Hell’s Kitchen Season 16 Premiere: Gordon Ramsay vs. Pennsylvania SugarHouse Casino Chef

Gordon Ramsay
Photo credit: Twitter @HellsKitchenFOX

Chef Gordon Ramsay returns to television this week for Hell’s Kitchen Season 16. The premiere date is Sept. 23 on the FOX channel, and we’ve got all your Hell’s Kitchen updates.

Five chefs from Pennsylvania, including seasoned SugarHouse Chef Andrew Pearce, and another five from New York will compete this time around. The reality TV show is a hit with fans who love watching the pressure build inside the competition kitchen and Ramsay’s no-filter method of dealing with the competing chefs on the cooking show.

Hell’s Kitchen Update

The 18 chefs set to take the challenge for season 16 will soon begin a hellish journey, where they will tackle an intense culinary academy Gordon Ramsay-style. The show puts the chefs, who come from all over the country, in a series of grueling challenges and dinner services, all so one can be crowned the top chef in Hell’s Kitchen.

The crew will be divided into two teams, red and blue. The 18 chefs competing this season are:

  • Aaron Smock, a cook from Michigan
  • Andrew Pearce, a sous chef from Pennsylvania
  • Devin Simpson, an assistant restaurant manager from South Carolina
  • Genaro Dellilo, a sous chef from Pennsylvania
  • Koop Wynkoop, a kitchen manager from Ohio
  • Matt Hearn, a sous chef from California
  • Pat Tortorello, a culinary instructor from New Jersey
  • Paulie Giganti, an executive chef from New York
  • Johnny McDevitt, a head chef from Pennsylvania
  • Aziza Young, a kitchen manager from Pennsylvania
  • Rajeeyah “Gia” Young, a catering chef from New York
  • Heather Williams, a sous chef from Pennsylvania
  • Heidi Parent, an executive chef from Maine
  • Jessica Boynton, a university chef from North Carolina
  • Kimberley Roth, a sushi chef from New York
  • Kimberly Ann Ryan, am event chef from Michigan
  • Shaina Hayden, a banquet chef from New York
  • Wendy Mendez, a pastry chef from New York

New York and Pennsylvania chefs have definitely come out in high numbers for this new season of Hell’s Kitchen.

Absolute perfection is the only standard allowed in Chef Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen and each new challenge will require every chef to be on top of their game, or else risk being eliminated.

The last contestant standing will be the winner of the grand prize, a head chef position at Yardbird Southern Table & Bar at The Venetian Las Vegas. For some of these chefs, jumping into a head chef role is the dream of a lifetime and can accelerate their career by a decade. So the stakes are incredibly high.

The premiere episode has Ramsay taking 18 chefs to a U.S. Army training boot camp before allowing them entrance into Hell’s Kitchen. It is only then that they are split into two teams, men vs. women, and given their first challenge. Presenting their signature dishes is the first task in the kitchen, which should be simple enough since these chefs have been making this dish presumably for years. But, as always, something will go wrong. Stay tuned!


Sources:
“Five Pennsylvania chefs on Hell’s Kitchen season 16,” Fox 43 web site, August 31, 2016; http://fox43.com/2016/08/31/five-pennsylvania-chefs-on-hells-kitchen-season-16/, last accessed September 21, 2016.
“Meet the Contestants of ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ Season 16,” Buddy TV web site, September 20, 2016; http://www.buddytv.com/slideshows/hells-kitchen/meet-the-contestants-of-hells-kitchen-season-16-59761.aspx, last accessed September 21, 2016.