Hell's Kitchen winners: where are they now? (profiles and photos)
Hell's Kitchen is a reality television show where aspiring chefs learn how to work in a real-life kitchen. They get pushed to their limits to improve their cooking and learn how to handle a demanding dinner service. Many consider the experience an opportunity of a lifetime despite the intense training. Where are the Hell's Kitchen winners now?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Hell's Kitchen winners: where are they now?
- 1. Michael Wray - Season 1
- 2. Heather West - Season 2
- 3. Rahman Harper - Season 3
- 4. Christina Machamer - Season 4
- 5. Danny Veltri - Season 5
- 6. Dave Levey - Season 6
- 7. Holli Ugalde - Season 7
- 8. Nona Sivley - Season 8
- 9. Paul Niedermann - Season 9
- 10. Christina Wilson - Season 10
- 11. Ja'Nel Witt - Season 11
- 12. Scott Commings - Season 12
- 13. La Tasha Mccutchen - Season 13
- 14. Meghan Gill - Season 14
- 15. Ariel Malone - Season 15
- 16. Kimberly-Ann Ryan - Season 16
- 17. Michelle Tribble - Season 17
- 18. Ariel Contreras-Fox - Season 18
- 19. Kori Sutton - Season 19
- 20. Trenton Garvey - Season 20
- Do Hell's Kitchen winners really get the job?
- How many Hell's Kitchen winners still work for Ramsey?
- Who is Hell's Kitchen's most successful winner?
- How long does it take to film Hell's Kitchen?
- Where do Hell's Kitchen contestants go after elimination?
- Do guests at Hell's Kitchen pay?
- Is Hell's Kitchen staged?
- Do Hells Kitchen contestants get paid?
Hell's Kitchen has run on TV for 20 seasons. Thus, there have been 20 Hell's Kitchen winners since the show first aired in 2005. All winners got the chance to work with Gordon Ramsay in London, and most of them established restaurants and became private chefs afterwards. Discover some of Hell's Kitchen's winners' restaurants below.
Hell's Kitchen winners: where are they now?
What do Hell's Kitchen winners get? After winning in Hell's Kitchen, a chef receives a $250,000 cash prize and the opportunity to work as a head chef or executive chef at a restaurant chosen by Gordon Ramsey. Below are Hell's Kitchen winners ranked from the oldest to the latest seasons:
1. Michael Wray - Season 1
- Full name: Michael Wray
- Date of birth: 17th April 1977
- Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
- Age: 45 years old (as of 2023)
- Spouse: Sharlene
Michael Wray was the first Hell's Kitchen winner when the series started in 2005. He was 27 when he won his series and worked with Ramsay in London after winning. Wray declined the chance to work at the Standard Hotel in Los Angeles and moved to Arizona to run a knife company and teach cooking. Michael got married, and in 2018, he started raising money to purchase a food van.
2. Heather West - Season 2
- Full name: Heather Marie West
- Date of birth: 10th April
- Hometown: Port Jefferson, New York, United States
- Spouse: John
- Instagram: @cheffy22
Heather West is the second person on Hell's Kitchen winners list. She won her season at age 25 and worked for Terra Rossa restaurant at the Red Rock Ca*sino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Heather West co-founded a non-profit organization called East End Play Dates. The mother of two sons opened a profitable business for her local community. She makes money by cooking from home.
3. Rahman Harper - Season 3
- Full name: Rahman Harper
- Date of birth: 17th December 1976
- Birthplace: Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia
- Age: 46 years (as of 2023)
- Spouse: Tamara Harper
- Instagram: @rockharper
Rahman Harper won the third season of Hell's Kitchen was she was 30. He worked at the Terra Verde restaurant for a year after the win and moved on to become an executive chef. The chef wrote a book titled 44 Things Parents Should Know About Healthy Cooking For Kids. Rahman Harper now owns and operates Queen Mother's in Arlington, Virginia.
4. Christina Machamer - Season 4
- Full name: Christina Machamer
- Date of birth: 13th March 1982
- Birthplace: St Louis, Missouri, United States
- Age: 40 years (as of 2023)
- Spouse: Robert Hohmann
- Instagram: @chef.cmac
Christina Machamer was 25 when she won season four of Hell's Kitchen. She became a senior chef, worked at London in West Hollywood, Bouchon Bistro in Yountville, and trained as a sommelier.
After the training, Christina Machamer worked at B Cellars Vineyards & Winery, Caldwell Vineyard in Napa, and opened the Napa Valley Experiences.
5. Danny Veltri - Season 5
- Full name: Daniel Veltri
- Place of birth: Sarasota, Florida, USA
- Hometown: Edgewater, Florida, USA
Danny Veltri is from Edgewater, Florida, and was the season five winner at 23. He then worked as a sous chef at the Fornelletto in the Borgata Hotel. After working for the establishment, Danny Veltri started a catering company called Back From Hell Catering and later launched Salt Life Food Shack in Florida.
6. Dave Levey - Season 6
- Full name: Dave Levey
- Year of birth: 1988
- Birthplace: USA
- Age: 44 years old (as of 2023)
Dave Lavey won the sixth season at 32 in 2009. He then worked for a few months at Araxi Restaurant in Whistler, British Columbia. After that, Dave Levey left Araxi and returned to New Jersey to work at several restaurants.
7. Holli Ugalde - Season 7
- Full name: Holli Ugalde
- Place of birth: San Bernardino
- Date of birth: 22nd September 1986
- Age: 36 years (as of 2023)
Holli Ugalde won the series' seventh season in 2010 at 24. The San Bernardino, California, resident did not take the London's Savoy Grill job promised by Hell's Kitchen.
Instead, she moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and became the executive chef at B Ocean's. Holli Ugalde left the job to run the SENS Wellness lifestyle program and market the produce from her farm.
8. Nona Sivley - Season 8
- Full name: Nona Johnson
- Year of birth: 1977
- Birthplace: Atlanta, GA
- Age: 45 years (as of 2023)
Nona Sivley was the winner in season eight of Hell's Kitchen. She worked as the head chef at LA Market in Los Angeles, California, for three years. Nona Sivley then opened her restaurant called Pork and Beans in Las Vegas, Nevada, and later launched a catering and grocery store company called the Fizzy Peach in Norcross, Georgia.
9. Paul Niedermann - Season 9
- Full name: Paul Niedermann
- Birthplace: Davie, Florida
- Facebook: @paul.niedermann.12
Paul Niedermann is from Davie, Florida, and was 27 when he won Hell's Kitchen season nine in 2011. He then worked for the BLT Group in New York City, New York. Later, Paul Niedermann returned to the Sunshine State and worked at Hudson at Waterway East and SALT7 in Delray Beach, Florida.
10. Christina Wilson - Season 10
- Full name: Christina Wilson
- Full name: Christina Wilson
- Date of birth: 15th January 1979
- Place of birth: Phillipsburg, New Jersey
- Age: 44 years (as of 2023)
- Spouse: Martha Marie
- Instagram: @chefchristinamwilson
Christina Wilson became the tenth winner of Hell's Kitchen at 32 in 2012. A resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Wilson worked at the Gordon Ramsay Steak in the Paris Ca*sino and later became the executive chef at Gordon Ramsay BurGR. Christina Wilson works as the Culinary Director for Gordon Ramsay North America, making her the most successful winner in the show's history.
11. Ja'Nel Witt - Season 11
- Full name: Ja'Nel Witt
- Age: 40 years old (as of 2023)
- Birthplace: Houston, Texas
- Instagram: @chefjanel
Ja'Nel Witt is from Houston, Texas, and won season 11 of Hell's Kitchen in 2013 at 31 years old. But unfortunately, she did not take on the job at the Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill in Las Vegas as promised. Instead, Ja'Nel Witt returned home, worked as the executive chef at the Corner Table in Houston, and moved to Richmond to work at Sammy's Steakhouse.
12. Scott Commings - Season 12
- Full name: Scott Commings
- Place of birth: Woodstock, Illinois
- Twitter: @fork2mouth
- Instagram: @scottcommings
Scott Commings won the 12th season of Hell's Kitchen in 2014 at 36. The Woodstock, Illinois, resident then worked as the head chef at the Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill in Las Vegas, Nevada. After that, Scott Commings left the job and became an executive chef at Freedom Beat at the Downtown Grand Hotel in Sin City.
13. La Tasha Mccutchen - Season 13
- Full name: La Tasha Mccutchen
- Birthday: 28th September
- Birthplace: Winter Haven, FL
La Tasha was 33 when she won season 13 of Hell's Kitchen in 2014. Mccutchen was a Winter Haven, Florida resident and worked as the head chef at the Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill in Atlantic City, New Jersey. La Tasha left the job after a year and now works as a private chef.
14. Meghan Gill - Season 14
- Full name: Meghan Gill
- Date of birth: 17th October 1986
- Birthplace: Roanoke, VA
- Age: 36 years (as of 2023)
- Instagram: @chefmeghan14
Meghan Gill is from Roanoke, Virginia, and was 28 when she became the season 14 winner in 2015. She then moved to Atlantic City, New Jersey, to work as the head chef at the Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill. After that, Meghan Gill left the job and went to work for the Dormie Network as an executive chef.
15. Ariel Malone - Season 15
- Full name: Ariel Malone
- Year of birth: 1990
- Birthplace: Hackensack, NJ
- Age: 32 years (as of 2023)
- Children: 3
Ariel Malone won season 15 of Hell's Kitchen in 2016 at 26. Although she resided in Hackensack, New Jersey, she moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she worked as a head chef at BLT Steak. Ariel Malone left the job a year later to focus on her new career as a private chef.
16. Kimberly-Ann Ryan - Season 16
- Full name: Kimberly-Ann Ryan
- Date of birth: 20th April 1985
- Birthplace: Traverse City, MI
- Age: 37 years (as of 2023)
- Instagram: @kimmi_churri
Kimberly-Ann Ryan, a Traverse City, Michigan resident, won season 16 of Hell's Kitchen in 2017 at 29. She then moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, to work as a head chef at the Yardbird Southern Table & Bar. Later, Kimberly-Ann Ryan returned to Michigan to run The Cook's House.
17. Michelle Tribble - Season 17
- Full name: Michelle Tribble
- Date of birth: 20th December 1990
- Birthplace: Dallas, United States
- Age: 32 years (as of 2023)
- Facebook: @chefmichelletribble
Michelle Tribble won the 17th season of Hell's Gate in 2018 and became the first individual to win the all-star edition of the show at 24. A native of Dallas, Texas, Tribble went on to work as the head chef of the new Hell's Kitchen Restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada. Michelle Tribble now works on the corporate culinary team for Gordon Ramsay North America as the Culinary Development Executive Chef.
18. Ariel Contreras-Fox - Season 18
- Full Name: Ariel Contreras-Fox
- Birthday: 31st October 1981
- Birthplace: United States
- Age: 41 years (as of 2023)
- Spouse: Alexander Mangual
- Facebook: @chefarielfox
Ariel Contreras-Fox was the season 18 winner in 2019 at 35. The Brooklyn, New York native became the executive chef at Hell's Kitchen Restaurant in Las Vegas. However, Ariel Contreras returned to New York to work for the Del Frisco restaurant group and later became a judge on Beat Bobby Flay.
19. Kori Sutton - Season 19
- Full name: Kori Sutton
- Date of birth: 19th March 1981
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA
- Age: 41 years (as of 2023)
- Instagram: @chef_kori_la
Kori Sutton won season 19 of Hell's Kitchen at 37 in 2021. She became the head chef at Hell's Kitchen Restaurant in Lake Tahoe. However, Kori Sutton moved on to become the Culinary Face of the Five Star Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
20. Trenton Garvey - Season 20
- Full name: Trenton Garvey
- Hometown: Union, MO
- Occupation: Executive chef
- Culinary education: East Central College
Trenton Garvey won season 20 of Hell's Kitchen in 2021 at 23. After that, the Union, Missouri, resident went to work at the Gordon Ramsay Steak in Las Vegas, where Trenton Garvey is the current head chef.
Do Hell's Kitchen winners really get the job?
Every Hell's Kitchen winner gets the grand cash prize and an opportunity to earn a 6-figure salary while working at one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants.
How many Hell's Kitchen winners still work for Ramsey?
Only four winners still work for Ramsey, including Christina Wilson, Michelle Tribble, Kori Sutton, and Trenton Garvey.
Who is Hell's Kitchen's most successful winner?
The most successful winner from this television show is Christina Wilson of season ten.
How long does it take to film Hell's Kitchen?
It takes 18 production days to film one season of Hell's Kitchen, but the post-production process takes at least six months.
Where do Hell's Kitchen contestants go after elimination?
Hell's Kitchen producers send the eliminated contestants to a rehab facility for psychiatric evaluation and decompressing before returning home.
Do guests at Hell's Kitchen pay?
Guests that appear in Hell's Kitchen do not have to pay for their meals and dishes; they even receive compensation of around $50.
Is Hell's Kitchen staged?
Producers do not stage Hell's Kitchen but follow a careful casting process that allows them to film organic feuds and tempers as they happen.
Do Hells Kitchen contestants get paid?
The contestants receive modest pay each week, but the amount remains unknown.
Hell's Kitchen has run on TV for 20 seasons and produced 20 winners. Once declared a winner, Hell's Kitchen winners can work as head chefs or executive chefs at a restaurant chosen by Gordon Ramsey and get a cash prize of $250,000. Since the show started in 2005, only four winners still work for Gordon Ramsey, and the rest have started hotels, eateries, and cooking businesses.
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