What It’s Really Like to Compete on ‘Hell’s Kitchen’

If you’ve ever seen a chef botch a dish on Hell’s Kitchen and thought, “pssh, I could crush that,” there are a few things you should know before sending in your application: One, you’re going to spend a month and a half cut off from the rest of the world. Two, it’s not nearly as easy as it looks. And three, have zero expectations. Ever.

Chef Ariel Malone, a contestant on this season’s show, breaks down all of the above—and what it’s really like working alongside Gordon Ramsay.

Your Application Is Only the Beginning.

After a sous chef at the Hackensack, NJ, restaurant where Malone works prodded her to apply to be on Hell’s Kitchen, the 26-year-old chef spent about 2 to 3 months doing interviews to see if she’d be a good fit for the show. She went from a phone interview, where producers asked questions she’d already answered in her application, to an on-camera interview in New York, to an in-person interview in Los Angeles.

“Their questions helped determine whether you’re a fast learner, how well you adjust to changes in life, how you respond to difficult situations,” Malone explains. “During the on-camera interview, the questions were more situational, like, ‘if you’re in the kitchen and somebody burns you, how do you respond?’ They want a sense of your personality—or if you’re a dead fish with no personality at all.”

Producers Will Go Out of Their Way to Catch You Off-Guard.

With 14 seasons of the show already wrapped, the producers have to throw in some surprises to keep the competition from turning stale. This season, that meant bringing everyone to LA—and immediately whisking them off to Las Vegas.

“We thought we were going to BLT [Steakhouse] to eat, so we’re all dressed up,” Ariel says. “I had six-inch heels on, and then, surprise! We’re actually cooking a dish. I didn’t get to change—they gave me kitchen shoes, since that’s a safety hazard, but I wound up having to tie up the hem of my dress so I wouldn’t trip on it.”

That’s not the only surprise producers have planned. One morning, they woke up the cast by blaring rock music.

“The producers knew some of us grew up watching the show, so they liked to mix things up,” she says. “If we got a little too familiar, they’d wake us up two hours early.”

There Are No Spoilers.

Producers don’t drop any clues—or help you prepare for filming—at all.

“There is zero prep,” Malone says. “None whatsoever. All you can do is just brace yourself for whatever’s going to come.”

Gordon Ramsay Is Actually … Nurturing.

Ramsay has built an empire on his skills as a chef, and in the process, earned a reputation as one hell of an intimidating, obscenity-spouting, screaming-until-a-neck-vein-pops reality TV star. That image doesn’t reflect the real Ramsay, Malone insists.

“Honestly, he’s a really nice guy,” she says. “I like the mentorship he gives. It’s a no bullshit, ‘I expect the best from you’ style, and he’s actually really genuine and nurturing.”

When the cameras weren’t rolling, he’d joke around with the chefs, welcoming conversation.

“The first time we saw him out of the kitchen, he was like, ‘Call me Gordon.’ We said, ‘yes, Chef, [but] we’re not calling you Gordon.’ He’s been awarded so many Michelin stars—he’s earned the title chef,” she explains. “He was super-relaxed and told us to ask him anything.”

You’re Cut Off from the Rest of the World While Filming.

While Ramsay was surprisingly easy to work with, there was one major challenge: Being cut off from family and friends. You can’t have any contact with the outside world—you can’t even have your cell phone with you to mindlessly scroll Instagram during your downtime—throughout the six-week filming process.

“The producers will call our parents to update them on what’s going on and let them know that everything’s okay,” Malone says. “Not having the comforts of home is really the hardest part of being on the show. If you have a rough day, you can’t just call up your best friend and talk shit, or go out for a jog to clear your head.”

Even if you’re eliminated early, you’re still secluded until filming wraps.

“It gives you a chance to decompress from being on the show,” she says. “Plus, they can’t have someone go home and say they know what happened.”

That’s not to say the six-week shooting period was miserable. Malone’s quick to clarify: “We’re in LA, the weather is nice—I was happy.”

Your Schedule Is Packed.

Filming takes place every other day, Mondays through Saturdays (Sundays are always off) during the six-week competition period.

“I didn’t have a watch, but we usually woke up around 7 a.m. at the latest and were headed back to the dorms to make dinner or whatever around 9 or 10 p.m.,” Malone says.

Sometimes You Gotta Go Simple—or Go Home.

It’s tempting to want to make an over-the-top dish that will really wow Ramsay, and that’s often the well-intentioned mistake that sends chefs packing.

“Consistency is key, so I really recommend sticking with what you know,” Malone says. “If you’re in a high-stress situation and you can make a simple dish really, really well, that’s what’s really impressive.”

Don’t be afraid to go with your gut.

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