Hell's Kitchen Season 21 is set to premiere on September 29, 2022, at 8.00 pm ET. The culinary show has been long-running, featuring 18 contestants competing against each other under Gordon Ramsay's tutelage.
During their culinary journey on the show, contestants face strict punishments and eliminations that often test their desire to win the title. The winner secures an opportunity to work at Ramsay's chain of restaurants.
The official synopsis of the show reads:
"The competition is bound to be fierce, as each team is put through rigorous culinary challenges, featuring high-stakes rewards and punishments, all with age-defying bragging rights on the line. But only those who possess the right combination of ingredients will continue in the competition until one is named the winner."
The synopsis further reads,
"At stake is a life-changing grand prize, including a Head Chef position, a cash prize of $250,000 and the coveted title of HELL’S KITCHEN winner."
Hell's Kitchen Season 21 contestants come from a variety of backgrounds
1) Alex Belew
41-year-old Alex Belew is the owner of AB Hospitality and hosts a podcast, Cooking, Cocktails & Community. He is also an award-winning executive chef. Viewers can follow him at @alexbelew.
2) Tara Cianella
Private chef and caterer Tara previously appeared on Chopped and Good Day NY. Moreover, the 41-year-old Hell's Kitchen contestant owns a restaurant called Tara's Italian Cucina. Viewers can follow her at @cheftaraciannella.
3) Nicole Gomez
Nicole is a private chef who lives in Los Angeles and shares many of her creations on her social media handle. Viewers can follow her at @chefnicolegomez.
4) Zeus Gordiany
Zeus worked at Benvenuto Restaurant as the executive chef. He is a Milford-based chef who likes to keep his private life away from social media. Viewers can follow him at @zeusifar92.
5) Mindy Livengood
Liberty Township native Mindy is a caterer by profession. The 42-year-old runs an online platform called Chef Mindy's Kitchen that provides engaging and exciting learning opportunities. Viewers can follow her at @chef_mindy_livengood.
6) O'Shay Lolley
New Castle, Delaware native Lolley is an executive chef. The Hell's Kitchen contestant is a restaurateur, food critic, and cookbook author. Viewers can follow him at @chefoshaylolley.
7) Abe Sanchez
42-year-old Abe is an executive chef at Kitchen Monster Creations. During his free time, he loves to cook for his friends, wife, and nine kids. Viewers can follow him at @kitmonab and @chef_abe_sanchez.
8) Charlene Sherman
Charlene is a Wyoming-based chef who appeared on shows like Killer Bites and Guy's Grocery Game show. Previously, the 40-year-old Hell's Kitchen contestant was the executive chef at Firenze Italian Steakhouse. Viewers can follow her at @chefcharliesherman.
9) Billy Trudsoe
Billy Trudsoe is the head chef at B.Trues Mad Flava. Although Billy is a Melbourne-based chef, he is originally from Chestertown, New York. Viewers can follow him at @adkchef.
10 ) Brett Binninger-Schwartz
Brett is a 26-year-old executive chef at a restaurant in Dublin, Ohio. He is married and is also a pet dad. Viewers can follow him at @bretticus27_.
11) Vlad Briantsev
Vlad is a 26-year-old Chicago-based chef and the co-founder of the Late Night With Chefs podcast. Viewers can follow him at @chef_briantsev.
12) Ileana D'Silva
23-year-old Ileana is a sous chef at Casa Pearl. D'Silva studied at the Culinary Institute of Virginia and grew up in New York. Viewers can follow her at @ileana_dsilva.
13) Dafne Mejia
Dafne is a 29-year-old Los Angeles-based chef who works at Spring Place Beverly Hills as an executive chef. Viewers can follow her at @chef_dafne.
14) Alejandro Najar
Najar is the head chef at UnHitched Brewing Company in Louisville. The 29-year-old worked as a sous chef at Mustard Seed Market & Café. Viewers can follow the Hell's Kitchen contestant's regular updates on his Facebook handles.
15) Cheyenne Nichols
Nichols is a 21-year-old chef at Fine Cravings in Louisville, KY. She will be on the 20-something team on Hell's Kitchen. Viewers can follow Cheyenne at @chef_cheyenne.
16) Alyssa Osinga
Alyssa is an executive chef at a Chicago-based restaurant named Althea Restaurant. Viewers can follow her at @chefflysseatz.
17) Sommer Sellers
Sommer is a 24-year-old lead line cook at a restaurant in Brooklyn, NY. She studied at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. Viewers can follow her at @sommersellers.
18) Sakari Smithwick
24-year-old chef Sakari is the founder and executive chef of Noble Promise restaurant. The Hell's Kitchen contestant also participated in Food Network's Chopped in 2019 and finished second. Viewers can follow him at @sakarismithwick.
The show is produced by ITV America's ITV Entertainment in association with A. Smith & Co. Productions. Gordon Ramsay, Arthur Smith, Kent Weed, Kenny Rosen, and Bernie Schaeffer serve as executive producers.
Viewers can watch the premiere of Hell's Kitchen season 21 on September 29 on FOX.