Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Hell’s Kitchen Winners: Where are they now?





THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED On the following Page (JULY 21, 2014) >> http://foodiegossip.blogspot.com/2014/07/hells-kitchen-winners-where-are-they-now.html

With the season 11 finale of Fox TV’s Hell’s Kitchen right around the corner, we want to take a moment look back at the HK winners from the past 10 seasons and share where the winners have been and where they are now.

Have they thrived since their glory? Or have they faded and dulled like an old table cloth? Let's take a look:


The first ever winner of Hell’s Kitchen, Season 1, was Michael Wray.  When he first won he chose to travel to London to train under Chef Gordon Ramsay, then later decided to focus on his family and stayed to be head-chef in some prominent Los Angeles restaurants, such as The Standard. Since then, not only has he started his own custom knives company called Skull and Cleavers, but he also tried to open his own restaurant in Arizona called HK1. Sadly however, it never materialized due to lack of funds. It is rumored that he is now in Arizona teaching cooking classes at an Arizona college.



Heather West was the winner for Hell’s Kitchen Season 2. For her prize, she was to become Executive Chef at Terra Rossa, an Italian restaurant at Red Rock Resort Spa and Casino in Las Vegas. However, Heather only became Senior Chef for one year. She then went on to become head chef in a restaurant called Monterey Restaurant in Long Beach, New York. Today she works as the executive chef at Ciao Baby in Commack and Massapequa Park, where she was executive chef for over a year. Today, Heather is now chef at Thatched Cottage, a catering venue in Centerport.



Rahaman “Rock” Harper won Hell’s Kitchen Season 3. His prize was to become the Head Chef at Terra Verde at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson. After his one-year contract was complete, he then went on to work in restaurants throughout Washington, DC. He then found the perfect job for him at the time, director of kitchen operations for D.C. Central Kitchen, a non-profit that feeds, educates and strives to save thousands from chronic homelessness, poverty and crime. He has also just opened a new restaurant called fatShorty’s, which strives to serve some of the best sausage, mussels and cold beer to its customers.


Christina Machamer won Hell’s Kitchen Season 4, and the prize was to become Executive Chef at the Gordon Ramsay restaurant in the London West Hollywood Hotel. Instead, she was given the position of Senior Chef under Executive Chef Andy Cook. She then took some time off to study wine and viticulture at The Culinary Institute at Greystone in Napa Valley. Today she works at B Cellars, helping to create wines that go well with food as well as helping around the winery and interacting with guests.




Danny Veltri won Season 5 of Hell's Kitchen. He became Sous Chef under Stephen Kalt at Fornelletto at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Originally, he was supposed to be the Head Chef at another restaurant built at the Casino. When he didn’t become Head Chef, Danny quit and began consulting. He then created a catering company called Back From Hell Catering, poking at his experience in "Hell's Kitchen.” He then joined with a group of investors that wanted to create a surf bar with food. He was Chef of the Gnarly Surf Bar & Grill near the Intracoastal Waterway in Central Florida for a period of time. Today, Chef Veltri is helping Chef Erik Amalfitano and management at Flip Flops establish a new menu.

Dave Levey won Hell's Kitchen Season 6, and the prize of Head Chef at Araxi Restaurant and Bar in Whistler, British Columbia. However, as we mentioned earlier, he was treated like a line-cook. He worked at Araxi Restaurant until the end of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Currently, he is in Nashville helping his sister with her music career.






Holli Ugalde won Hell's Kitchen Season 7, which was supposed to follow with the position as Executive Chef at The Savoy in London. However, she could not get a visa to work in the UK. Ugalde called that explanation an excuse, saying, "I don't know if they even applied for my visa." Ugalde accepted an undisclosed amount of cash instead. She had a job as the Signature Chef of a new restaurant in B Ocean Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida called B’stro on the beach. She now lives in southern California and has a signature line of cookware that she has been promoting on her website.



Nona Sivley won Hell's Kitchen Season 8, along with the prize position as Head Chef at LA Market at JW Marriott Hotel in Los Angeles as well as the opportunity to be a spokesperson for Rosemount Estate Wines. She is now working as Chef de Cuisine at LA Market with Celebrity chef Kerry Simon.







Paul Niedermann won Hell’s Kitchen Season 9, which was supposed to be a prize of head chef at BLT Steak in NYC. Instead he will now be working under chef Cliff Crooks, a season two contestant of Top Chef.








Christina Wilson won Hell’s Kitchen Season 10 and she is now the head chef of Las Vegas-based Gordon Ramsay’s Steak Restaurant at Paris, working under Kevin Hee. She also came back for a guest appearance on Hell’s Kitchen season 11.








It seems there is a serious trend that either HK winners do not get their prize, get the title of the prize, but not the responsibility, or the winner leaves their position as soon as their contract is fulfilled. It almost seems pointless to go through all the pain and suffering that we witness season after season. However, every winner seems to say the same thing about the show… it is the BEST experience of their lives!

38 comments:

  1. Wow, I enjoy this show but what a disappointment to hear that they don't follow through on their prizes. Good to hear they feel the experience is worth it though.
    Thanks for the follow on twitter!

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    1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    2. Even though they may not get the ultimate prize most of the time it stills seems to help accelerate their career. They all look to be successful in either in their own endeavors or working in highly regarded restaurants.

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    3. It shouldn't be that much of a disappointment. I mean these are businesses and you don't necessarily want someone unqualified to just come in and be your head chef. Most of the Hell's Kitchen contestants barely have any real kitchen experience as it is.

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  2. It's not surprising that the winners aren't given the full responsibility of executive chef, as they're cast for the drama they'll bring to the show, rather than their ability.

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  3. Either way, it's still something REALLY good to put down on your resume when applying for a restaurant.

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    1. I would be ashamed to put that down as you would be opening the doors for anyone who thinks like Chef Ramsey to talk to you like he does!

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  4. how is christina a head chef if she is working under someone.

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    1. working under the executive chef.

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    2. Just ate at Gordon Ramsay's BurGR, Christina's the head chef there

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  5. Executive Chef is above Head Chef.

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  6. I would have a real problem with busting my ass day in/day out and/or culinary school for years to become a chef, only to have my boss be determined by winning some bs reality tv show.

    Tom Cruise was awesome in Top Gun, but I don't want him behind the yolk of MY next 777 flight.

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  7. Who cares about the winners. I want to know what happened to Dewberry from Season 1!

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  8. I'm guessing the $250,000 helps them get over not being a head chef.

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  9. Plus their royalties and pay per show

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  10. Yeah but if they don't get the position, what makes you think they really get all the money? Honestly chief Ramsey doesn't have that many restaurants to keep putting winners in anyway.but I CAN see how being under him, even for a reality show gives priceless information.

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  11. Show is staged and casted based on the "trailer trash" to Executive fraud. 11 seasons of this is getting old. Tired of seeing obese cooks sweat and pass out from walking up the steps.

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    1. It was all just an act, a quite convincing one, for entertainment.
      People can do many things, for money!

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  12. Season 11 winner Ja'Nel won't even get a start. She failed her drug test and cannot be employed by Caesars Palace.

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  13. Well Ja'Nel should have not failed her drug test. She would have a job now if she didn't.

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  14. Ja'Nel was a sub par cook (yes I said cook not chef)anyway, and she should have never made it as far as she did.

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  15. They had to let a black female win.

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    1. so ignotant. stay anonymous....

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    2. Both of you, stay anonymous.
      And me too! :P

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    3. Affirmative Action LOL!

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    4. 2 in a row now !!!

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  16. Jon should have won HK11.

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  17. celebrity is over rated, ive been cooking professionally for 20 years, for the love and the passion of doing so, not to become famous and be on tv.... unfortunately, todays generation of new cooks going to culinary school, 80% of them are doing so because they want their own show on the food network or some such.....

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  18. I think they are very much aware of the facts and end result. But like you said, its their '15 minutes of fame' which from what I can tell is a huge crash course in dicipline and high standards. But I don't think they are cast for bringing drama to the show, they really can cook! U try having a fall out with a team mate while under pressure cooking for time. Hell no. U can't fake that. And I do think it is something to put on their resume, coz if u can survive that omg u can survive anything!

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  19. I liked Heather west the best!! :-)

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  20. False advertisement. The show should be held responsible and accountable for what they claim to be awarded to winners.

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  21. The way I look at it, they won but once in position it was realized they were not qualified to be an executive chef. I watch every episode and I can guarantee not one of these chefs have a clue how to manage a business. Half of them are line cooks, no experience with food costing, purchasing. Menu conception. All the menu's on the show are set for them. They are lucky they were allowed to stay on in another capacity and not fired but they are also under contract for one year.

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  22. Why do you not use Master Chif judges on Hell's Kitchens?
    '

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  23. Check out through the employment board web sites to help determine your perfect server jobs determined by your schooling along with prior perform encounter plus your best profession targets that will you have in mind.

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  24. Makes sense in a way. Most of the contestants are not seasoned professional chefs, therefore it's understandable they wouldn't fit easily into a top-tier position as head chef in a prestigious setting.

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