Hell's Kitchen (American TV series) season 16

The sixteenth season of the American competitive reality television series Hell's Kitchen premiered on Fox on September 23, 2016, and concluded on February 2, 2017. Gordon Ramsay returned as host and head chef, while Aaron Mitrano returned as the Blue Team's sous-chef, and Andi Van Willigan-Cutspec returned as the Red Team's sous-chef, replacing Christina Wilson, after the former had appeared as a guest in the previous season. Marino Monferrato returned as maître d'.

Hell's Kitchen
Season 16
Promotional poster for season 16, featuring host Ramsay
Hosted by	Gordon Ramsay
No. of contestants	18
Winner	Kimberly-Ann Ryan
Runner-up	Heather Williams
No. of episodes	16
Release
Original network	Fox
Original release	September 23, 2016 (2016-09-23) – February 2, 2017 (2017-02-02)
Season chronology
List of episodes

The season was won by event chef Kimberly-Ann Ryan, with sous-chef Heather Williams finishing second.

This season was filmed between November and December 2014, shortly after the completion of the previous season, about two years before airing.^[1]

This was the first season since season 13 to take a hiatus due to Fox's coverage of the World Series, in addition to the holiday breaks. The remaining episodes were moved to Thursday nights, starting on January 5, 2017, as part of the network's midseason schedule.

This is the first season to have episode titles other than the usual "(Remaining number of) Chefs Compete" and "Winner Chosen".

Chefs

Eighteen chefs compete in season 16.^[2]

Contestant	Age[a]	Occupation	Hometown	Result
Kimberly-Ann Ryan [3]	29	Event Chef	Traverse City, Michigan	Winner
Heather Williams[b]	26	Sous Chef	Easton, Pennsylvania	Runner-Up
Heidi Parent	33	Executive Chef	Auburn, Maine	Eliminated before Finals
Paul "Paulie" Giganti, Jr.	34	Executive Chef	Brooklyn, New York	Eliminated after Thirteenth Service
Kimberly Roth	34	Sushi Chef	Ontario, New York
Andrew Pearce	27	Sous Chef	Prospect Park, Pennsylvania	Eliminated after Black Jackets Challenge
Devin Simpson	33	Assistant Restaurant Manager	Mount Pleasant, South Carolina	Eliminated after Twelfth Service
Wendy Mendez	32	Line Cook/Pastry Chef	Bronx, New York	Eliminated after Eleventh Service
Matthew "Matt" Hearn	27	Sauté Chef	Los Angeles, California	Eliminated after Tenth Service
Shaina Hayden	28	Banquet Chef	Long Island, New York
William "Koop" Wynkoop	28	Kitchen Manager	Carey, Ohio	Eliminated after Ninth Service
Jonathan "Johnny" McDevitt	29	Burger Chef	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Eliminated after Eighth Service
Aziza Young	34	Kitchen Manager	Harrisburg, Pennsylvania	Eliminated after Sixth Service
Aaron Smock	22	Culinary Student	Frankenmuth, Michigan	Eliminated after Fifth Service
Rajeeyah "Gia" Young	31	Catering Chef	Queens, New York	Eliminated after Fourth Service
Jessica Boynton	32	University Chef	Raleigh, North Carolina	Eliminated after Third Service
Genaro Delillo	26	Sous Chef	Lebanon, Pennsylvania	Eliminated after Second Service
Patricio "Pat" Tortorello	47	Culinary Instructor	Belleville, New Jersey	Eliminated after First Service

Notes

1. Age at the time of filming
2. Chef returned to Hell's Kitchen again in season 18 finished at 5th place.

Contestant progress

No.	Chef					Original teams							First Switch		Second Switch				Individuals		Finals
						1601	1602	1603	1604	1605	1606	1607	1608	1609	1610	1611	1612	1613	1614	1615	1616
1					Ryan	WIN	WIN	LOSE	WIN	WIN	LOSE	LOSE	WIN	WIN	LOSE	LOSE	LOSE	IN	IN	IN	WINNER
2					Heather	WIN	WIN	LOSE	WIN	WIN	LOSE	LOSE	WIN	WIN	LOSE	WIN	WIN	IN	IN	IN	RUNNER-UP
3				Heidi		WIN	WIN	LOSE	WIN	WIN	LOSE	LOSE	WIN	WIN	LOSE	WIN	WIN	IN	IN	OUT
4				Paulie		LOSE	LOSE	WIN	LOSE	LOSE	NOM	WIN	NOM	NOM	LOSE	NOM	LOSE	IN	OUT
5				Kimberly		WIN	WIN	LOSE	WIN	WIN	LOSE	LOSE	WIN	WIN	NOM	WIN	WIN	IN	OUT
6		Andrew				LOSE	LOSE	WIN	LOSE	LOSE	LOSE	WIN	WIN	WIN	LOSE	WIN	WIN	OUT
7	Devin					LOSE	LOSE	WIN	LOSE	NOM	NOM	WIN	LOSE	LOSE	LOSE	LOSE	OUT
8		Wendy				WIN	WIN	LOSE	WIN	WIN	NOM	NOM	NOM	LOSE	NOM	OUT
9		Matt				NOM	LOSE	WIN	LOSE	LOSE	LOSE	WIN	WIN	WIN	OUT
10		Shaina				WIN	WIN	LOSE	WIN	WIN	LOSE	NOM	LOSE	LOSE	OUT
11	Koop					LOSE	LOSE	WIN	NOM	LOSE	LOSE	WIN	LOSE	OUT
12	Johnny					LOSE	LOSE	WIN	LOSE	NOM	LOSE	WIN	OUT
13	Aziza					WIN	WIN	LOSE	WIN	WIN	OUT
14	Aaron					LOSE	NOM	WIN	NOM	OUT
15	Gia					WIN	WIN	NOM	OUT
16	Jessica					WIN	WIN	OUT
17	Genaro					LOSE	OUT
18	Pat					OUT

Keywords WIN = Won the dinner service LOSE = Lost the dinner service BoB = Best of the Best, usually exempt from nomination BoW = Best of the Worst, sometimes exempt from nomination IN = not nominated for elimination NOM = nominated for elimination OUT = eliminated normally LEFT = withdrew from competition HOSP = eliminated due to hospitalization EJEC = eliminated during service

Color key   Chef was eliminated after regular nomination   Chef was eliminated after Ramsay's nomination   Chef was eliminated without nomination   Chef was eliminated from winning team   Chef was eliminated in the Cook For Your Life challenge   Chef was nominated to participate in the Cook For Your Life challenge   Chef was eliminated during service   Chef withdrew from the competition   Chef was the Best of the Best/Worst   Chef was retained after regular nomination   Chef was retained after Ramsay's nomination   Chef's nomination was voided   The winner of Hell's Kitchen   The runner-up of Hell's Kitchen

Notes

Episodes

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Original release date	U.S. viewers (millions)
235	1	"When the Wall Comes Tumbling Down"	September 23, 2016 (2016-09-23)	3.37[4]
18 chefs were brought to the U.S. Army's training facility. Upon arriving, Ramsay popped out of a military tank and explained that he needed to make sure they had the discipline needed to survive. The sergeants directed the chefs to get into their military uniforms and begin the obstacle course. Ramsay originally tasked them with climbing a wall, but the wall fell on top of him, with a paper section that ripped where he was standing, revealing Hell's Kitchen and a group of spectators, leading to the signature dish challenge. He later revealed that the winner of this season would become the head chef of Yardbird Southern Table & Bar at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. Team challenge/signature dish: The challenge took place in front of a live audience. The chefs had 45 minutes to cook their signature dish; Ramsay rated each dish on a scale of one to five. Pat's sea bass and citrus risotto scored 3 points in the first round, but Gia's shrimp and grits scored 4. Aaron's schnitzel earned a 4, while Wendy's roasted heirloom tomato soup received a 2. Both Paulie's biscotti-encrusted scallops and polenta cake and Heather's seared ribeye earned a perfect 5 each. Both Devin's bacon-wrapped scallops and Kimberly's pappardelle and clams each received a 1. Matt's dove breast Bolognese and Aziza's salmon received a 1 and 2 respectively, tying the score at 14. Genaro's duck breast scored a 1, but Ryan's seared scallops and Rice Krispies impressed Ramsay, earning another perfect 5 and giving the women the lead. Koop's scallops and pork cheek earned a 4, while Shaina's salmon en croûte scored 3. Andrew's pan-roasted halibut and roasted mushrooms scored a 2, while Jessica's risotto, which Ramsay spat out, received a 1. In the last round, Johnny's steak and farro and Heidi's ricotta gnocchi each scored 4 points, and the women won, 27–25. Reward/punishment: The women rode a hummer limo to the restaurant Takami in Downtown Los Angeles, where they had a special sushi dinner with Ramsay and Hell's Kitchen winners Christina Machamer and Scott Commings from Seasons 4 and 12, respectively. The men cleaned the kitchens, prepped the dining room for opening night, and transported the risers out of Hell's Kitchen, under the direction of Marino. While Pat sat out of the punishment, Marino and the others made fun of Matt's Bolognese, which cost the men the challenge. Dinner Service: TV personality Erica Ash and actor Nolan Gould attended opening night. Ryan, Kimberly, Aaron and Koop served tableside linguine and clams. The women got off to a strong start on appetizers, while the men struggled as Pat served a deep-fried risotto, followed by an overly salty one, which led to Paulie taking over the appetizer station. Matt served raw scallops, blaming Andrew for pushing him to bring up the scallops and suggesting that Ramsay check the camera footage to verify this, only for the latter to threaten to "stick a GoPro up" his ass if he made another excuse for unacceptable scallops. Ramsay kicked out Matt and Genaro for sending an overcooked and undercooked sea bass. He then threw out the rest of the men after Paulie, who moved to the fish station, also served raw bass. The women finished a solid opening night service thanks to Jessica and Heather's strong performances on fish and meat respectively. Elimination: Though Paulie was willing to nominate himself, Johnny saved him and argued for Matt to go up for his disrespectful attitude towards Ramsay. Ultimately, the men nominated Pat and Matt. Even though the latter displayed a bad attitude during his plea, Ramsay sent him back in line and eliminated the former for performing poorly on the appetizer station and surrendering full control to Paulie. Ramsay's comment: "Pat is Italian and couldn't even cook risotto. What a meatball. Ciao, Pat."
236	2	"Crepe Grand Prix"	September 30, 2016 (2016-09-30)	3.28[5]
Team challenge: The chefs were brought to a raceway, where they were greeted by Ramsay in a racecar. He revealed that they would be partaking in the first-ever Crêpe Grand Prix. The teams were split into pairs and tasked with cooking chicken and mushroom-stuffed crêpes, which they would race to deliver to Ramsay via golf cart. The women had an extra member, so Aziza, Jessica, and Shaina worked together. The first team to deliver 10 perfect crêpes first would win. The women took an early three to zero lead, but the men quickly caught up. With the score tied at nine, Koop and Johnny won the challenge for the men after Jessica, Aziza, and Shaina's last crêpe was rejected. Reward/punishment: The men sailed on a superyacht to Santa Barbara, where they ate lunch with Marino and went jet-skiing. The women were forced to take in a delivery of Dover sole, snapper, lobster, and sea bass, and break down, descale, and fillet them for service. They were then served milkshakes consisting of raw scallops, fish guts, and fish eyes for lunch, causing Wendy and Aziza to vomit, though the former took it harder than the latter did. Shaina received a real chocolate milkshake, but did not tell her team out of fear of upsetting them until she fessed up to it when asked by Ramsay before service, irritating Gia and Heidi. During the punishment, Jessica annoyed her teammates with her constant laughter. Dinner Service: Actors Noureen DeWulf and Dash Mihok attended service. Johnny, Paul, Heidi, and Shaina served a special Dover sole appetizer tableside. In the women's kitchen, Jessica served a soupy carbonara and was confused on appetizers, but she quickly rebounded. Gia, who was on the fish station with Heather, shocked Ramsay by asking about dessert, even though the team was still on entrees. Kimberly sent up raw lamb, but she recovered and the women got through the rest of service without further incidents. However, the men struggled. Aaron didn't communicate from the appetizer station and overdressed a kale salad, and Andrew forgot an order of scallops, setting the team back. The former failed to roll his pizzas properly, then attempted to cook two pizzas on the same paddle. On entrees, Genaro sent up two raw New York strips, causing Ramsay to take drastic measures, calling on the women to complete the men's service, kicking the men out and ordering them to nominate two members. Elimination: The men nominated Genaro and Aaron. While Aaron was called out for his inexperience, Ramsay told him to "wake up" and eliminated Genaro for his lack of passion and second consecutive poor service performance. Ramsay's comment: "When a chef shows me he has no passion, I show him the door. Goodbye, Genaro."
237	3	"The Yolks on Them"	October 7, 2016 (2016-10-07)	3.13[6]
Team challenge: The chefs entered the dining room to see Ramsay surrounded by dozens of ostrich eggs, only to be told that they would be working with ostrich meat instead. They were given four minutes to crack open as many eggs as they could, then 40 minutes to prepare a dish using the ingredients inside the eggs and one of four cuts of meat. Each team had two members cooking with each protein, though Heather, Heidi, and Kimberly each cooked with top loin, and Johnny had to make his team's ground meat dishes, due to the men being down a member. Ramsay brought in guest judges David McMillan and Frédéric Morin, the chef-owners of Joe Beef in Montreal, Quebec. Ryan and Kimberly each scored a point for the women with their Indian-spiced meatballs and pan-roasted top loin and pomegranate demi-glace respectively, while Johnny's deconstructed Hawaiian bacon burger and chipotle chilies were underwhelming, with the judges describing the chilies as "kids' food", and Aaron's spaghetti and seared medallions was unimpressive. Paulie's Asian-themed oysters and rice noodles earned a point, but Wendy's herb and garlic pearl scored, and the women won, three to one. Reward/punishment: The women flew in private jets to Big Bear for a ziplining adventure. The men were forced to clean up the mess in the dining room and take in a delivery of pinecones; they had to open the pinecones and remove the pine nuts, which would be used to make a pesto for the tableside appetizer at service. During the punishment, Matt angrily sulked in the dorms, even lashing out at Aaron and threatening to quit the competition. After hearing about his outburst, Ramsay called Matt into his office for a pep-talk and the latter decided to stay, though he was met with backlash from his teammates for not pulling his weight. During prep the next day, Gia irritated her teammates by standing around and doing nothing. Dinner Service: Andrew and Jessica served rock shrimp pesto tagliatelle tableside. The men stumbled early; Koop made too many portions of risotto, which were perfectly cooked, but he rebounded. Paulie served overcooked scallops, followed by burnt ones, much to Ramsay's anger. Recovering from his earlier meltdown, Matt stepped up and helped Paulie deliver acceptable scallops. On entrees, Aaron burned a pot of mashed potatoes, but the men regrouped and successfully finished their first dinner service. In the women's kitchen, Kimberly served overcooked scallops but recovered. On the meat station, Gia served an overcooked lamb chop, even though her first one was perfectly cooked, and delivered poorly sliced wellingtons, which she blamed on a finger injury. However, the injury was hardly noticeable. Marino reported Jessica's overcooked tagliatelle to Ramsay while she attempted to start over. However, Ramsay called her back into the kitchen and showed the team Kimberly's raw salmon and Gia's raw wellingtons, before kicking all of them out. Elimination: The women unanimously agreed on Gia as the first nominee, but Jessica nominated herself, even though the team had a strong case against Kimberly. Despite performing horrendously during service, Gia revealed that Jessica had packed her bags prior to the elimination. Ramsay then sent the former back in line and eliminated the latter for giving up and failing to demonstrate the confidence and fightback needed to become a head chef, making her the first contestant in Hell's Kitchen history to be eliminated after a service where they were on tableside. Ramsay's comment: "A chef who can't handle confrontation is like a boxer who doesn't want to get hit. Jessica just threw in the towel."
238	4	"Surf Riding & Turf Riding"	October 14, 2016 (2016-10-14)	3.38[7]
Team challenge: Ramsay brought back the protein identification challenge; each team was split into pairs and raced to identify the proteins used in four surf and turf dishes. The light would turn green if both guesses were correct, yellow if one was incorrect, and red if both were incorrect. The team that correctly identified all of the proteins the fastest would win. The men decided to pair chefs with stronger palates with those with weaker ones, thereby ensuring that there was at least one chef with a good palate in each pair; Paulie went twice as the men were short one member. The women took a slightly different track, with Heidi and Ryan pairing up due to their friendship, despite Shaina suggesting that the team pair up the way the men did. The women ended up taking 13 minutes and 41 seconds, mainly due to Shaina and Aziza constantly making random guesses. The men finished with three minutes and 55 seconds remaining and they won the challenge. Reward/punishment: The men went surfing at the Wave House in San Diego. The women were forced to make sausages from scratch and had a bizarre platter consisting of unappetizing items, such as pig feet and tarantulas, for lunch. Before the punishment, Shaina argued with Ryan about pairing up with Heidi instead of someone with a weak palate. The latter insisted the reason the team lost was a lack of hustle. In a deleted scene from this episode, despite being included in the opening video in the first episode, Wendy cut her fingernails after she stuck her hand in the grinder, unaware that Heidi was running it. This accident required Wendy to receive urgent care.[citation needed] Dinner Service: Ramsay raised the stakes when he announced that each team would be working half of a 12-top table, consisting of several pregnant women. Actor Pooch Hall also sat in the dining room. Wendy and Devin served a special tableside appetizer of mussels and sausage. In the women's kitchen, Aziza added too much oil to her pan of scallops, causing the scallops to become deep-fried. The women completed their entrees for the 12-top before the men, but were delayed by Gia, who delivered overcooked green beans to the pass while forgetting one portion of beans, and Ryan jumped on the garnish station to assist her. Nonetheless, they managed to complete their service. Meanwhile, Koop served an ice-cold lobster, but he recovered. Aaron's teammates grew frustrated with him for not communicating, even though his meats were cooked perfectly. The men nearly finished service. However, on the last ticket, Aaron and Koop served a raw beef wellington and an overcooked sea bass respectively, and Ramsay kicked the entire team out of the kitchen for the third time and asked for two nominees. Elimination: The men nominated Koop and Aaron. However, Ramsay spared them both and eliminated Gia for having a bad attitude, performing poorly in two consecutive services, and losing the faith of her team, making her the seventh chef to be eliminated despite being on the winning team. Ramsay's comment: "I gave Gia a second chance, which proved to be two chances too many. See you, Gia."
239	5	"Walking the Plank"	October 21, 2016 (2016-10-21)	3.38[8]
Team challenge: The chefs were greeted with a performance from a group of singing sailors on a makeshift pirate ship in the dining room. Ramsay then introduced the Seven Seas Seafood Challenge; selected chefs were asked to pick an opponent to cook against, and the opponent picked a sailor holding a scroll containing the name of one of seven fishes: bluefin tuna, branzino, grouper, wahoo, cod, Arctic char, and sea bass. The chefs were then given 30 minutes to cook a dish using their assigned fish. Heidi scored over Johnny on bluefin tuna, as his dish looked like it had been "attacked by a cat". Koop scored over Kimberly on branzino because the latter overcooked her couscous. Matt and Shaina both scored on grouper, Paulie scored over Aziza on wahoo, Ryan scored over Aaron on cod as his fish was watery, and both Devin and Heather scored on Arctic char. In the last round, Andrew, who was initially concerned that his fish was undercooked, scored over Wendy with his pan-seared sea bass and Asian pear slaw, and the men won, five to four. Reward/punishment: The men ate lunch with Ramsay at Petty Cash and went bowling at Pinz in Studio City. The women broke down and diced up a large delivery of vegetables for a tableside seafood chowder and prepped both kitchens. They were already fed up with Kimberly for not cooking her couscous properly and losing the challenge for them, but she made things worse by asking a lot of pointless questions, irritating her teammates. Dinner Service: The chef's tables took center stage with Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry and Grammy-winning singer Estelle dining at the men's and women's chef's tables respectively. Matt and Heather served a special clam chowder appetizer tableside. Aziza and Paulie each led their respective teams well on appetizers. However, in the men's kitchen, Devin served cold asparagus while Johnny sent up raw salmon. Ryan and Heidi had control of the meat and fish stations respectively, delivering perfect food. They along with Kimberly's strong performance on garnish gave the women a strong service, although Ramsay warned Ryan to speak up. The men, on the other hand, sunk as Andrew served two raw New York strips, Johnny burned two portions of salmon and Devin delivered bland creamed spinach, and they were kicked out and asked for two nominees yet again. Elimination: The men nominated Devin and Aaron, even though the latter had a good performance. Ramsay asked for one more nominee, but refused to say that chef's name and wanted him to step forward; Johnny voluntarily stepped forward. Ramsay first sent Devin and then Johnny back in line, and, to the disgust of the women, eliminated Aaron for his lack of confidence, inexperience, and failure to gain his team's respect, but praised him for his passion and skill. Ramsay's comment: "To be a great chef, you have to earn respect from your brigade. Being so young and inexperienced, Aaron was never gonna do that with his team, and that's why I took his jacket."
240	6	"Let the Catfights Begin"	November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)	3.38[9]
Team challenge: The chefs were brought to the Hell's Kitchen Library. They played a game similar to Scrabble; the teams were each given five minutes to spell out as many ingredients as possible by placing books containing letters on a cross board, then 45 minutes to make an entree using any of the ingredients spelled out on the board. Since they had an extra member, the women dropped Aziza's chicken dish because the chicken was raw. Ramsay scored each dish on a scale of one to five. The men went first; Paulie received 1, Devin and Koop each got 4, Matt and Johnny earned 3, and Andrew got 2 points, bringing the men's total to 17, leaving the door open for the women. The women got off to a strong start, with Kimberly and Heidi each earning 4 points, but Wendy received 2, while Heather's honey-ginger lime chicken and Shaina's Southern fried chicken each scored only 1, which meant Ryan needed to score a perfect 5 to tie. Although Ramsay deemed her Asian-inspired chicken breast the "Red Team's best effort", he only gave her 4, and the men won their third consecutive challenge, 17-16. Reward/punishment: The men rode ice bumper cars at a local ice rink and had dinner at a local steakhouse. The women inflated balloons, prepped the dining room, and baked cookies for family night. They also had to organize a box of crayons, which Marino spilled on the floor. Shaina did very little during the punishment, irritating her teammates. Dinner Service: Actresses Lauren Lapkus and Ciara Hanna attended Family Night. Also in attendance, though not credited, were several current and former WWE superstars, including Mike "The Miz" Mizanin and Alicia Fox, as well as actor Kira Kosarin. Kimberly and Andrew ran the quesadilla stations in the dining room. Both teams had rocky services. In the women's kitchen, Shaina served a raw pizza despite being warned by Heidi, Aziza cooked too much garnish ahead of order, and Wendy and Heather served raw lamb and salmon respectively. Meanwhile, Devin sent up a grilled cheese sandwich with dry bread and unmelted cheese. Paulie delivered a raw burger, earning the men a trip to the pantry; he later served an undercooked sea bass, and Johnny sent up a raw egg. For the most part, both teams managed to bounce back from their various mistakes and complete service without any ejections, but they were declared losers due to those mistakes, and told to come up with two nominees each. Elimination: The women nominated Aziza and Wendy, and the men nominated Paulie and Devin. Ramsay sent Devin and Wendy back in line and eliminated Aziza for being the worst performer of the night, but praised her for her big heart and tenacity. He then warned the remaining chefs that if they gave him another poor dinner service, more than one person could be eliminated. Ramsay's comment: "Aziza has four kids at home. I think they need her more than I do. Unless, of course, they're hungry."
241	7	"Don't Tell My Fiance"	November 11, 2016 (2016-11-11)	3.30[10]
Team challenge: One chef from each team had to make a Southern dish with the protein that was revealed under their selected dome. Ramsay brought in guest judge Chris Hastings, the executive chef of Hot & Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Alabama. Koop sliced his fingers while cutting celery during the challenge, but started to feel nauseous while he was being treated by the medic. Because of this, he was unable to complete his dish. Shaina beat Johnny on hangar steak, Wendy and Paulie both scored on catfish, Ryan beat Matt on fried chicken, Heidi failed to score on shrimp despite Koop not being able to finish his dish, Andrew beat Heather on pork chop, and neither Devin nor Kimberly scored on trout, giving the women a three to two win. In addition, Wendy's dish was deemed the best of the day and featured on the menu for the next service. Reward/punishment: The women went horseback riding and enjoyed a Southern lunch prepared by food truck Wings N' Waffles. The men were forced to grind thousands of pieces of corn and shell, devein, and clean hundreds of shrimp for a shrimp and grits appetizer. They also had to prep both kitchens. Koop contemplated quitting after his injury, but changed his mind. Dinner Service: Former Los Angeles Clipper player JJ Redick and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Adrienne Maloof dined at the men's and women's chef's tables, respectively. Recording artist Blake Lewis and actress Mircea Monroe also attended service. Devin and Ryan served shrimp and grits tableside. The men had a solid performance, their only problems being Andrew serving soggy catfish and Koop serving a raw wellington. The women had a rocky service; Despite Kimberly's strong performance on appetizers, Shaina struggled on meat, serving overcooked then raw chicken for Maloof's table, while Wendy struggled with her own catfish dish. After Shaina served raw and overcooked wellingtons and Wendy served raw catfish twice, Ramsay kicked the women out. Team change: The women nominated Shaina and Wendy. Ramsay called Wendy down first, but also told Shaina to take off her jacket, and then switched both of them for Andrew and Matt. Ramsay's comment: "In Vegas, shuffling the deck gives a gambler a new chance for a better hand. I'm hoping this switch doesn't end up being a bust."
242	8	"Dancing with the Chefs"	November 18, 2016 (2016-11-18)	3.14[11]
Team challenge: Ramsay announced that the next dinner service will be the first-ever Hell's Kitchen International Ballroom Invitational. Both teams had 40 minutes to work together to come up with a pair of chicken, beef, and fish entrees packed with international flavor. Dancers Jonathan Roberts and Michelle Johnston would not only judge the dancing competition the next night, but also pick the dishes that would be on the menu. Wendy's al pastor-style chicken scored for the Blue Team, but Kimberly's miso sea bass with Asian vegetables and Ryan's Indian-inspired pan-seared filet won it for the red team, two to one. Reward/punishment: The Red Team went kayaking in Santa Barbara and had a seafood dinner at The Lark. The blue team prepped the raw bar by hand-washing the oysters and clams, as well as breaking down the lobsters. Dinner Service: The Red Team turned a near-perfect service, their only error being Matt burning scallops, but Ryan and Kimberly put in strong performances on meat. The blue team had a very rocky service. Wendy forgot to cook carbonara and Paulie cooked too many risottos too early. Things got worse on the entrées as Johnny failed to sear the bass he was working on despite Shaina asking if they should, with Johnny not taking her advice prior to service, and also served raw bass, while Devin served raw chicken while forgetting a portion. With the blue team 10 tables behind the red team including the judge's table, Ramsay lost his patience, threw the blue team out of the kitchen for the fifth time and sent the red team, except Heather who was on desserts, to finish their service for them. Elimination: The Blue Team splits the votes for nominated Wendy, Paulie & Johnny. All three of them were called down without Ramsay asking for an explanation, marking the first time in Hell's Kitchen history since Season 6, in which any nominees were called down with no explanation. He eliminated Johnny for putting in another disastrous performance on fish, refusing to take responsibility for his mistakes, and being the main reason for the Blue Team's defeat. Ramsay's comment: "Johnny's a burger chef from Philly. Unfortunately, for him, the two words he'll never hear from me are 'well done.'"
243	9	"Spoon Fed"	December 9, 2016 (2016-12-09)	3.31[12]
Team challenge: For the annual blind taste test challenge, each chef had correctly identify the ingredient they were tasting in pureed baby food. Each pair took a turn before taking a seat in the high chair while the other pair goes next. The chef in the high chair would be splattered in baby food once if their teammate gets three wrong and twice for four wrong. Wendy went twice due to the blue team being one chef down. Wendy scored a perfect 4, becoming the third person to do so after Justin from Season 10 and Milly from Season 14 whilst Heidi scored 2. Devin only scored 1, resulting in Wendy getting splattered once, whilst Kimberly scored 3. Koop managed 2 whilst Ryan got 1, resulting in Kimberly getting splattered once. Paulie scored 3 and Matt scored 2. Heather scored 3 whilst Shaina scored 2. In the final round, Andrew scored 2 whilst Wendy scored 1, resulting in Shaina getting splattered once. With the score tied at 13, the taste test went into sudden death. After Wendy and Andrew both missed cabbage, resulting in Shaina and Heather getting splattered, Wendy won it for the blue team by identifying turnips. Reward/punishment: The Blue Team was rewarded with a spa day and lunch at a penthouse suite in the InterContinental Los Angeles Hotel. The red team took in deliveries of ice and wine and prepped both kitchens. They did not read the invoice and unloaded 102 bags of ice instead of 52, forcing them to take back the extra ice, angering Heidi. The team accused Matt of not reading the invoice. Dinner Service: Actor Josh McDermitt and TV personality Jeannie Mai attended this service. The red team, once again, seemingly had a near-perfect service (although Ramsay later told them it was "far from perfect"). The only problem was Matt forgetting a portion of lamb, but he recovered. The blue team had a flawless performance on appetizers thanks to Devin and Shaina, but struggled on entrées. Paulie served raw lamb, and Koop was caught cooking salmon and sea bass in the same pan and argued with Paulie over cooking times. After Paulie sent up another raw lamb, Ramsay lost his temper and ejected the blue team yet again, which was their series-record sixth time thrown out of the kitchen, while telling them to eat their mistakes. When they returned to the dorms, Koop lost his temper and threw a chair at a wall, breaking it. Elimination: The Blue Team nominated Koop and Paulie. Devin stated that one of the reasons Paulie was nominated was due to sending up raw lamb and cold Wellingtons (not shown during the episode). Upon learning from Paulie about Koop's earlier temper tantrum, Ramsay sent Paulie back in line and eliminated Koop for his inconsistent performances and feeling that he was not backing up all of his talk, much to Devin and Wendy's dismay. Ramsay then dismisses the blue team and asks the red team decide by the next morning on one member to go the blue team. Ramsay's comment: "Like many chefs, Koop can talk the talk. But after witnessing his cooking, I told him to walk the walk."
244	10	"Dancing in the Grotto"	December 16, 2016 (2016-12-16)	3.31[13]
Team change: The next morning, the red team chose Ryan to join the blue team. Team challenge: Each chef decided on what protein they wanted to use to create their own sliders, then slid into a ball pit and picked an ingredient from their respective color balls before heading back into the kitchen to make their sliders. They had 40 minutes to choose their ingredients and cook their sliders, which would then be judged by Ramsay, Umami Burger founder Adam Fleischman, Father's Office chef-owner Sang Yoon, and Gordon Ramsay BurGR Executive Chef and Hell's Kitchen Season 10 winner Christina Wilson. Paulie beat Matt on seafood, with the latter arguing with the judges when they criticized him for serving a shrimp roll, which was not technically a slider. Heather beat Shaina on beef, Heidi beat Devin on chicken, both Wendy and Kimberly scored on pork, and Ryan beat Andrew with her spicy lamb slider, tying the score at three. The judges chose Heidi's chicken sliders with Dijon vinegar sauce as the overall best dish of the day, resulting in another red team victory. Reward/punishment: The Red Team rode in a limo to the fabulous Playboy Mansion, where they were welcomed by 2009 Playmate of the Month Crystal Hefner and the Playboy Bunnies; they also got to hang out in the mansion's famous grotto. The Blue Team was forced to clean the LA River. Dinner Service: Crystal Hefner attended this service. Each team had a pair of VIP guests at their chef's table: TV personalities Melissa Rivers and Drew Scott dined in the blue kitchen, and Drew's twin brother Jonathan Scott and actress Ashley Greene dined in the red. The red team started off poorly by Matt's overcooked lobster for the chef's table and him giving Ramsay an attitude. Ramsay sent the red team to the storeroom where Matt angrily argued with Heather. When they returned, Heidi served a bland risotto that sat for a while when the team entered the storeroom. Ramsay issued that if one more mistake was made, he would kick them out. They finished appetizers without further problems, but after Kimberly served dry garnish on the first table of entrées, Ramsay kicked the red team out. In the blue kitchen, Ryan served cold crab cakes, but recovered. Entrées went worse when Shaina sent watery garnish and Wendy struggled to communicate, ultimately serving raw chicken for the chef's table. However, it was her overcooked New York strip that caused Ramsay to kick the blue team out yet again, as well. Elimination: The Red Team nominated Matt and Kimberly and the Blue Team nominated Wendy and Shaina. Shaina was first eliminated for her worsening performances despite a strong start to the season, but she was praised for her heart, passion, and cooking ability. Ramsay then sent both Kimberly and Wendy back in line, and eliminated Matt for his arrogance, poor performance on fish, refusal to admit his mistakes, and horrendous attitude, as well as being on a severe downward spiral since being moved to the red team. This marked the second time in Hell's Kitchen history since Season 11 that two people were eliminated on the same night as a result of the traditional elimination process. Ramsay's comment: "Both kitchens performed horrendously tonight. I'm hoping that by eliminating Matt and Shaina, both teams will finally have a chance at success."
245	11	"Aerial Maneuvers"	January 5, 2017 (2017-01-05)	3.66[14]
Team challenge: The chefs paired up and had 30 minutes to remake Ramsay's signature dish while identifying an ingredient they are tasting with one chef tasting the dish and the other making it. Andrew and Heather were the only pair to correctly identify the greens as Swiss chard and mistake apricot puree for persimmon. Ryan and Wendy won for the blue team as they were the only pair to correctly identify the protein as veal; everyone else used pork. Reward/punishment: The blue team took trapeze lessons at Santa Monica Pier. However, Wendy did not participate in the reward due to her phobia of heights. In addition, Ryan and Wendy were rewarded their very own Vitamix blenders. The red team decorated the dining room ahead of that night's service and made beet roses. Dinner Service: Ramsay announced that this service would be a very special private event for contributors from Stand Up to Cancer, including Jacqueline Toboni, Marg Helgenberger, Danielle Campbell, Omar J. Dorsey, and co-founder Pamela Oas Williams. Each chef took charge of one course, cooking 12 portions. On the lobster risotto course, Wendy made four differently colored portions and Kimberly plated different sized portions, but both recovered. Both Devin and Andrew led the scallops course without incident though Paulie tried to drop his course early. On the salmon course led by Heidi and Paulie, Paulie took Wendy's potatoes before she got to put capers in it which caused a delay on the blue table, while Ramsay called for Heidi to be more vocal. On the New York strip course led by Heather and Ryan, each led well and did not face problems apart from Devin cutting his hand while slicing the meat. The red team won due to the blue team committing more "mental errors". Elimination: The Blue Team nominated Wendy and Paulie. Ramsay eliminated Wendy for her lack of confidence and her serious downward spiral since moving to the blue team, but praised her for her phenomenal palate and determination. Ramsay's comment: "First, Wendy told me her capers took a walk, then it was the potatoes, but after watching her lack of consistency and confidence, I knew it was her turn to take a walk."
246	12	"Fusion Confusion"	January 5, 2017 (2017-01-05)	3.49[14]
Team challenge: One member from the blue team and one member from the red team spun a wheel to determine which country they would be working with. Heather and Ryan got Japanese and French (two cuisines Ryan did not want). Kimberly and Devin got French and Chinese. Finally, Paulie's wheel landed on Mexican while Andrew landed on the special "Chef's Choice", which he used to pick Indian. Because the red team had an extra member, Heidi was allowed to choose which fusion cuisine she would cook, and she picked Ryan and Heather's combo. They then had 45 minutes to create a dish combining their assigned countries. Ramsay and Chef Roy Yamaguchi judged each pair head to head. Neither Paulie nor Andrew scored on Mexican-Indian, Ryan beat both Heidi and Heather on Japanese-French despite Paulie's skepticism, her unfamiliarity with this combo and her fears that her rack of lamb was undercooked. Kimberly beat Devin on French-Chinese to force a 1–1 tie, but Yamaguchi chose Ryan's dish as the best, giving the blue team the win. Reward/punishment: The blue team were rewarded with a $2,000 kitchenware shopping spree at Surfas, followed by a seven-course lunch at Providence. The red team broke down a massive side of beef and prepped potatoes to make potato gratin for the next service. Dinner Service: Actors Kellita Smith, Jasika Nicole, Patrick Renna, and Tommy Savas attended service. For the red team, one guest on Kellita Smith's table returned a salad for having hair in it, while Kimberly prepared the scallops that the guest requested instead. Kimberly was then berated for not having her fish ready before Heidi's meat, but the red team successfully completed service after that. The blue team, however, had a rough service. Ryan misheard an order of appetizers and accidentally threw out a serving of risotto needed, Devin forgot an order on meat and undercooked veal chops twice, which caused Paulie to run out of sea bass, forcing him to get more from the red team. After completing service, Ramsay congratulated the red team on another win. Elimination: The Blue Team was asked to nominated only one chef, ultimately nominating Devin, who wanted Ryan to go up. After each chef gave their plea, Ramsay told Paulie to say goodbye to Devin, who was eliminated his inconsistent performance across all services and challenges, but was praised for his passion and big heart. Ramsay's comment: "Devin had a hard time remembering the tickets. Unfortunately, his performance tonight would be hard to forget."
247	13	"Black Jacket Lounge"	January 12, 2017 (2017-01-12)	3.97[15]
The chefs received a surprise visit from their loved ones: Kimberly's daughter and boyfriend; Paulie's parents; Andrew's grandmother and girlfriend; Ryan's daughter and mother; Heather's son, mother, and grandmother; and Heidi's daughter and husband. Unlike the previous seasons, Ramsay announced a Hell's Kitchen first where the chefs would face a grueling three-part challenge that would determine who will the prestigious black jacket. Black Jacket Challenge 1: In the adaptability challenge, each chef had 30 minutes to create a dish out of the surprise ingredients they had to retrieve from each dome right after Ramsay rang the bell. Heather's French chicken breast and Heidi's duck breast earned them the first two black jackets, and they also received passes to the Black Jacket Lounge. Black Jacket Challenge 2: The remaining chefs had 30 minutes to make a dish using the following ingredients in a locked briefcase: cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, white beans, baby eggplant, salmon. Ryan and Paulie came out on top after Kimberly ruined her puree by putting eggplant in it and Andrew's eggplant tasted bitter due to being undercooked. Black Jacket Challenge 3: Kimberly and Andrew had three minutes to pick their own ingredients at a farmer's market outside of Hell's Kitchen, then 30 minutes to create two portions of a dish. Kimberly made a filet with a variety of mushrooms, while Andrew made a New York strip with bordelaise and a potato puree. After Ramsay tasted the dishes, he revealed that he would not be picking the chef to receive the final black jacket. He instead tested their peers by having the black jackets individually taste each dish, without knowing who made what. Elimination: Ramsay assembled everyone in the dining room, finally revealing which dish was made by Kimberly and Andrew. Ironically, Andrew's closest allies, Heather and Paulie, voted for Kimberly's filet, while Heidi and Ryan voted for Andrew's New York Strip, gridlocking the vote in a tie. Ramsay had to break the tie and picked Kimberly to advance, eliminating Andrew due to the texture of his potato puree, but encouraged him to continue his career. Ramsay's comment: "Andrew had three chances to save his life in Hell's Kitchen. Like they say, three strikes and you're out."
248	14	"Playing Your Cards Right"	January 19, 2017 (2017-01-19)	3.92[16]
When the final five went to the Black Jacket Lounge, Heidi comforted Paulie, who was upset his closest ally had been eliminated in part through his vote, though Paulie was in no mood for it. Individual Challenge: The final five faced each other in a race to grab cards containing three additional ingredients after the three required ingredients (chicken, potatoes, smoked bacon) were provided by Ramsay via cards. Heidi was the last chef to not yet have her three ingredients, so Ramsay handed her the last card, which turned out to reveal lemon. They then had 30 minutes to cook with their chosen ingredients, with Ramsay and Chef Jenn Louis judging each dish, in order to sit on the high chair, where any chef could sit by beating the dish currently there. Kimberly impressed the judges with her dish, but Paulie quickly overtook her, and held off Heidi and Ryan, only for Heather to defeat him and secure victory. Reward/punishment: Heather spent the night in the Presidential Suite at the Venetian and chose Heidi to join her. The others had to sort trash and recycling. Dinner Service: Each chef took a turn in assisting Ramsay while Sous-Chefs Andi and Aaron dined at the chef's table. Sports anchor Neil Everett, podcaster Pauly Shore, and actor Erik Griffin sat in the dining room. The service was very rocky. Kimberly undercooked risotto, overcooked carbonara, and also struggled to plate while as a sous chef. Paulie struggled on fish, serving undercooked scallops and raw lobster, then called out the wrong order during his turn as sous chef. Heather led well as a sous chef and took over for Paulie on fish, serving overcooked scallops and raw sea bass, but recovered. Paulie was transferred to garnish after his turn as sous chef, but his raw pancetta, along with Kimberly panicking on appetizers, caused everyone to get kicked out while the sous chefs step in to help Ramsay, leaving Heidi the only chef not to have a chance at being the sous chef. Elimination: The black jackets nominated Kimberly and Paulie. Kimberly admitted that this service had been rough for her, but felt like she had been improving as a chef under Ramsay's guidance and asked for another chance. Paulie, meanwhile, blamed his nomination on the fact that he was the only man left in the competition. Ramsay eliminated Kimberly for her poor performance as a sous chef and her lack of composure on the appetizer station, but praised her improvement throughout the competition. He then eliminated Paulie for his arrogance, inconsistent performances, and refusal to take responsibility for any of his mistakes, although he praised his determination in the face of adversity. With Paulie's elimination, this made the third-ever all-female final three (and the third in a row). Ramsay gave no comment on Kimberly and Paulie's eliminations. The final three immediately found out that their next challenge was beginning at the exact moment as the episode ended in a cliffhanger.
249	15	"Tequila Shots?"	January 26, 2017 (2017-01-26)	3.98[17]
In the recap of the previous episode, Kimberly and Paulie's jackets were hung and their photos burned. Individual Challenge: For the first part of their challenge, the final three were sent to Whole Foods Market, where they were given 15 minutes to shop for ingredients to create their own unique tableside entree. The next morning, they were given 15 minutes to cook their entrees for each table, where multiple judges were seated. Ryan won by a landslide vote of 62.5%. Reward/punishment: Ryan went on a helicopter tour of Los Angeles with Andi and had lunch with Ramsay at Firefly. Heather and Heidi worked on wrapping gifts for the Hell's Kitchen waitstaff, as well as steaming their uniforms and polishing their shoes. Dinner Service: Actress Tara Reid was seated at the chef's table. Former Major League Baseball player Adrián González, actor Matt Letscher, and TV host Taylor-Ann Hasselhoff also attended this service. Each chef took turns at running the pass while trying to correctly identify an error that the sous-chefs made. Heidi began first at the hot plate, mistaking edamame for peas in a carbonara, but catching carrot puree in a risotto instead of butternut squash puree. However, Heather stalled with unseared scallops and a broken scallop. Heather, at the pass, mistook Arctic char for salmon and also did not notice Marino giving her a ticket for a snapper (which was not on the menu), but overall ran the pass well. Ryan ran the pass last, during which Heidi undercooked risotto and took too long to deliver the refire. Although Ryan had difficulty reading two two-tops tickets together and was fooled by black garlic puree as opposed to the black bean puree, she successfully caught a celery mash instead of potato puree. Elimination: At elimination, both Ryan and Heidi decided that Heather did not belong in the finale, with a lack of experience and inconsistent performances being their respective reasons. Heather nominated Ryan, due to her lack of strong communication. Ramsay revealed the first chef to move to the final is Heather, while the second chef is Ryan, eliminating Heidi. However, he praised her for her strength in the competition, and allowed her to keep her jacket, but still gave her the picture burning elimination sequence. Ramsay's comment: "Heidi is a very talented chef with a bright future, but it will not be at Yardbird in Las Vegas."
250	16	"Leaving It on the Line"	February 2, 2017 (2017-02-02)	3.67[18]
After the sous chefs delivered breakfast to the final two, Ryan worked on her menu with Aaron, while Heather worked on hers with Andi. Andi also surprised Ryan and Heather with a makeover at Ken Paves Salon in addition to being VIP guests at the Saban Theatre. And what was thought to be a new musical starring Rob Morrow, who welcomed Ramsay, Heather, and Ryan backstage, turned out to be the finalists' final challenge that will be held in front of a live audience including their families. Challenge: For their final challenge, Heather and Ryan were each given one hour to prepare four dishes: a hot appetizer and a seafood, beef, and chicken entree. Ramsay brought in guest judges Walter Manzke, Michael Cimarusti, Susan Feniger, and Yardbird CEO-founder John Kunkel. Before the challenge began, Ramsay explained that for every round, the winning chef would immediately get to draft one of eight prior eliminated chefs to form a brigade for the final dinner service.[a] Heather won the appetizer round and selected Andrew, which did not surprise him, much to Ryan's disgust. Ryan won the fish entree round and picked Heidi. Heather then won the chicken and beef entrees and chose Kimberly and Shaina. Ryan selected Paulie, and Heather lastly picked Devin, leaving Ryan with Koop and Wendy. Dinner Service: It was a star-studded final dinner service that featured several notable guests in attendance, including former MLB player C.J. Wilson, and actors Andrea Roth, Danny Trejo, and Naomi Grossman, and the finalists' families. Heather's kitchen started out strong on appetizers despite Heather accidentally calling out two tables at once, causing Devin to forget the order and Andrew to bring up his scallops too early. In Ryan's kitchen, Paulie was very bitter about having to work for Ryan despite having no material incentive to perform well and thus gave her little respect and mouthed off to her. He sent up cold meatballs, but Ryan forced him back in line and Ramsay accused him of sabotaging her. During the entrees, Heather's leadership began to fall apart, being sent overcooked ribeye by Kimberly, under seasoned asparagus from Andrew, and raw bass from Shaina, forcing Ramsay to give her a pep talk. When Kimberly's refire was late and raw, Heather made the difficult decision to send the table incomplete, but regained control of her team afterwards. Another raw ribeye from Kimberly forced Heather to move Devin to the meat station and Kimberly to desserts. In Ryan's kitchen, Wendy served raw salmon twice, forcing Ryan to switch her to meat in exchange for Koop. Both services ended on a positive note. Winner: As per Hell's Kitchen tradition, Ryan and Heather stood in front of a pair of doors in Ramsay's office. Ryan's door opened, making her the 16th winner; Heather took her defeat graciously. Ryan gave a victory speech and hung her picture in the Hall of Fame. Ramsay's comment: "Early on, I challenged Ryan to find her voice. Once she proved to me that she could command a kitchen, there was no stopping her. She has the tenacity, drive, and skill that will make her a great head chef at Yardbird Southern Table and Bar at the Venetian Las Vegas."

Ratings

U.S. Nielsen ratings

No.	Episode	Air date	Timeslot (ET)	Rating/Share (18–49)		Viewers (millions)	Nightly rank	DVR 18–49	DVR viewers (millions)	Total (18–49)	Total viewers (millions)
1	"When the Wall Comes Tumbling Down"	September 23, 2016	Friday 8:00 p.m.	1.1	5	3.37[4]	4	—	1.49	—	4.85[19]
2	"Crepe Grand Prix"	September 30, 2016		1.0	4	3.28[5]	6	0.6	TBA	1.6[20]	TBA
3	"The Yolks on Them"	October 7, 2016		1.0	4	3.13[6]	4	—	1.34	—	4.44[21]
4	"Surf Riding & Turf Riding"	October 14, 2016		1.0	4	3.38[7]	4	—	—	—	—
5	"Walking the Plank"	October 21, 2016		1.1	5	3.38[8]	3	—	—	—	—
6	"Let the Catfights Begin"	November 4, 2016		1.1	5	3.38[9]	3	—	—	—	—
7	"Don't Tell My Fiance"	November 11, 2016		1.1	4	3.30[10]	4	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
8	"Dancing with the Chefs"	November 18, 2016		1.0	4	3.14[11]	4	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
9	"Spoon Fed"	December 9, 2016		1.0	4	3.31[12]	3	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
10	"Dancing in the Grotto"	December 16, 2016		1.0	4	3.31[13]	3	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
11	"Aerial Maneuvers"	January 5, 2017	Thursday 8:00 p.m.	1.2	4	3.66[14]	6	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
12	"Fusion Confusion"		Thursday 9:00 p.m.	1.1	4	3.49[14]	7	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
13	"Black Jacket Lounge"	January 12, 2017	Thursday 8:00 p.m	1.2	4	3.97[15]	4	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
14	"Playing Your Cards Right"	January 19, 2017		1.3	5	3.92[16]	5	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
15	"Tequila Shots?"	January 26, 2017		1.2	4	3.98[17]	5	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
16	"Leaving It on the Line"	February 2, 2017		1.1	4	3.67[18]	8	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA

Notes

1. Matt did not return since he had threatened Ramsay in his exit interview, so Koop took his place as the last chef eliminated prior to the top ten.