Hell’s Kitchen winners: Where are they now? Past champions explored as season 21 victor announced Sun 12 February 2023 17:16 Danny Munro
As Season 21 of Hell’s Kitchen comes to a close, we delve into some of the best success stories of previous winners from seasons gone by.
Warning: Hell’s Kitchen spoilers ahead!
Hell’s Kitchen has closed it’s doors after yet another entrtaining series, and claiming the coveted $250K prize money isAlex Belew, who will now take charge of Caesars restaraunt, Atlantic City.
Before season 21, a host of successful cooks paved the way for Belew’s triumph, all of whom have gone to see varying levels of success in the years since.
From influincing to careers in TV, here’s a rundown of some of the most intriguing tales of life after TV from some of the previous winners of Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen.
Notable past winners
The most recent Hell’s Kitchen winner prior to season 21 was Trenton Garvey.
Defeating runner-up Megan Gill in a crowded field of 18 cooks, Garvey took the crown in September 2021 and has since left his post at Ramsay’s Las Vegas steak restaraunt to work elsewhere in the city for fellow TV personality Martha Stewart at her restaraunt, The Bedford.
A true Hell’s Kitchen Success story is Christina Wilson, who won season 10 back in 2010. Wilson has amassed an impressive Instagram following in excess of 160,000 and still works under Ramsay as his Culinary VP.
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Another Hell’s Kitchen winner who has gained a fair deal of traction online is Michelle Tribble. Tribble, who won season 17 in 2018, has carved out a niche as a food influencer and has picked up just shy of 90,000 followers in the years since her successful stint on the cooking competition.
A face from Hell’s Kitchen may be familar too many is Ariel Contreras-Fox. Contreras-Fox, who won season 18 in 2019 has managed to use her platform to remain on TV and has starred as a guest judge on the likes of the Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay and ABC’s Good Morning America.
Where is the Hell’s Kitchen season 1 winner now?
WARNING: Content of a disturbing nature ahead
While many Hell’s Kitchen winners have enjoyed prolonged success years after their series, one early winner of the competition experienced a rather tough run of the luck in the aftermath of their success.
It was reported by the BBC in 2020 that the first ever Hell’s Kitchen winner, Michael Wray, ended up homeless on the streets of LA after the sudden, tragic death of a loved one.
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Having been in the midst of what Wray described as a “tail-spin” for a number of years, the chef eventually achieved sobriety after checking hismelf into rehab – and is now back cooking full-time.
If you’ve been affected by this story you can contact American Addiction Centers on (877) 686-7688 or Talk To Frank on 0300 123 6600 in the UK.
All Hell’s Kitchen winners by season
After 21 seasons in total, here’s everbody who has won Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen, from Wray in 2005 right up until Belew in 2023:
At the time of writing, there have been no official updates about season 22 of Hell’s Kitchen, though given its success thus far, it’s safe to say we’re never too far away from another season.
