Which Hell’s Kitchen chefs are still working
in kitchens? Which ones never made it to their big prize? After surviving competition and Gordon Ramsay,
they came out on top, but where are the winners of Hell's Kitchen today? The first-ever winner of Hell's Kitchen was
Michael Wray, who originally took up Gordon Ramsay's offer to work with him in London. However, Wray later declined the prize after
revealing that he had an addiction to drugs. Wray told BBC News in 2020 that the decision
not to go to London with Ramsay was a quote "regret" he constantly thinks about, and life
after his win did not pan out smoothly. Wray would get the opportunity to open up
a restaurant in Los Angeles, but sadly, his newborn daughter died from birth complications,
and the eatery closed just six weeks after welcoming its first customers. Wray's addiction to painkillers was also taking
control of his life. He even broke into a pharmacy to steal prescription
pills and eventually ended up homeless. Thankfully, after waking up in a hospital,
he entered rehab and got his life back on track, and shared, "I spent the next three to four years getting
back to the ability where I could call myself a chef. I started the whole process again." In a 2019 interview with Spectrum News 1,
Wray revealed that he worked at the Pinehouse Cafe and Tavern in Mt. Laguna, California, after getting clean. However, his dream is to own a food van, for
which he started an unsuccessful GoFundMe page in 2018. He told BBC News, "To me, as a chef, it seems like the ultimate
expression of our art – to be able to go anywhere and cook anything." Heather West stood out as a leader among her
competitors on Season 2 of Hell's Kitchen, winning the grand prize of becoming head chef
at Terra Rossa at the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a salary of $250,000. The Port Jefferson, New York, sous chef went
on to become a senior chef — not head chef — at the restaurant and only stayed for
a year, per Reality Blurred. After working for Gordon Ramsay in Las Vegas,
LI Herald reported that West moved a whopping 17 times. Some of her temporary residences were in Seattle
and Los Angeles, but she ultimately came back home to New York. She shared at the time, "I wanted to be near my family. My family is really important to me." West began working in several restaurants
in Long Island, New York, and became executive chef at Monterey's, Jellyfish Restaurant,
and Thatched Cottage. In 2014, she was announced as the new executive
chef at Schafer's in her hometown of Port Jefferson. Besides her passion for cooking, West is the
co-founder of the non-profit organization East End Play Dates, which is described on
Instagram as, quote, "two moms hosting free playdates every week to help moms face PPD
& get out of the house." West also returned to Hell's Kitchen as the
red team's sous chef for Season 6. Rahman "Rock" Harper came onto Season 3 of
Hell's Kitchen as an executive chef from Washington, D.C., and used his skills and talents to win
the series. He went on to become head chef at Green Valley
Ranch Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, and he also scored a $250,000 salary. "Rock deserved to win Hell's Kitchen because
he's a very confident cook and he has become a really good leader." According to Harper's LinkedIn, the chef worked
for Ramsay for only one year, but soon after, became executive chef for Ben's Next Door
in Washington, D.C., in 2008. He would go on to work at several restaurants
in the D.C. area and even became a chef instructor at Stratford University. In 2010, Harper used his passion for cooking
to write a book titled, 44 Things Parents Should Know about Healthy Cooking for Kids. Since his win, Harper has also launched a
podcast called The Chef Rock Xperiment, which gives listeners an inside look at the restaurant
business, and he's opened a fried chicken restaurant called Queen Mother's Fried Chicken
in D.C. Speaking to Mashed, Harper shared that he
believed opening up his fried chicken spot was a no brainer because the food was one
of the dishes that helped him win on Hell's Kitchen. He added, "I love frying chicken, I think I'm the best
at it anywhere, and chicken sandwiches are really hot right now." In addition to talking up his famous fried
chicken, Harper mentioned that he might be making his way back on television. Christina Machamer came out on top on Season
4 of Hell's Kitchen, which meant that she was supposed to become executive chef at Gordon
Ramsay's restaurant located inside The London West Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. But because she was a student in culinary
school, her prize job was downgraded to senior chef, according to Eater Los Angeles. "Christina has the least amount of experience
coming into Hell's Kitchen, but I saw something in her that was quite special." Machamer worked at Ramsay's restaurant for
only 10 months before going back to school to become a sommelier, studying at the Master
Court of Sommeliers in London, according to Frank Family Vineyards. Afterward, she moved to Napa Valley, where
she found a passion for fine wine and created her own company called Napa Valley Experiences,
as well as a personal chef business called Chef CMac. When asked by Frank Family Vineyards about
the most valuable skill she took away from being on Hell's Kitchen, Machamer shared, "I learned how to plate food. I know that sounds simple, but there is an
art and a technique, and it was built (or beaten) into me." Florida native Danny Veltri called himself
a "culinary prodigy" on the final episode of Season 5 of Hell's Kitchen and proved that
he was the best chef on the series when he won the competition. His prize included the head chef job at Fornelletto
at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, and $250,000. However, the Orlando Sentinel reported that
Veltri did not receive the head chef position and instead was given a sous chef position
at the restaurant, where he worked for just a few months. Veltri returned to his home state of Florida
after his stint at the Borgata and landed the position of chef at the Gnarly Surf Bar
& Grill in New Smyrna Beach. Things took a turn when he was arrested in
2012 for driving under the influence, after police found him, quote, "intoxicated and
in control" of his vehicle at a gas station at around 4 in the morning, according to TMZ. However, the Hell's Kitchen winner got his
life back on track and became head chef of Salt Life Food Shack, which has three locations
in Florida. In 2020, Salt Life Food Shack was named one
of Jacksonville's "Top 50 Restaurants" by Jacksonville Magazine. New Jersey native Dave Levey earned the nickname
the "one-armed bandit" by Gordon Ramsay after fracturing his wrist on Season 6 of Hell's
Kitchen. Despite this setback, Levey continued to fight
for the top spot, which eventually paid off when he was named the winner of the series. Ramsay said on the show, "Dave has a very natural ability and a very
sophisticated palate. He fought through excruciating pain and excelled
and went on to win 'Hell's Kitchen.'" Levey's win consisted of a head chef position
at Araxi Restaurant & Bar in Whistler, British Columbia, and a $250,000 prize. However, he learned that he was basically
going to work as a line cook there, per Restaurant Hospitality, and he eventually moved on. In 2009, he returned to the New Jersey restaurant
II Giardino '86, where had previously worked before winning the show, according to NJ.com. In 2014, Levey was arrested during a drug
bust in New Jersey and was, quote, "charged with being under the influence of a controlled
dangerous substance," but he was released on bail. According to NorthJersey.com, he landed a
job as the lead baker at Mara's Café & Bakery in Denville, New Jersey, in 2013 and was still
working there as of 2019. When Holli Ugalde learned that she won Season
7 of Hell's Kitchen, her prize consisted of $250,000 and the opportunity of a lifetime:
the head chef position at Gordon Ramsay's prestigious Savoy Grill in London. However, Ugalde never got to pack her bags
to go to London after it was reported that she was refused a U.K. work permit. According to Daily Mail, Ugalde felt, quote,
"extremely disappointed" and "a little betrayed" when she learned that she was not going to
London. The chef claimed that the show had ample time
to help her file the appropriate paperwork, so that if she did win there would be no issue
with her working at the restaurant. But by the time she was informed by FOX that
the plan was off, she already felt cheated out of the position; she had learned beforehand
that she would not be head chef after all and would have to take a lower position. She called the show’s conduct “false advertising”. Ugalde got another opportunity to work abroad
in 2011 when she began filming a travel/cooking web series in Portugal, according to Wine
Pleasures. Since then, she's been a spokesperson for
Le Cordon Bleu and became an organic farmer. Her LinkedIn profile notes that she is the
President of Intelligent Lighting Systems Inc., and, in 2021, she developed the SENS
Wellness Program, which is a membership program that helps people find balance in their lives. Georgia native Nona Johnson's win on Season
8 of Hell's Kitchen earned her the head chef position at LA Market in Los Angeles, California. Leaving the South for the celebrity-filled
city, she shared with LA Weekly, "I'd like to introduce L.A. to the South a
little. I'd like to let them know what grits are really
about." She continued working in the L.A. area until
returning to her home state. There, she and her wife opened their own catering
company, The Local Peach, which caters for weddings, corporate events, and social events. Naturally, Johnson is the business' executive
chef. Due to the pandemic, they expanded their services
to offer meal kits, gift boxes, hot meals to go, and more. According to Parade, Johnson also started
working on a specialty grocery store in Georgia that will work with local farmers to sell
their organic foods. She shared, "We will focus on sustainability [...] and
procuring from local organic farmers and vendors who don't necessarily have the platform to
expand and grow on their own." Growing up with two parents who loved to cook,
contestant Paul Niedermann of Season 9 of Hell's Kitchen was born to be a chef. Niedermann made it to the end of the competition
and was crowned winner of the show, taking home $250,000 and the head chef position at
BLT Steak in New York City. Niedermann's career as a chef took him all
across the country, but he eventually decided to leave BLT and go back home to Florida,
where he began working as a chef for Salt7 in Delray Beach. According to his biography on the restaurant's
website, Niedermann shared, "Hell's Kitchen [was] not just a highlight
but something that really set my career in a path I never could've imagined." In 2021, Niedermann opened a second Salt7
location in Fort Lauderdale and told 7 News Miami that the modern American eatery would
serve "high-end steaks and seafood." For patrons of his Ft. Lauderdale location looking for a little more
fun, the restaurant transforms into a nightclub when the sun goes down. Chef de Cuisine Christina Wilson's life changed
forever when she won Season 10 of Hell's Kitchen and was awarded the head chef position at
Gordon Ramsay Steak inside Paris Las Vegas. Ramsay praised the New Jersey native after
she was announced as the winner, stating, "Christina's passion and talent are undeniable. She's a strong leader who is totally at home
in the kitchen. I know I'm not rolling the dice with her in
Vegas." Wilson proved that she could lead a kitchen
in Vegas and worked at Gordon Ramsay Steak for over a year. However, her time with the celebrity chef
wasn't over: She earned an executive chef position at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. Wilson shared with Cuisineist, "This is another incredible opportunity for
me to grow my career, I will be one of three female executive chefs working in Chef Ramsay's
kitchens in the U.S." In 2015, Wilson was named Culinary Director
for Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, and in 2020, her career advanced even further when she
became Vice President of Culinary, according to LinkedIn. According to Today, Wilson used her $250,000
prize from Hell's Kitchen to purchase the Philadelphia home she was renting. Chef Ramsay, whose wealth makes him no stranger
to having large amounts of money to spend on home decor, surprised Wilson by giving
her home a complete makeover on his show My Houzz. He said of Wilson, "[She] is one of the most endearing, humble
chefs I've ever met, and she puts herself last." Ja'Nel Witt had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
when she got the chance to compete on Season 11 of Hell's Kitchen, and she proved her worth
by winning the competition. Witt's prizes consisted of $250,000 and a
head chef position at Gordon Ramsay's Pub & Grill at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada,
but she would get the job taken away from her after failing a drug test. According to TMZ, Caesar's Palace has a strict
drug policy, so because Witt tested positive for cocaine before she started working there,
she never got a chance to prove herself as head chef. Despite losing out on the position, Witt was
still able to keep her cash winnings. TMZ also spoke to Ramsay about the incident,
with the chef stating, "I hope she sorts out her personal issues,
and my door is always open." While Witt could not work at Ramsay's restaurant,
the Houston Chronicle did note that she stayed employed as a private chef and had started
working on a cookbook. Then, in 2014, she earned an executive chef
position at Corner Table in Houston, Texas. She shared at the time, "It's been a lot of pressure, but I work well
under pressure. It just pushes me to do my best." As of this video, Corner Table is permanently
closed. According to Witt's Instagram page, she has
kept busy working in several restaurants in the Texas area, including Sonoma Wine Bar
& Restaurant in Houston. "He's an artist plating food and has a phenomenal
palette. There's no doubt in my mind that he's got
a great career ahead of him." Season 12 Hell's Kitchen winner, Scott Commings
would become head chef at Ramsay's Pub & Grill at Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, and
he would use his newfound career to grow within the culinary world in Vegas. According to his LinkedIn profile, after working
at Ceasar's Palace, Commings became the executive chef of Freedom Beat at The Downtown Grand
Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in 2016. He also co-founded the companies BLT Foods
Las Vegas and Established Culinary Management. As of 2020, Commings was working as the executive
chef at Lake Las Vegas. In a video for the resort, he shared that
what he enjoys the most is seeing people coming together. The chef appears to be doing well in his career,
all thanks to Hell's Kitchen. Season 13's La Tasha McCutchen's cooking skills
impressed Chef Gordon Ramsay. She won the competition and became head chef
of Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill in Atlantic City, New Jersey. "La Tasha, you were rock solid, and it was
no surprise that you were the only person never to be put up for elimination. Young lady, you belong in the kitchen." Reality TV Revisited reported that McCutchen
worked at Ramsay's restaurant for a year, and according to her LinkedIn page, she started
her own private chef business called Entertaining with Chef Tasha Mac in 2016. She proudly shows off her delicious-looking
dishes on her Instagram page. In August 2021, McCutchen lent her expertise
in the kitchen to help Lake City, South Carolina, students during their culinary arts summer
orientation program. Meghan Gill went into Season 14 of Hell's
Kitchen with a lot of knowledge about working in a kitchen and what it takes to be a top
chef. Before becoming a contestant on the show,
she attended L'Academie de Cuisine, where she studied French cooking techniques. "You were born for the kitchen, let me tell
you." Gill became head chef for Gordon Ramsay Pub
& Grill in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and told Mashed, "So I started on like the busiest day of the
year, 4th of July, and I was like, 'What's happening right now?” But while the job was hectic and stressful
at times, it was also rewarding. She added, "I pulled so much from that experience, and
they were just really crazy experiences. You're in Atlantic City, number one. You're in a casino. And then, you're working for Gordon, and it's
the most popular restaurant on the strip." In 2019, Gill took an executive chef position
at the Dormie Network, a national network of premier golf courses. She also shared with Mashed that she wouldn't
be opposed to one day owning a food truck! "Your creativity and your attention to detail
has been second to none." For her prize, Season 15 Hell's Kitchen winner,
Ariel Malone was awarded the head chef position at BLT Steak at Bally's Las Vegas, Nevada. Malone was not head chef for long, with Eater
Las Vegas reporting that she left the position in January 2017. A hostess at the restaurant stated, "[Ariel] got a really big offer she couldn't
refuse." According to her Instagram, Malone was working
as a private chef as of late 2021, and her social media page is filled with photos of
her dishes and her three children. In one photo, she re-establishes herself as
a Los Angeles-based chef and adds, "[I'm] ready to walk you through my new journey
of life, sharing our holistic and healthy lifestyle that I have built for me and my
children as it relates to food, spirituality, and traveling." Parade noted that besides working as a private
chef, Malone has dreams of owning a farm with a bed and breakfast. Her social media also states that she is a
coach and doula. One of her posts reads, "Not only am I an award-winning chef, but
I have also taken it upon myself to become certified as a doula by the best in the business. With this, I provide nutrition for moms who
are experiencing infertility, needing guidance during pregnancy, and postpartum needs." After winning Season 16 of Hell's Kitchen,
chef Kimberly-Ann Ryan knew in her heart that she would find her true calling by cooking
back home in Traverse City, Michigan. But, before she would return to her home state,
Ryan took the head chef position at Yardbird Southern Table & Bar at The Venetian in Las
Vegas, Nevada, for some time. The Glen Arbor Sun reported that since winning
the reality television competition, Ryan has started her own business, Lucky Cook Catering,
in Michigan. To promote it, she's posted several photos
of her delicious meals on her Instagram page. According to the outlet, the chef also teamed
up with four former Hell's Kitchen contestants to create a special dining experience at the
Willowbrook Mill in Northport, Michigan. In a November 2020 Instagram post, Ryan revealed
that she had spent time in what she called "a Vegas psych ward" after a failed suicide
attempt in 2017, the same year her Hell's Kitchen finale aired. She also added that she's grateful to be alive. Earlier that year, she shared on Twitter that
she had become, quote, "insanely sick" after contracting the coronavirus, adding, "I now have full blown asthma [...] I've had
3 heart procedures, and whenever I feel 'better,' a new curveball is thrown in my way." Despite her scary situation in 2020, Ryan
appears to be back in the kitchen and cooking up a storm. Chef Gordon Ramsay changed things up when
he introduced Season 17 as an all-star edition of Hell's Kitchen that saw past contestants
getting a second chance at becoming a head chef at one of his restaurants. Michelle Tribble was a part of Season 14,
where she placed third, but when she gave the show another shot, she came out on top,
proving that she's a seriously talented chef. Tribble was awarded a head chef position at
Hell's Kitchen at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, however, after working there for over
two years, Parade reported that she got furloughed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of finding work in the meantime, Tribble
returned to school to, quote, "complete her post-baccalaureate degree in nutrition" and
obtain a Master of Science in Nutrition, according to Texas Woman's University. She shared at the time, "Although I love cooking, the restaurant industry
is full of negative health implications, both physical and mental. I myself have struggled with good food practices,
and I find more satisfaction using food in a healthy way and focusing on bettering my
health and others as well." However, in April 2021, Tribble announced
on Instagram that she would be working for Ramsay again. Sharing a selfie in a chef's coat, she captioned
it, "I'm excited to once again be working with
the GR family! Thanks to @chefchristinawilson for always
being in my corner and placing faith in my abilities to fulfill the role of Culinary
Development Executive Chef." Ariel Contreras-Fox was given another chance
to prove she was worthy of a head chef position at one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants when
she was featured on Season 18 of Hell's Kitchen, which pitted veterans from past seasons against
rookies. Contreras-Fox placed third on Season 6 of
the show, but came back and conquered, winning an executive position at Gordon Ramsay's Hell's
Kitchen Restaurant at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Surprisingly, Hollywood Life reported that
Contreras-Fox turned down the executive position in Las Vegas to work back home in New York
City, where she became the Concept Executive Chef of the popular restaurant Dos Caminos. She told the outlet, "This show has awarded me so many opportunities
and a lot of visibility. I think I've proven myself and I'm someone
who knows what they're doing." Since then, the chef's Facebook page states
that she's served as, quote, "Vice President at Del Frisco's Double Eagle, Del Frisco's
Grille, and Dos Caminos." Besides keeping busy in the kitchen, Contreras-Fox
is also an author. In 2020, she came out with a children's book
titled, Freckle-Faced Foodie: Journey of a Young Chef. She also returned to television, where she
made a guest-judge appearance on Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay. Chef Kori Sutton came out victorious when
she competed on Season 19 of Hell's Kitchen. "Kori is everything I could want in a chef. She's decisive, level-headed, and most importantly,
passionate." Sutton's prize consisted of a head chef position
at Hell's Kitchen Lake Tahoe [TAH-hoe] in Las Vegas, Nevada, but as of this video, her
LinkedIn states that she is a private chef with her own company, Chef Kori Sutton LLC. Speaking about what came next in her life
after she won Hell's Kitchen, Sutton told Mashed, "I've actually taken a little bit of time
off. I work as a private chef here in LA, doing
some work-in-home cheffing, but I'm taking a little bit of time. I'm actually starting to launch myself a salsa
company, which will launch on September 15th. So, I'm working on that right now, to kind
of focus on me and my brand." As of this video, Sutton's salsa brand, Mama
Kori Salsa, has a website and is still in the works. Before her big reality TV victory, Sutton
appeared on Top Chef Mexico and was a competitor on Cutthroat Kitchen. In 2021, she got to return to her original
home, Puerto Vallarta, to cook at the Festival Gourmet International event. If you or anyone you know is struggling with
addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP
(4357).
