A new season of TV’s loudest cooking show, Hell’s Kitchen, will premiere on July 18, and we now know which aspiring restaurateurs will brave the wrath of Gordon Ramsay for a shot at culinary fame. 18 competitors will compete for the position of head chef at BLT Steak in New York.
Hell’s Kitchen will premiere on Monday, July 18 at 8pm on FOX.
#19 Meet the Season 9 Chefs
The chefs will begin on two teams — red and blue — separated by gender and will spend the premiere preparing their own signature dish for Ramsay’s (dis)approval.
#18 Elizabeth Bianchi
Age: 27 Occupation: Line Cook Hometown: New York, NY Signature Dish: Pan-Roasted Quail
#17 Natalie Blake
Age: 23 Occupation: Sous Chef Hometown: Harrodsburg, KY Signature Dish: Lamb Chops
#16 Amanda Colello
Age: 26 Occupation: Personal Chef Hometown: Sun City, CA Signature Dish: Eggplant Rollatini with Creamy Polenta
#15 Jamie Gregorich
Age: 24 Occupation: Sous Chef Hometown: Bradenton, FL Signature Dish: Lollipop Lamb Chop with Red Onion Confiture
#14 Carrie Keep
Age: 31 Occupation: Pantry Chef Hometown: Dallas, TX Signature Dish: Chicken-Fried Rib Eye with Yukon Mashed Potatoes and White Truffle Cream Gravy
#13 Gina Melcher
Age: 34 Occupation: Restaurant Consultant Hometown: Cape May, NJ Signature Dish: Pistachio Scallops
#12 Jennifer Normant
Age: 34 Occupation: Chef de Cuisine Hometown: Boston, MA Signature Dish: Special Secret Pork with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
#11 Krupa Patel
Age: 30 Occupation: Private Chef Hometown: Queens, NY Signature Dish: Stuffed Naan with Cilantro Chutney
#10 Elise Wims
Age: 26 Occupation: Line Cook Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA Signature Dish: Pesto Seared Scallops with Sauteed Escarole
#9 Chino Chang
Age: 39 Occupation: Executive Chef Hometown: Hatboro, PA Signature Dish: Korean BBQ Beef
#8 Brendan Heavey
Age: 31 Occupation: Head Chef Hometown: Hoboken, NJ Signature Dish: Salmon with Basil Cream Sauce
#7 Monterray Keys
Age: 34 Occupation: Line Cook Hometown: Darby, PA Signature Dish: Pan-Seared Sea Bass
#6 Will Lustberg
Age: 31 Occupation: Sous Chef Hometown: Jersey City, NJ Signature Dish: Sheep’s Milk Ricotta Gnudi
#5 Paul Niedermann
Age: 26 Occupation: Junior Sous Chef Hometown: Davie, FL Signature Dish: Eggplant Involtini
#4 Steven Paluba
Age: 44 Occupation: Saute Chef Hometown: Ridge, NY Signature Dish: Seared Diver Scallops with Wild Mushroom Risotto
#3 Jonathon Plumley
Age: 34 Occupation: Head Cook Hometown: Memphis, TN Signature Dish: Punch-Drunk Chicken
#2 Tommy Stevens
Age: 31 Occupation: Line Cook Hometown: Brewster, NY Signature Dish: Toasted Coconut Crab Cake
#1 Jason Zepaltas
Age: 29 Occupation: Line Cook Hometown: Chicago, IL Signature Dish: Pork Tacos
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
Laurel grew up in Mamaroneck, NY, Grosse Pointe, MI and Bellevue WA. She then went on to live in places like Boston, Tucson, Houston, Wales, Tanzania, Prince Edward Island and New York City before heading back to Seattle. Ever since early childhood, when she became addicted to The Muppet Show, Laurel has watched far too much TV. Current favorites include Chuck, Modern Family, Supernatural, Mad Men and Community. Laurel received a BA in Astrophysics (yes, that is possible) from Colgate University and a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies and History of Science from Columbia University before she realized that television is much better than studying.
