How To Get On Hell's Kitchen

The Untold Truth of Hell's Kitchen

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Hell's Kitchen is one of those guilty-pleasure shows you just can't help but love. Who could possibly forget the iconic "idiot sandwich" meme? From the yelling and screaming to some of the most creative insults ever, the show is a goldmine for high-quality drama.

But the goings-on behind the scenes tell a slightly different story. Wait until you learn just how little sleep the contestants on Hell's Kitchen actually get or how incredibly grueling their schedule is.

Psychiatric Evaluation

Being on Hell's Kitchen is an intense experience for everyone involved. Many chefs remain frustrated, especially if they've been kicked off the show and yelled at by Chef Ramsay. It's definitely not unheard of, which is why the show provides psychiatric evaluations for every chef after the experience.

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An on-set source also revealed what happens afterward. "After that, they send you to this beautiful house where you can get anything you want: back rubs, nails done, hair cut. It is kind of like decompression before you go back into society."

Fake Drama

Although it may seem real, it was revealed that no one actually gets into a physical fight with Gordon Ramsay. Sometimes when chefs are in particularly bad moods, you may see them talk back to him and storm off the set in a total rage.

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According to reports, the fights aren't real — they're created to amp up the drama factor. Which is precisely why Ramsay doesn't kick those people off the show (even though he sometimes should). Remember Tennille Middleton from season six and her fight with the chef? He didn't kick her out for yelling at him at all.

No Technology Allowed

Much like any reality show, the contestants are cut off from the outside world and aren't allowed to talk to anyone via tech devices. This basically means that phones, computers and tablets are completely forbidden.

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Contestants don't get to see or talk to their families until the show allows them to — and usually, that doesn't happen until the final few episodes, just to hype up the drama. Many of the contestants have children they're not allowed to see or contact until the show is over or until they leave.

Coping Mechanisms

It's been reported that many of the contestants develop their own coping mechanisms while on the show. Working in a fast-paced kitchen is extremely stressful, but when you're working with Gordon Ramsay, the experience could really take a toll on your mental health.

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Producers of the show have reported that many contestants start smoking while being on the show. For example, in season two, there were only four smokers at the beginning of the show, but by the end, 10 of the contestants were smoking in order to relieve stress.

Contestants Get Paid

According to reports, many of the contestants get paid for their participation in the show. Due to the sensitivity of the information, the exact numbers aren't really known.

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It's been noted that the contestants do get some sort of a stipend during their time on the show, but that exact number hasn't been revealed either. Considering they spend weeks away from their normal lives, it isn't hard to believe they're paid for their participation — especially when their appearances make for incredible TV.

The Worst Team in Hell's Kitchen History

Hell's Kitchen had several contestants who probably made you want to scream right along with Gordon Ramsay. Who could forget season one's Jeffery Dewberry, whom Ramsay called a "big f****** overgrown muffin"? But what happens when your whole chef team is bad?

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In season 11, Ramsay had had enough and said that the blue team was the absolute worst team in the show's history. The team still holds the record for the most losses; they only won two of their challenges. Needless to say, it was one of those seasons that made Ramsay almost explode.

A Winner's Fury

Holli Ugalde, season seven's winner of Hell's Kitchen, got the opportunity to be the head chef of London's Savoy Grill. But when the hotel opened, she wasn't there. And she was absolutely furious at Gordon Ramsay. She said she felt extremely disappointed and betrayed for not hearing from Ramsay after winning the competition.

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Ugalde saw the press release for Savoy Grill's opening, but she wasn't invited. The reason? Ramsay said her UK visa application was never approved, but Ugalde objected that Hell's Kitchen had two years to plan for it and they failed.

Toxic Environments

You don't have to watch season after season to see that the show creates pretty toxic environments. Considering the competitiveness of the chefs, Ramsay's rage and the pressure of preparing the food on time with all the sabotage that tends to happen, Hell's Kitchen isn't easy to digest.

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The chefs are often pushed to the limit, and seeing their behavior unfold may be triggering for some of the viewers. Hell's Kitchen rarely has any warnings at the beginning of each episode, but the obvious pressure on this show can be quite distressing for the audience.

Nobody's Prize

We've already mentioned the disappointment when Holli Ugalde didn't get to live her dreams as a head chef. But she wasn't the only chef whose Hell's Kitchen victory was bittersweet. In season 11, Ja'Nel Witt experienced a similar situation, but not for the same reasons.

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Witt failed a drug test after she was offered a job. Ramsay withdrew the offer, but she was allowed to keep the cash prize she got for winning the show. Scott Commings, season 12's winner, was given Witt's head chef position at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace.

Microphone Memories

You might have noticed that when contestants are on Hell's Kitchen, everything's recorded — what happens before the dinner service, what happens after and everything in between. The cameras are always on, and participants have to wear their mics at all times — except when they're sleeping.

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Former contestants said that when everyone's asleep, the batteries on the mics get changed. They only turn off the lights in the dorms when the last person falls asleep, and some people use that to sabotage others. No sleep means poorer performance.

Escaping the Cameras

Contestants discovered a secret weapon to make sure the cameras don't record certain things. Unfortunately, nobody can really hide from them. But there's one thing contestants can do if they're having a bad day and don't want something to make it onto the air.

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Their secret weapon is the threat of copyright infringement. Getting music rights is extremely expensive, and many Hell's Kitchen contestants figured this out. So, when they want a break, they actually sing well-known songs; the show can't air the singing because of copyright issues. And voila — a few minutes of peace in a hectic kitchen environment.

Does Experience Pay?

The producers of the show revealed that everyone gets put through a cooking test just to see how their basic skills might play out in the real restaurant environment. For one, chefs are expected to have basic knife skills in order to compete with others.

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But Ramsay revealed that the most experienced chefs aren't always the ones that walk out of Hell's Kitchen as winners. For example, in season one, Elsie Ramos had no formal training, but she was one of the final contestants. And Christina Machamer was just a culinary student but managed to win one of the seasons.

The Daily Schedule

The schedule for Hell's Kitchen contestants is pretty grueling. They sometimes get maybe five hours of sleep and often start their day at 7 a.m. After dinner service, they're expected to thoroughly wash and clean the kitchen, which can sometimes take hours. They often don't go to bed until 2 a.m.

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They're also expected to cook for themselves. But unlike on other shows, their dorm has a fully stocked fridge. Despite this, it's pretty challenging to cook for yourself or eat healthy food after you've been on your feet for 20 hours every day for weeks.

Casting Secrets

So if they often don't have a lot of experience, how do the contestants get cast on the show? The executive producers revealed that applicants have to show a competitive streak and passion for cooking. The best contestants are those with a strong passion for being in the restaurant business.

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Contestants aren't chosen based on their looks and often not even on their strong personalities — even though there are definitely strong personalities that come out of Hell's Kitchen. But producers said you don't need to be a model or a personal trainer to be given a chance to be on TV.

Ramsay's Security

If you ever thought contestants could easily let their rage out on Gordon Ramsay while on the show, think again. He's a big personality with plenty of TV shows, so dealing with strong-willed Hell's Kitchen contestants is a walk in the park for him.

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In addition, Ramsay has a bunch of bodyguards around him, even when he's filming the show. You can see them in a couple of scenes, especially when Ramsay goes head to head with some of the toughest personalities — like the season six fight with Joseph during an elimination round.

The Long Interview Process

The interview process of getting on the show is pretty long. Sous chef Ariel Malone revealed that her interview took almost three months, during which she was asked all sorts of situational questions to determine if she would be a good fit for the show.

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The producers are determined to find out if someone has the right personality. The interview questions can be anything, too. Malone was asked what she would've done if she was in the kitchen and somebody burned her. There are questions you can't really prepare for — you're either a good fit or you're not.

Too Friendly

And by "friendly" we mean "flirty" — think Big Brother's raunchy scenes under the bed covers. Because they're crammed into a house with a lot of people, some contestants tend to become very close.

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Former contestant Kevin Cottle revealed that, because the stress is so high, some people decide to relieve that in their own way: by sleeping with each other. Of course, this is something cameras can't document because of the network's policies around those types of scenes. It was revealed that the contestants sleep with each other all the time.

When Do They Eat?

It must be very painful for a foodie to see their fridge stocked up with everything they want but not have enough time to eat it. This is exactly what Hell's Kitchen contestants go through. It sounds like complete torture if you enjoy and value food — which most chefs do.

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Former contestants explained that winning team dinners was actually amazing because it meant they got to eat at an acceptable time. Others only got to enjoy a meal they had to prepare themselves at around 10 p.m. when the restaurant filming was officially wrapped up.

A Disadvantage

Winning Hell's Kitchen guarantees a head chef position. Well, most of the time. But if someone doesn't win and wants to work in kitchens, being on the show might be seen as a disadvantage by those who don't really care for reality TV.

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Former contestants have revealed that the show can be a liability when they're applying for jobs. If you're portrayed badly, it's best to leave the show off your resume. If Ramsay found you impressive, you're good to go. It all depends on your Hell's Kitchen reputation.

Communicating With Gordon Ramsay

In case you haven't noticed, Ramsay doesn't automatically appreciate everyone he meets. Former chefs revealed he wants to see people fight back. He wants contestants to acknowledge their mistakes and make sure to fix them.

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Ramsay loves driven and passionate people — those who know how to move past their egos and get up again and again. But Ramsay's mentality is also to leave things in the kitchen and start fresh the next day. After all, we've seen him scream at people only to love them an episode later.

Gordon Ramsay Doesn't Watch Hell's Kitchen

This one might be pretty obvious. Ramsay has so many shows and restaurants that he clearly doesn't have the time to rewatch his own reality shows. He says that watching them would influence his ego and self-image in a bad way.

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In a Playboy interview, he said, "I don't want to get self-obsessed and start thinking about putting makeup on and watching the way I walk. 'Oh, did I really say that?' It is what it is. I'd rather watch Deadliest Catch or go out for dinner." Honestly, that's a good mentality.

Tiny Dorms

Whenever Hell's Kitchen shows the dorms, producers try not to show the rooms' true sizes. Considering that the contestants don't spend a lot of time there, the producers don't have to invest much in lavish living quarters with plenty of things to do.

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Instead, the show's dorms are absolutely tiny. Four contestants share a room, and the living arrangements are similar to living in college housing — although college housing doesn't really have cameras. It's something the Hell's Kitchen contestants have to get comfortable with, as the show does tend to film fights and boozy nights.

A Learning Experience

Coming to Hell's Kitchen is an honor for knowledge-hungry chefs who can't wait to learn from Chef Ramsay and everyone around them. A producer revealed that everything on the show is a part of the program and the contestants are always learning from other chefs.

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The sous chefs act as mentors, and the show even hires people who aren't on camera but support the contestants and give them words of encouragement. Most contestants are incredibly grateful for the opportunity, but if someone does want to leave and can't handle the pressure, Ramsay allows them to.

Things Aren't Re-shot

The production team revealed that shooting Hell's Kitchen isn't like shooting other shows. While shows like Dance Moms and Jersey Shore sometimes have to be re-shot if a scene wasn't successfully captured, Hell's Kitchen uses different techniques.

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A producer said that filming is continuous, which is why nothing is missed on the show. But if there's something the cameras didn't capture thoroughly, the contestants go to the so-called "diary room" area and describe in detail what happened — as long as it's important for the storyline of that specific episode. And if it's drama, it usually is important.

Being a Chef Is Really Hard Work

If there's anything Hell's Kitchen taught us, it's that being a chef isn't easy. Former contestants revealed just how much they sacrifice for their careers. Sure, it might pay well, but it's incredibly stressful. Some contestants are isolated from their families, not seeing their kids for months.

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They work from Monday to Saturday for many hours a day. Sometimes the fancier hotel restaurants have the most demanding and crazy working hours, but yes, this all comes with an incredible salary. If you want to be a chef, you have to sacrifice the rest of your life, including your love life.

Reservations at Hell's Kitchen

Because of the restaurant's reputation, Hell's Kitchen is full of celebrities. But not just celebrities — usually, you can only get a seat if you're connected to someone from Fox. People who eat there are often the crew's friends and family members.

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Some of the celebrities who have been seen in Hell's Kitchen include Millie Bobby Brown and plenty of famous musicians and rappers who were curious to find out just how good the food is. Imagine how nerve-wracking it is to serve undercooked food to a celebrity. You're not only disappointing the celebrity, but you're also disappointing Chef Ramsay.

No Actual Restaurant

The restaurant obviously doesn't operate when the show doesn't run. If you're expecting to walk into an actual restaurant when you go there, you'll be seriously disappointed. Considering all the filming involved, Hell's Kitchen is like any other show's set in many ways.

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There are cameras involved, and you don't actually eat for a couple of hours — if you're lucky. Some people never get their meals at all if the service is bad in the kitchen. The set is also incredibly bright, oversized and exaggerated to appear bigger and flashier on actual TV.

When Dinner Service Fails

Sometimes we see people never getting their food and walking out of the restaurant. Other times, Chef Ramsay kicks every single chef out of the kitchen for their terrible service. Sure, it makes for good TV, but it's incredibly disappointing for people who came to experience the delicious food.

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But don't worry. There's a backup plan for poor service. Sometimes you can see extra people working in the kitchen. They may look like they're there to clean, but they're actually backup chefs, ready to take over if Ramsay gets rid of both teams. Dinner service always gets completed.

Ample Footage

A man who reportedly worked on the show revealed that the crew members shoot a lot of footage. Considering the cameras are always rolling, this isn't that hard to believe. They shoot 48 hours of footage per episode and turn it into a 45-minute experience for the viewers.

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Each episode follows a scenario that only requires about 15 minutes of good drama. They cut that drama into the episode, and because it's mixed with other scenes, it works. It takes talent to be able to correctly edit out the scenes, but Hell's Kitchen producers know how to do it best.

There's an Open Bar

You've probably seen chefs prepare shrimp cocktails whenever they fail to cook any food fast enough. Considering shrimp cocktails don't have to be cooked, this is a brilliant idea. But Ramsay also makes sure the guests don't get thirsty.

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If you have to wait long, you can visit the open bar. You can drink as much as you want, but no liquor is allowed. Guests can still enjoy wine or beer to pass the time, and it's all free. So even though you might have to wait for hours to get your food, you'll be getting plenty of drinks.