Hell's Kitchen (American TV series) season 12 explained

Season Number:12
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Host:Gordon Ramsay
Num Contestants:20
Winner:Scott Commings
Runner Up:Jason Zepaltas
Num Episodes:20
Network:Fox
Episode List:List of Hell's Kitchen episodes

Season 12 of the American competitive reality television series Hell's Kitchen premiered on Fox on March 13, 2014, and concluded on July 24, 2014. Gordon Ramsay returned as host and head chef, while Andi Van Willigan returned as the Red Team's sous-chef and James Avery returned as the Blue Team's sous-chef. Jean-Philippe Susilovic returned as maître d'.

The season was won by executive chef Scott Commings, with sous-chef Jason Zepaltas finishing second.

Filming took place over the course of 6 weeks, from October to December 2012.

Commings received the prize job retained from the previous season and became head chef at Gordon Ramsay Pub and Grill at Caesars Palace. Additionally, he broke the record for most nominations received by a winner, at seven. He would also be the last male winner on the show until Trenton Garvey in season 20, which aired nearly seven years later.

This was the first season in which two chefs quit the competition for personal rather than medical reasons. This season was also the first to feature the "Cook for Your Life" challenge, in which one chef from each team was ranked the weakest. These chefs would then compete against each other and the loser would be eliminated.

Chefs

Twenty chefs competed in season 12. Jason Zepaltas previously competed on season 9 but withdrew before the first dinner service after falling ill during prep. He became the second chef to have competed in two seasons, after Robert Hesse from seasons seasons five and six, and until season 17, the first to present two signature dishes to Ramsay.

Contestant[1] AgeOccupationHometownResult
Scott Commings36Executive ChefWoodstock, IllinoisWinner
Jason Zepaltas31Sous ChefChicago, IllinoisRunner-Up
Melanie Finch24Line CookWoodland Hills, CaliforniaEliminated before Finals
Rochelle Bergman27Catering ChefRiverside, CaliforniaEliminated before Finals
Joy Parham–Thomas25Kitchen SupervisorPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaQuit during Fifteenth Service
Kashia Zollicoffer23Line CookCarthage, MississippiEliminated after Fourteenth Service
Michael Gabriel26Executive ChefSpring, TexasEjected during Thirteenth Service
Anton Testino39Head ChefButler, New JerseyEliminated after Twelfth Service
Richard Mancini48Executive ChefBloomingdale, IllinoisEliminated after Eleventh Service
Sandra Flores †36Sous ChefQueens, New YorkEliminated after Tenth Service
Ralph Johnson28Chef de Partie (Line Cook)Boston, MassachusettsEliminated after Eighth Service
Jessica Vogel †30Line CookSpring Lake, New JerseyEliminated after Cook for your Life Challenge
Beverly "Bev" Lazo–Gonzalez42Food Truck ChefWhittier, CaliforniaEliminated after Seventh Service
Christopher "Chris" Eversole27Line CookLas Vegas, NevadaEliminated after Sixth Service
Elizabeth "Beth" Taylor43Independence, LouisianaEliminated after Fifth Service
Michael "DeMarco" DeMarco29Scranton, PennsylvaniaEliminated after Wedding Service
Michael "Mike" Aresta38Chef InstructorKeyport, New JerseyEliminated after Fourth Service
Simone Hammond43Buffet CookHenderson, NevadaQuit after Third Service
Nicole Rutz33BakerMorganville, New JerseyEliminated after Second Service
Gaurav Navin34Executive ChefEast Stroudsburg, PennsylvaniaEliminated after First Service
Notes

Contestant progress

No.ChefOriginal teamsFirst switchSecond switchIndividualsFinals
120112021203120412051206120712081209/121012111212121312141215/12161217121812191220
1ScottLOSELOSELOSELOSELOSEWINNOMWININNOMNOMNOMWINNOMNOMNOMININWINNER
2JasonLOSELOSELOSELOSELOSEWINLOSEWININLOSELOSELOSELOSEWINNOMINININ
3MelanieLOSELOSELOSEWINWINLOSEWINLOSEINWINLOSELOSEWINWINNOMININOUT
4RochelleLOSELOSENOMWINWINLOSEWINLOSEINWINNOMLOSELOSEWINLOSEININOUT
5JoyLOSELOSELOSEWINWINLOSEWINLOSEINWINLOSELOSEWINBoWIMM[2] INLEFT<--Do not change to QUIT see discussion on talk page-->
6KashiaLOSELOSELOSEWINWINLOSEWINLOSEINWINLOSENOMWINLOSELOSEOUT
7GabrielLOSENOMLOSELOSENOMWINLOSEWININNOMLOSENOMNOMBoBEJEC
8AntonLOSELOSELOSELOSELOSEWINLOSEWININLOSENOMLOSEWINOUT
9RichardLOSELOSELOSELOSENOMWINLOSEWINNOM[3] LOSELOSELOSEOUT
10SandraNOMLOSENOMWINWINNOMWINLOSEINWINNOMOUT
11RalphLOSELOSELOSELOSELOSEWINNOMWININOUT
12JessicaLOSELOSELOSEWINWINLOSEWINNOMOUT[4]
13BevLOSELOSELOSEWINWINLOSEWINOUT
14ChrisLOSELOSENOMLOSELOSEWINOUT
15BethLOSENOMLOSEWINWINOUT
16DeMarcoNOMNOMNOMNOMOUT
17MikeLOSELOSENOMOUT
18SimoneLOSENOMLEFT
19NicoleNOMOUT
20GauravOUT

Episodes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hell's Kitchen – Season 12. tvgrapevine.com. March 11, 2013. March 15, 2014 . March 14, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140314175347/http://www.tvgrapevine.com/2013-12-12-08-02-24/hell-s-kitchen/6126-hell-s-kitchen-season-12-chefs-and-premiere.
  2. Chef was immune from elimination
  3. Chef participated in the "Cook for your life" challenge
  4. Chef was eliminated in the "Cook for your life" challenge

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