‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Winners: What Do They Win, and Where Are They Now?
Gordon Ramsay is the “master chef” behind a slew of competition cooking shows. They include MasterChef and MasterChef Junior. But that’s not all. A third reality TV series, Hell’s Kitchen, is now in its 21st season in the United States.
The premise of the TV show, as advertised on Fox, is that every season’s winner “receives a head chef position” at a restaurant of Ramsay’s choosing.
But is that really all the show’s winners get for beating at least a dozen other contestants? Maybe not always. Here’s what they’re promised and why those promises aren’t always — technically — kept. Plus, find out what some Hell’s Kitchen winners are doing now.
What do ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ winners get?
When the show introduces each season’s contestants, it’s generally understood they’ll compete to win two prizes:
- A chef position at a restaurant
- $250,000
The show’s premise is that contestants compete for a “head chef” position. It’s much more accurate to say they vie for the chance to work in a high-end restaurant — something many aspiring chefs never get the chance to do.
All contestants are offered the opportunity to work under chefs at some of the world’s best restaurants. But sometimes, the promises the show’s marketing makes and what winners actually get don’t quite line up.
The winners don’t win as much as you might think
Not all Hell’s Kitchen winners are offered executive chef positions. According to Eater, controversy ignited when the Season 7 victor wasn’t given the head chef position she was promised. However, it turned out she didn’t get the job because she didn’t have a proper work visa.
Is Hell’s Kitchen offering fake prizes to its potential winners? Not necessarily. They’re still allowed to work with expert chefs even if their positions are downgraded.
Think of it as applying for a job and being told you’re not quite the right person for the advertised position, but the company is willing to offer you a job at a slightly lower level in hopes you’ll work toward earning the other post. Better than no job at all, right?
As most of us know, reality shows aren’t always as real as they might seem. Competing on a show to prove you’re a better cook than a dozen other people doesn’t necessarily translate to the real-world job of running a restaurant. Some winners can’t accept or keep the jobs they’re offered or don’t have what it takes to run a high-end kitchen — yet.
Whether they receive the prizes they were promised or don’t, and whether they stay in those positions for extended periods or not, most end up maintaining sustainable careers. Some remain chefs. Others branch out into other areas that suit their talents and interests.
‘Hell’s Kitchen’ winners: Where are they now?
By now, most early Hell’s Kitchen winners have moved on from working as full-time chefs. Many have launched catering companies and other food-centric businesses, using their culinary training to serve slightly different markets. Here’s an update on a few past winners and where they are now.
Michael Wray, season 1
The Hell’s Kitchen Season 1 winner eventually declined the offer to work under Gordon Ramsay in London. Instead, Wray became a culinary instructor for Sur La Table. But following the loss of his infant daughter, he faced drug addiction, the BBC reported.
After rehab and a short prison stint following a pharmacy raid, he began to rebuild his life and continues to work in restaurants.
Heather West, season 2
Heather West won Hell’s Kitchen Season 2 and received an offer as a senior chef at Terra Rossa at the Red Rock Resort & Spa in Las Vegas. Since then, she has relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives with her husband and three sons.
Rock Harper, season 3
Season 3 winner Rock Harper spent a year as a chef at Terra Verde at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, Nevada. Originally from California, Harper now owns multiple restaurants and bars in the Washington, D.C. area.
Christina Machamer, season 4
Machamer won a senior chef position and worked under Gordon Ramsay, Thomas Keller, and other greats. Mashed reports she is now a professional sommelier, and her website, chefcmac.com, lists private events and dinners she hosts in Napa Valley, California.
Danny Veltri, season 5
Danny Veltri topped the competition in season 5, earning a spot at Fornelletto at the Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The chef remained there only briefly before returning to Florida, where he started Back From Hell Catering. As of 2024, the company is defunct. Veltri moved around to different Florida establishments, most recently at the Salt Life Food Shack.
Dave Levey, season 6
Dave Levey’s reward for winning Hell’s Kitchen Season 6 was a chef position at Araxi Restaurant and Bar in Whistler, British Columbia. Now, he’s in New Jersey working as a chef and baker at Embark Smoked Meats in Boonton.
Holli Ugalde, season 7
Holli Ugalde won a spot at Savoy Grill at Savoy Hotel in London, England. However, visa issues prevented Uglade from ever taking the job. She eventually left the culinary world and became an executive at Intelligent Lighting Systems.
Nona Sivley, season 8
Nona Sivley beat out 16 other contestants to win season 8 and become a chef at LA Market at JW Marriott Hotel in Los Angeles, California. After opening a restaurant in Georgia, Sivley then established a takeaway grocery store in Norcross.
Paul Niedermann, season 9
BLT Steak in New York City employed Paul Niedermann following Hell’s Kitchen Season 9. Niedermann stayed with BLT for years, relocating around the country. He eventually landed in Florida, opening two restaurants and serving as executive chef at The Jupiter Grill.
Christina Wilson, season 10
Winning Hell’s Kitchen Season 10 put Christina Wilson on a lucrative career path with Gordon Ramsey. Following the show, she worked at Paris Las Vegas Gordon Ramsay Steak. Wilson became vice president of culinary for Gordon Ramsay North America from 2020 to 2023.
Ja’Nel Witt, season 11
Season 11 winner Ja’Nel Witt landed at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Since then, he works as an executive chef and consultant.
Scott Commings, season 12
After winning Hell’s Kitchen Season 12, Cummings began working as the head chef at the Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill in Las Vegas. He has remained in Sin City and works with many restaurants there, as well as in Los Angeles and Chicago, through his culinary management company, ECM, according to his LinkedIn profile.
La Tasha McCutchen, season 13
La Tasha McCutchen opened her own catering business, Entertaining with Chef Tasha Mac. Prior to striking out on her own, McCutchen worked at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Atlantic City.
Meghan Gill, season 14
After winning Hell’s Kitchen, Meghan Gill also won a spot at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Atlantic City. Now, Gill serves as executive chef for the private golf club collection Dormie Network.
Ariel Malone, season 15
Ariel Malone’s season 15 victory landed her a spot at BLT Steak inside Bally’s in Las Vegas. Now, she works as a private chef and operates her company Three Little Birds Kitchen.
Kimberly-Ann Ryan, season 16
Kimberly-Ann Ryan won Hell’s Kitchen Season 16 and along with it, a job at Yardbird Southern Table & Bar inside the Venetian Las Vegas. She then worked at The Cook’s House in Traverse City, Michigan before a stint as a recovery coach for those seeking sobriety. A string of health issues has resulted in the need for heart surgery, according to a GoFundMe profile.
Michelle Tribble, season 17
Winning Season 17 allowed Tribble to become the executive chef at Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. She worked there for more than two years but left when the restaurant shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She returned to her home state of Texas and to her alma mater, Texas Woman’s University, to pursue a post-baccalaureate degree in nutrition. According to the Texas Woman’s University website, she plans to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Ariel Contreras-Fox, season 18
Ariel Contreras-Fox followed Tribble to Hell’s Kitchen at Caesars Palace after season 18. Now, she can be seen as a Food Network judge while also working as vice president at Del Frisco’s/DF Grille. Contreras-Fox also published the children’s book Freckle-Faced Foodie: Journey of a Young Chef.
Kori Sutton, season 19
The Hell’s Kitchen winner in 2021 received $250,000 and an offer to become a head chef at Hell’s Kitchen Lake Tahoe. However, she turned down the job, according to her Instagram.
Instead, the LA-based chef created the salsa line Mama Kori Salsa and teaches online cooking classes. Her Instagram also hints she has a new venture in the works in Mexico, where she grew up.
Trenton Garvey, season 20
Season 20 winner Trenton Garvey became head chef at Gordon Ramsay Steak in the Paris Las Vegas Resort. Sticking with the celebrity restaurant gig, he next worked at The Bedford by Martha Stewart in the same resort. Now, Garvey is cooking up dishes as executive chef at The Blue Duck in Maplewood, Missouri.
Alex Belew, season 21
Season 21 winner Alex Belew worked part-time as head chef at Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen restaurant at Caesar’s Atlantic City. By April 2024, he stepped down to focus on appearances, private chef services, and creating meal preps for Nutrition Faktory.
Ryan O’Sullivan, season 22
Hell’s Kitchen Season 22 winner Ryan O’Sullivan did not accept a full-time position at Hell’s Kitchen at Caesar’s Palace. Instead, he remains the chef at Solstice at The Country Club at Mirasol in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
