 

[Kromm]

Season 1 I think the promise was actually the MOST realistic--a simple financial promise to help open their own restaurant OR a person year of tutorial under Ramsay, with no special title.  Season 2 was the silliness where they switched to the idea they'd actually give out an EXECUTIVE CHEF position.  They persisted in that promise I think through Season 4 (Heather got a position three pegs down from that, Rock one peg down, and Christina M three pegs down).  Then since Season 3 the promise has been a semi-fictional "Head Chef" job, which AT BEST, is someone who still operates subservient to both an owner and an Executive Chef, and in reality most of these losers, er... I mean winners... got pathetic jobs (sous chefs or in Dave's case apparently "line cook") and they soon quit.  Christina M. actually seems to be the first one to get even near what was promised, and also to stick things out long enough to move up, and even a little beyond, what was originally promised.  And then, I guess Ja'Nel has her little nose candy problem.

The stories of the losers are probably even more eyeroll worthy.

[Gosling]

NorthJersey.com got two current contestants (Anton and Jessica) and four alumni together recently. As they have it:

*Ji (injury out, season 5): Territory manager for US Foods

*Will (2nd place, season 9): Executive sous chef, Princeton Club of New York

*Dana (3rd place, season 10): Culinary director and executive chef, Le Gourmet Factory, Englewood, NJ

*Justin (2nd place, season 10): Chef de cuisine, Bin 14 and Anthony David’s, Hoboken, NJ

 

You will also see them all agree 100% that if you're watching for the food, you're in the wrong place. In fact- and this is very interesting- Ji came right out and said that in her season, the sous chefs were actively sabotaging the cooks- lowering the heat on the ovens, hiding the prep food, not stocking enough pans and the kitchens would have to swipe them from each other, replacing sugar with salt (which essentially exonerates Colleen as far as that particular mistake of hers), etc. And the others agreed, though Dana didn't feel Andi was that bad. And you don't always get to prep the station you wind up at in dinner service, which means, for instance, Cook A prepped the Wellingtons and Cook B has to cook with them without entirely being aware of what Cook A did in prepping them. And so of course the Wellingtons get fucked up because Cook B has no clue whatsoever what's in that pastry until it's too late.

 

And either you sucked it up and dealt with it, or you called them on it and quickly found yourself without a jacket. So... hoo boy, we've got something to answer for here.

 

That said, they are also in agreement that Gordon is not hamming it up for the cameras one iota when he's yelling at you.

[Kromm]

Two alum updates.  Mary, the one who lost to Miss Nose Candy last season, and Heather, who won in Season 2, worked for Ramsay in a much lower than promised position for a few years then went off on her own.

================================================================

 

Belchertown butcher parlays ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ appearance into job at Ming Tsai’s Blue Ginger

 

DO note the details of the job Mary got.  It's basically the same line-chef job any chef of her experience might get even without being second runner up on this crappy show.

 

RACHEL DOUGHERTY Gazette Contributing Writer      Sunday, August 11, 2013

(Published in print: Monday, August 12, 2013)

Mary Poehnelt, the Belchertown butcher who won second place on Season 11 of Fox’s Cooking Reality Show, “Hell’s Kitchen,” may soon be leaving Belchertown to take a job as a line cook at the Blue Ginger, an Asian-fusion restaurant owned by celebrity chef Ming Tsai.

The 26-year-old butcher, who has been working at Whole Foods in Hadley since Hell’s Kitchen wrapped last November, was hired two weeks ago as a line cook at the Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley.
 

“I ate there about a year ago, and when Hell’s Kitchen ended I sent in my resume,” says Mary. “It’s East meets West, Asian fusion cuisine.” For Poehnelt, working for the Blue Ginger is an opportunity to cook in one of her favorite styles (Asian fusion) and move forward in her culinary career now that “Hell’s Kitchen” is over. She will start later this month and says it is likely that she and her husband will move east to be closer to her new job.

 

That's like 9 months ago though, so no clue if she still has the job.  It's worth noting however that neither her Facebook page, nor her blog has been updated since last summer (which does fit in with the idea that she may still be busy grinding away in front of a flattop every night, instead of running "Supper Clubs" like she did right after she was on Hell's Kitchen).

 

=====================================================================

 

Heather has bounced around various jobs, and has recently wound up back where she started (Long Island, NY).  It's an Exec Chef job, I guess, but I bet it's not significantly different from a job she could have had without ever having been on this show.

 

Heather West, 'Hell's Kitchen' winner, is new chef at Schafer’s, Port Jefferson

 

 

Thursday February 6, 2014 1:02 PM By Erica Marcus
 

Heather West, who won Season 2 of “Hell’s Kitchen,” is the new executive chef at Schafer’s in Port Jefferson, replacing Paul Govin. She was most recently executive chef at Jellyfish and the Thatched Cottage in Centerport; before that she ran the kitchens at Ciao Baby in Commack and Massapequa Park.

It’s a homecoming for West, who grew up in Port Jefferson and now lives just up the road from the restaurant. “I timed it,” she said. “Even in the ice it took me a minute and a half to get home.”

West, who started three days ago, has already started to change the menu at the big, bustling, bi-level waterfront restaurant which had housed The Catch and Dockside, among other eateries, before Schafer's opened in 2011. She is serving her signature dish, developed on “Hell’s Kitchen,” of seared sea bass over grilled asparagus with popped cherry-tomato sauce. In general, she said, the menu at Schafer’s would be “casual fine dining with an emphasis on American seafood.”

“I don’t do foofy,” she said. “You won’t see words on the menu that you don’t understand. It’ll be a lobster roll, but the best one you ever had.”
West is also “obsessed with pretzels” and is very excited about an appetizer in which warm crab-spinach-artichoke dip is served with house-made pretzel sticks.

This weekend, diners who tell their servers that “Heather sent me” will receive a 10 percent discount.
Schafer’s is at 111 W. Broadway, Port Jefferson, 631-473-8300,  

 

Website for the restaurant:  http://www.schafersportjeff.com/

 

 

Ugh.  One has only to look at the ceiling tiles in that first photo to see this isn't exactly a high ticket high class joint.  It's that kind of faux-fancy mid level place that exist in the hundreds of thousands.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Kromm

[Julia]

I'm pleased for Mary, but I'm not convinced a butcher at Whole Foods would be working for Ming Tsai if she hadn't done something more showy than working for Whole Foods.

[JayCutler]

Ramsay's BURGR restaurant is outstanding. You've never had fries until you've had their truffle parmesan fries. And unlike Gordon's other restaurants, you don't have to drop a couple c-notes to eat there.

 

Nona from season 8 did get the head chef job at L.A. Market. She had a special "chef's menu" in addition to their regular menu. She's since moved on to a head chef position at a restaurant on Fremont St. in Las Vegas.

[nottopbravo]

 

— David Levey, the Chester native who won the sixth season of "Hell's Kitchen" in 2009, was arrested on a drug charge last month during a traffic stop that later led to the seizure of heroin, hypodermic needles, prescription drugs and other paraphernalia, police said.

 

On Aug. 20, township police obtained a warrant to search the vehicle Vanwoert was driving and found:

• 75 full folds of heroin

• 36 folds with residue

• 10 uncapped used hypodermic needles with heroin residue

• 24 capped needles with heroin residue

• 9 white round pills labeled “54 142,” a schedule II CDS

• 4 green round pills labeled “Mylan 477,” a schedule IV CDS

• Drug paraphernalia

In a coffee mug with a false bottom, police say, they also found:

• 18 baggies of a white powder suspected to be cocaine

• 2 small baggies containing gray rock-like substance, suspected to be a schedule I CDS

• 3 small baggies and 14 clear capsules filled with a brown chunky substance, suspected to be a schedule I CDS

• 6 round white pills labeled “155/activas logo,” a schedule III CDS

• 4 small round white pills 2 of them labeled “2/arrow” and the other 2 labeled “8/arrow,” a schedule III CDS.

 

 

Well at least his arm isn't bothering him.

[BogoGog24]

Oh no, so sorry to hear that about Dave. He was probably my favorite HK contestant of all time. The fact he was able to do so much and win with only 1 arm makes him the best contestant ever, in my book. 

[Julia]

I thought the chef in round two of Food Fighters looked familiar - didn't catch her name - but it was indeed Elise the Shrew from Season 9. She's still rocking the unpleasantness.

[OlfinBedwere]

Here's the link to the full story about Dave. Turns out he's only under suspicion of possible drug use - all the drug-related paraphernalia belonged to the woman who was driving the car plus another guy, both of whom have since absconded bail.

 

Disappointing to learn that he may be doing drugs, but from Ramsay himself has said in his other shows, drug and alcohol abuse is rampant in the industry, so it's not entirely shocking.

[6 MeowMeowBeenz]

Yeah, read Kitchen Confidential by Bourdain for a little inside baseball on drugs and such. Of course, it's Bourdain, so it's hilarious. 

[KHenry14]

I was fascinated to see that the notorious Sabrina Brimhall from Season 8 was working at Spago of all places. Not sure if she is still there, but wow, the girl with all the attitude must have grown up a lot to work there.

[Julia]

Oh, I don't know about that. She's pretty, and she, how shall I put this, embraces her physical attractiveness when she's out of uniform. Wolfgang Puck seems to have a bit of a thing for that. Hell, Lauren van der Post the psycho vegan chef from Chopped managed to get hired at Spago.

[cooksdelight]

A friend of mine is eating -- right now as I type this -- at Gordon's Burger and & Fries place at Caeser's Palace in Vegas. Chef Scott is there! I told him he better get some photos.

No pics, as Scott had stepped out, but he said it was the best burger and fries he's ever had.

[cooksdelight]

Does anyone remember Garren, a nice-looking black man from season 8? I met him yesterday, he's going to be on an upcoming episode of Cutthroat Kitchen in August. He told me he had to leave HK for personal reasons. And that Ramsay is a beast, very intense, what you see is what you get.

[AZChristian]

We were in Vegas in March.  Had the most amazing hamburger at Gordon Ramsay's BurGR one day.  The next day we went to the GR Pub & Grill at Caesar's Palace.  I asked our server if Chef Scott was there.  She looked at the clock.  It was 2:10 PM.  She said, "Probably not, he normally doesn't come in until 3, as he's always here for the dinner shift."  I chatted with her a bit about what a genuinely good person he seemed to be on HK, and she said that he was absolutely awesome and a real professional to work for.

 

About 5 minutes later, there was a tap on my shoulder.  Chef Scott!!!  He chatted with us for several minutes, and then posed for pictures.  He was absolutely awesome, and it was a delight to see that he had actually been rewarded with the prize he had earned.  If some of the others don't receive what they're vying for, perhaps it's because they just couldn't measure up to the task.

[OlfinBedwere]

Does anyone remember Garren, a nice-looking black man from season 8? I met him yesterday, he's going to be on an upcoming episode of Cutthroat Kitchen in August. He told me he had to leave HK for personal reasons. And that Ramsay is a beast, very intense, what you see is what you get.

 

I don't remember any person with that name ever appearing on the show, TBH, and I'm fairly certain that Season 8 didn't have any black contestants at all, let alone on the men's team. The only one I can remember who seems to fit that description was Larry from Season 2, unless the person you spoke to was someone who was supposed to be in S8, but dropped out before they started filming.

[cooksdelight]

His name is Garren, for sure, because I had him repeat it. Maybe he did drop out before filming, he didn't say. Just that he had to leave for personal reasons.

[BogoGog24]

I just checked the Wikipedia list of contestants from that season and there's no Garren there.

He may have been cast to be on that season but dropped out before filming took place and they found another contestant to replace him.

[OlfinBedwere]

Oh dear lord, I think we just worked out how Raj managed to find his way into that season.

 

Speaking of Season 8, Vinny now runs the Room 55 restaurant in Glendale NY, and surprisingly enough, Trev from the same season seems to be involved in some capacity according to his LinkedIn page.

[cooksdelight]

Ari333, I have no idea why Mary wasn't offered the job as runner-up.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2401205/Hells-Kitchen-winner-JaNel-Witt-loses-Las-Vegas-head-chef-job-failing-drug-test-keeps-250k-salary.html

[Kromm]

Ari333, I have no idea why Mary wasn't offered the job as runner-up.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2401205/Hells-Kitchen-winner-JaNel-Witt-loses-Las-Vegas-head-chef-job-failing-drug-test-keeps-250k-salary.html

Because the job isn't all that real--the money is--and Ja'Nel got to keep the money ANYWAY, despite failing her drug test.

[cooksdelight]

Mary did get a job at a restaurant somewhere in her hometown, due to the exposure, so something good came out of it at least.

[Magic Chef]

Hello.  New to the forum.

 

I do not remember the seasons or names, but there are two runner-up contestants whom I've always wondered how they turned out.  I'll describe them and hope someone might be able to provide some info on them.

 

One was a big "Rocky"-type guy.  I think he was on season 3, but I'm not sure.  He was an excellent chef and made it to the number four spot, but he made the mistake of accusing Gordon of showing blatant favoritism to one of the remaining female runner-ups.  He was absolutely right - it was obvious, but Gordon threw him out soon after.  I was wondering if anyone knows who I'm talking about and if they've heard anything about him?  Hopefully good.

 

Secondly, there was a petite black gal, around season 8) who had no formal training but who was a chef at a Waffle House.  I think she made it to number 5 and Gordon remarked as to how - with no training - she had out-cooked others who had formal training  and degrees.  Although she was ejected, he said he was sending her to culinary school because she was so talented. Does anyone know what happened to her?  Something good, I hope.

 

Thanks for any info you might have.

 

[Kromm]

Secondly, there was a petite black gal, around season 8) who had no formal training but who was a chef at a Waffle House.  I think she made it to number 5 and Gordon remarked as to how - with no training - she had out-cooked others who had formal training  and degrees.  Although she was ejected, he said he was sending her to culinary school because she was so talented. Does anyone know what happened to her?  Something good, I hope.

 

Thanks for any info you might have.

Mr. Google suggests that you're off a bit saying Season 8 and instead it's 5 seasons earlier, Season 3, and her name was Julia Williams.

 

Here is a picture of her and a few others from a NY Times article (which was printed a few years after she appeared but has no details on her).

 

 

 

This is some random YouTube video of her at Le Cordon Bleu shortly after Hell's Kitchen (from the date stamp of the video, it seems that I mean).  The person who posted the video seems to know her, but it's still not really clear what happened to her after this.

 

 

 

This appears to be a Myspace page for her: https://myspace.com/chefjuliakay

 

Since nobody has used Myspace in like a decade... I doubt she actually checks it anymore.

Edited June 10, 2015 by Kromm

[OlfinBedwere]

One was a big "Rocky"-type guy.  I think he was on season 3, but I'm not sure.  He was an excellent chef and made it to the number four spot, but he made the mistake of accusing Gordon of showing blatant favoritism to one of the remaining female runner-ups.  He was absolutely right - it was obvious, but Gordon threw him out soon after.  I was wondering if anyone knows who I'm talking about and if they've heard anything about him?  Hopefully good.

 

That was Keith from Season 2. He got to third place, and was rightfully eliminated for an atrocious performance when running the pass, but accused Ramsay to his face of having a hard-on for Virginia, who made it to the final over him. Virginia did seem to get some preferential treatment in the challenges, but in services I think her getting to the final had more to so with Season 2 just having a really poor line-up of chefs outside of those two (and of course the eventual winner, Heather).

 

As for his subsequent history, sad to say he drowned about three years ago, though his career had apparently been going pretty well before that.

[coloradoqt]

One was a big "Rocky"-type guy

There was a black guy, i'm pretty sure his name was Rocky, he actually won, because at the time it was for a position in Vegas. And I think Chef won by telephone votes at that time it was very early in the series.

Edited June 11, 2015 by cooksdelight

[OlfinBedwere]

There was a black guy, i'm pretty sure his name was Rocky, he actually won, because at the time it was for a position in Vegas. And I think Chef won by telephone votes at that time it was very early in the series.

 

Yeah, his name was Rock, and he won Season 3. The winner in the US version has always been chosen by Ramsay however; it was the UK version where the winner was decided on by phone vote.

[Kromm]

Yeah, his name was Rock, and he won Season 3. The winner in the US version has always been chosen by Ramsay however; it was the UK version where the winner was decided on by phone vote.

Heh. An outrageous conceit when viewers can't even taste the food.

[Zoe]

Christina W showed up as part of Team Ramsay on Masterchef last night.  I knew she was doing well under him, but after some searching...

 

http://lasvegassun.com/vegasdeluxe/2015/may/05/photos-gordon-ramsay-promotes-christina-wilson-new/

 

Five years to the day executive chef Christina Wilson won Season 10 of “Hell’s Kitchen,” star chef Gordon Ramsay appointed her the top executive of his worldwide restaurant empire.

 

Wow!

[biakbiak]

Elise is on the new Bravo show Après Ski. She is an operations manager for a concierge startup in Whistler and describes herself as an event planner, no mention of being a chef.

[BogoGog24]

Elise is on the new Bravo show Après Ski. She is an operations manager for a concierge startup in Whistler and describes herself as an event planner, no mention of being a chef.

OMG is she the one in the previews where that girl says "Who are you?" and she goes "Your boss!" Is that her?

 

Makes you wonder if Elise was just a reality plant that season (of HK, I mean). You know, to stir up drama. Except that I remember she actually could cook, so I don't know. 

[biakbiak]

OMG is she the one in the previews where that girl says "Who are you?" and she goes "Your boss!" Is that her?

 

Yes, that's her!

[cooksdelight]

A plant? On a Gordon Ramsay show? Perish the thought!! :)

[joeyjoey]

Elise, the woman who would yell at people and then would say, "Get outta my space." when they would defend themselves?

 

I have some of the uncut HK seasons, and I can't watch season 9 just because of that ___________.   Just like I can't watch season 3 because the 'nanny' was the biggest plant/ringer in all of reality tv.  Look at that season, the google her.

[Julia]

Robyn, the unhinged racist shrike from season 10, apparently has a food truck now, and was from everything I could see handed the pre-appointed winner slot on Chopped last season. I guess Food Network is getting short on 'celebrities.'

[aliya]

Sterling is in the news for donating bone marrow to a young woman. He was selected from a donor list and didn't know the person. Chef donates bone marrow       A good guy; it looks like GR wasn't wrong to give him such a special send off. 

[hkalex]

I've been binge watching the old seasons, and I've come up with ten of my favourite chefs of all time. I'd like to know yours.

1. Heather, Season Two (Winner)
2. Julia, Season Three (4th place)
3. Paula, Season Five (Runner-Up - should've won, though)
4. Dave, Season Six (Winner)
5. T, Season Fourteen (Runner-Up)
6. Jen, Season Three (3rd place)
7. Kristen, Season Fifteen (Runner-Up - as with Paula, should've won though. Had a crap final brigade.)
8. Corey, Season Four (3rd place - I know she wasn't exactly liked by everyone, but you can't say she was a bad chef. Just a bitch at times.)
9. Ji, Season Five (Withdrew - before claiming the show was fixed)
10. Tennille, Season Six (4th place - some with Corey I guess)

Wow, Dave's the only guy. It's probably worth noting I've only seen clips of seasons 7-13, and episode 1 of season 1, so while chefs like Sterling could've ended up on the list, I haven't seen much.

[Major Bigtime]

My favorite was Scott, who works in Vegas. Such a nice man, he'll come out from the kitchen and pose for photos and is so cordial and kind. I also liked Christina, and she's proven to be a very worthy winner.

[mlp]

Scott is absolutely my favorite winner too.

[BogoGog24]

My favorite winner always has been and always will be Dave from season 6. He was a better chef with only 1 arm than most others we've seen on this show with 2. The One Armed Bandit! 

I always liked Scott as well. There really aren't many I could list as favorites. 

[hkalex]

Heather will always be my winner. She was better in the first two episodes than most winners were in the entire course of the season. She very rarely made mistakes and when she did, she always bounced back from them. Became the red team sous chef in season six and was really nice to contestants too.

I liked Julia also, though. I feel like the "waffle house cook" was being set up to win throughout the season, and when she messed up, it was something very minor (e.g - bringing up the wrong garnish when she had cooked the right one, she just got confused). More deserving of being in the final than Bonnie, no idea how she got there when she was about as consistent as Ramsay's hair.

[hkalex]

On an unrelated note, which contestants do you think were "plants"? I've heard a lot of talk about Bonnie being a "plant" but I'm not too sure.

Also can someone explain what is exactly meant by a "plant"? I thought it was someone handpicked by the producers specifically for the show but if someone can define it better, that's be helpful.

[BogoGog24]

On July 14, 2016 at 7:17 PM, hkalex said:

On an unrelated note, which contestants do you think were "plants"? I've heard a lot of talk about Bonnie being a "plant" but I'm not too sure.

Also can someone explain what is exactly meant by a "plant"? I thought it was someone handpicked by the producers specifically for the show but if someone can define it better, that's be helpful.

I feel like Jackie from this last season HAD to be a producer plant. Basically any of the ones who didn't last long but brought lots of drama (remember crazy puppet lady that only lasted an episode or 2?) No others I can specifically think of off the top of my head but Jackie definitely seemed like one.

And yeah a plant is basically someone the producers choose and a lot of times they might not even be real chefs, but actors. 

[Major Bigtime]

There are definitely actors chosen for a role. On every cooking show. Dan on MasterChef has an IMDB resume, he didn't even try to hide it. The people they use for crowd taste-testers or focus groups on Food Network Star are SAG actors. It's manufactured for our viewing pleasure.

[hkalex]

Thanks for replies. Bonnie, in that sense, was definitely a plant in that she only really had about one good service and it was obvious she was being pegged as "just the nanny" weeks before she reached the final. I get the feeling that Vanessa and Kevin from the latest season were plants too, and that some actual chefs got knocked out early because they weren't interesting enough. Paula from S5 was probably planned to be axed early, but she never really messed up.

Something else I've noticed is that a lot of contestants have bashed the show after appearing on it. Jen from S3 (one of my favourite contestants) said that Ramsay wore an earpiece from which he was fed one-liners, and believe it or not, that she was "locked" in a hotel room for a few days. She claimed that someone else actually said in a VT that the show was rigged before he was axed. She also claimed - and if this was true, I really do feel sorry for her - that the stress of the show stopped her from getting her period for six weeks after the show was filmed, and that she had received so little support from the show that she became depressed. I've read somewhere that Ji openly stated the show was designed to make chefs look bad; the sous chefs turning down oven temperatures and such. Tek from S6 similarly claimed things - salt was replaced with sugar, etc. She also alleged that there were so few toilets and showers among them that it was designed to brew tension.

Hell's Kitchen isn't really a food program. It's a drama disguised as a food program. Plants like Bonnie and Jackie are always going to crop up.

Edited July 18, 2016 by hkalex

[BogoGog24]

Yeah I have heard similar things about the lengths the producers go to to stir up drama. However, I would think most people going into it know to expect that at this point and know to some extent what they are getting themselves into. I read that after the contestants are eliminated they get taken to a spa or something but idk for sure if that's true. I would think a lot of people who try out for it are just looking for their 15 minutes or want to meet GR. Real serious chefs go to something like Top Chef or Chopped. 

I also heard all the diners who eat at HK are paid, some of whom are real people and of course the "celebrity VIPs" they get to show up, others probably actors. And they are told what to say I think when the camera shows them tasting the food. Or at least it's like a scene they deliberately set up to shoot rather than catching their comments on the spur of the moment. 

[hkalex]

Most chefs probably wouldn't appear on HK - S4's Christina's parents advised her against it before she appeared on the show. It doesn't really hold a good reputation. I imagine arguments between the contestants can sometimes be as a result of one of them being an experienced chef and the other being a plant.

Interestingly, Bonnie the plant seems to have distanced herself from the show as much as possible. If you check her Twitter, she seems pretty sour about it.

I read somewhere that they have to be seen by a psychiatrist or something, but I've also read that "on most occasion", GR sits down with them to offer words of encouragement. It's also somewhat concerning to hear that three contestants have died after appearing on the show - Rachel, Keith and Aaron.

From what I've seen about the show, it's like putting rats in a cage purely to see which one survives above the rest.

[Major Bigtime]

Kristin Nicole, the pretty blonde who was a finalist last season, is the newest chef at Ramsay's Pub & Grille in Las Vegas.