Hell’s Kitchen: A sneak peek into high-stakes drama & culinary excellence

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Undoubtedly, Gordon Ramsay has delivered some of the best reality cooking shows over the years. Of these, Hell’s Kitchen is one of the most loved shows that has created a screaming chef monopoly and helped many aspiring chefs to excel in the cooking business. It invites chefs from all across the US, and they are trained by the connoisseur Ramsay himself to handle a busy dinner service expertly. 

There couldn’t be a better way for chefs and cooking enthusiasts aiming to make it big in the culinary world than being on this show. One would easily spend thousands of dollars to get to work and learn from the best in the business. For those unaware of the show format, Hell’s Kitchen features contestants with creative culinary skills competing against each other to win the opportunity to be head chef at a famous restaurant. And the best part? Gordon Ramsay hosts the show in his own vigilant demanding style. 

The 21st season of the American cooking reality TV series Hell’s Kitchen which premiered on September 29, 2022, was a major hit proving it to be a fan favorite for both foodies and non-foodies alike. Apart from the insightful culinary content, the episodes are characterized by humor, comic controversies, heart-warming moments, etc., making the series the highest-rated and loved among other TV shows. 

Hell’s Kitchen: What made it a flagship series? 

Given its stellar ratings, it’s no surprise that Hell’s Kitchen is Gordon Ramsay’s one of the best shows till date. With its last few seasons ranked as the number 1 cooking show on television, the popularity of this series seems to be ever-growing. 

Being a world-renowned celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay has done multiple hit reality shows, including Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares. While Kitchen Nightmare was a seven-season run that saw Ramsay visiting different failing restaurants and helping them revive, the premise of Hell’s Kitchen is a little different with a much shorter timeline. 

The fact that Hell’s Kitchen continues to air to this date with its latest season concluding on February 9, 2023, quite answers why Hell’s Kitchen is a flagship series. Apart from the fun and entertainment, the show has helped viewers learn about new cuisines and diverse cooking techniques. Although Ramsay is seen yelling most of the time, there are segments in which he patiently guides the contestants to perform excellently and compete against each other. 

Some untold truths about the famous ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ 

# Hell’s Kitchen is not an actual Kitchen 

Since cooking shows are shot on sound stages, it’s no different in the case of Hell’s Kitchen as well. Being a television show, all episodes are shot on a set that has the appearance of a fine dining space. Although the contestants are real-life chefs and cooking enthusiasts competing to win in hopes of getting a job as the executive chef of one of Ramsay’s restaurants, the audiences are not ordinary people.

So, in order to attend the taping of one such dinner service, well, you got to have connections with Fox. According to sources, only the close friends and family of the crew members are allowed to be an audience on the show. 

# Contestants are unaware of what’s coming next

Unlike other reality shows that have some kind of scripting, contestants on Hell’s Kitchen are not told about the tasks or game format in advance. To them, everything is a surprise and the show makers keep them guessing throughout. According to some ex-contestants of the show, there is absolutely no prep time and all that a participant can do is brace themselves for whatever challenges come their way. 

Also, when the contestants are seen getting comfortable or used to a monotonous routine, the show producers go out of their way to keep the contestants on their toes. Be it the wake-up call with deafening loud music or an unexpected call to get in the kitchen, the participants have zero hints and have to face whatever is thrown at them. 

# Apparently, the camera never stops rolling 

The format of any reality TV show is to bid adieu to privacy which is true in the case of Hell’s Kitchen as well. Before signing up for the show, all contestants are made to agree to say bye to their privacy as the camera is always on and so are the microphones. Everyone on the show has to wear the microphone, even while going to sleep which means that there’s no room for some peace and alone time. 

So, everything that goes on in the kitchen as well as afterward is recorded and unfiltered. No restroom visits or taking a nap can get you alone time. However, many contestants figured out that the only way to get some privacy is to belt out a tune. Since music rights are expensive, participants can sing famous songs to deviate camera attention from them. 

Final Note 

Needless to say, Gordon Ramsay is the star of the show Hell’s Kitchen and is accredited for all the entertainment, high-stakes drama, and culinary excellence that’s delivered. So, if you are someone who loves cooking or is a fan of the legendary flamethrower Ramsay, this show must be on your watchlist! For more juicy content & news of the cooking world, you can visit the StarChef website or download the app. One can not only play multiple farm games on StarChef but also get all the latest updates of the culinary world.