Top 10 Best Hell's Kitchen Contestants

Hell's Kitchen has seen hundreds of chefs step up to the plate, but only a handful have truly stood out. Some have dominated service with flawless execution, while others have won over Gordon Ramsay with their leadership and determination. Then there are the contestants who, despite falling short of victory, proved they had the skill and grit to belong in any high-level kitchen.

Who do you think deserves the top spot among the best Hell's Kitchen contestants? Maybe you're drawn to those who thrived under pressure and led their teams to victory. Or perhaps you appreciate the ones who overcame setbacks and proved everyone wrong.

The Top Ten

Dave Levey, Season 6

Dave was the best chef of Season 6. I think Kevin may have been a better leader, though. When it comes to cooking in the kitchen, Dave was a monster. He was fast and always listened to Chef, unlike Kevin in some instances.
Kevin was a really good chef, but Dave was just a little better, despite only working with one hand. So I think Dave did deserve to win. I do think Dave was a good leader too, but I think Kevin was a little better. But still, Dave was a slightly better cook, so either of them deserved to win in Season 6.

This man is the definition of perseverance. He broke his wrist during a punishment, and despite numerous calls for him to leave Hell's Kitchen due to his wrist, he fought back and said, "I'm fine."
He was able to produce quality food regardless of the pain and fought back hundreds of times. He was also cooperative with his teammates and had a creative palate. Although Kevin was slightly better in terms of cooking, Dave's heroic story sets him apart from everyone else.
Christina Wilson, Season 10

She was practically the only one who stayed calm and collected throughout the whole season! Christina also, when she makes a mistake, always makes an epic comeback! Not only that, but she is very, very humble and has a great personality!
She can also snap like Gordon if you try to mess and provoke her, like she did with Jackie in Season 15, I think. No wonder why she's slowly becoming (unless she already is!) Gordon's right-hand! Love you, Christina! Truly my favorite from ANY season!

How is Rock higher than Christina? Rock had a terrible attitude and scary temper. Not leadership quality at all. Christina was liked and respected by all who worked with her, and she, in turn, respected everyone in the kitchen. Flawless cooking!
Will Lustberg, Season 9

Will was the best chef of Season 9. One thing that irritated me throughout the season was the way Paul would copy what Will said. In Episode 2, when Will tells Chino and Jonathan to stop arguing, Paul then also tells them to stop arguing. In Episode 11, when Natalie leaves, Will tells Natalie to keep her head up, and then Paul says the same thing to her. And then, when Elise is arguing with Jennifer, Will says that Elise is going about it all wrong, and then Paul says the same thing right after. Think for yourself, Paul. Stop copying Will!
I liked Will because he was a boss in the kitchen. Will was a team player. He helped Natalie, Tommy, and so many people.
Will was the best leader, hence why everyone chose him to be the leader. Even after Paul won, he even said Will was the best. Even the winner said that, and for good reason. Will was robbed.
Rahman "Rock" Harper, Season 3

Seriously? He's talentless. The only reason he won was that he was the least pathetic contestant in Season Three. None of the contestants that season should have even been in the competition.

Are you crazy?! Rock was a beast in the kitchen, 100% deserved to win. None of the chefs in season 3 came close to matching Rock's talent!

A team player, very talented, and a true gentleman. He is the master of fried chicken. My favorite Hell's Kitchen winner of all time.
Louis Petrozza, Season 4

I'm voting for this guy. I've read all of his interviews with the media. He has integrity and is a very good, likable person. He never picked a fight with others and never regretted losing. He understands why Ramsay chose Christina over him because she's young and has potential. He explained that Ramsay needed a chef for his restaurant, so it was more like an interview.
I'm sad that he lost, though. He won my heart and most of the people here.

It's never felt so painful to see a guy come so close to winning something but just barely, barely miss it, and it happened every time. I feel sorry for the poor guy because he is bloody talented, and like most fans, I too believe he was better than Christina.
Jon Scallion, Season 11

He should have won. Look at every fact about the show. It's rigged. Going on 12 seasons, every contest is a tiebreaker, and then the best chef loses to a crackhead.
The show lost a viewer, as both my wife and I have not watched this season and won't. Jon, from the beginning, always showed he knew how to cook. The two girls never did as well as Jon. Isn't rigging a T.V. show illegal? I do believe you can't do that. Over 150+ contests, and everyone ends with a tiebreaker. That would be over a billion to one odds.

While the other Season 11 Blue Kitchen chefs were basically backstabbing each other, Jon, on the other hand, was just staying on course (or staying on target), to earn the black jacket. He finished in the final three and got a job offer at one of Ramsay's restaurants.
He deserved my respect!
Michael Wray, Season 1

The Original Hell's Kitchen Champion. A very manipulative and strategic person, very intelligent. Even though he backstabbed his teammates a few times, and I was rooting for Ralph, he deserved his win because he worked smart instead of just working hard.

He, along with Dave and Will Lutsberg, were the most consistent chefs on Hell's Kitchen. He never got yelled at by Ramsay, and the only time it did happen, it was due to his assertiveness. In my opinion, I believe he should be at least fourth, if not third.

So consistent, never failed, and dominated. He even has his own knife company. I think he was more professional than some of the other chefs throughout the seasons.
Kevin Cottle, Season 6

He would have easily defeated the winner of any other season, with the possible exception of Heather in Season Two. It was unfortunate that he had to compete with Dave, who was in a class by himself.

Amazing! Truly amazing! Great leadership. Very talented. I was torn between him and Dave, but when I watched the final three contestants, I was mind-blown by how he controlled the pass.
He was very consistent throughout the competition. The same goes for Dave despite his arm injury. Sadly, Kevin did not win the competition.
I wish him the best of luck in his career.
Meghan Gill, Season 14

Meghan is the most beautiful contestant ever, and I've never seen such a consistent attitude. From the first two episodes, I could see she would win. I was 99 percent certain the entire time. There were so many moments you could see she would win.
For example, on steak night, she had about 10-12 steaks resting at all times. Then you remember Giovanni from Season 5, the steakhouse executive, who fell flat on his face even with a helper (Robert) on his station. Meghan handled it flawlessly on her own.
Very impressive person and maybe my most favourite contestant ever, maybe after Keith from Season 2 or Petrozza from Season 4.

She's definitely the best chef to ever compete in Hell's Kitchen. Season 14 itself had the strongest overall cast, at least in the last five or six seasons, compared to any other season, and Meghan was still leagues above everyone in her season.
Season 14 proved to have a strong cast, as three of the final four in Season 17 were from Season 14, as well as the winner. If there was a season where the winners compete, Meghan would definitely be my pick to win. The only ones who could hold a candle to her would be Dave from Season 5 or Christina from Season 10.
Scott Commings, Season 12

I can't even begin to go into how much I didn't want to vote for Scott. I thought he was an absolutely ridiculous competitor throughout the competition, and I didn't think he'd make it past the final ten. But honestly, I'm glad he won.
He had the single biggest comeback I've ever seen on Hell's Kitchen. Although I was personally rooting for Jason for most of the season, I can definitely say Scott was deserving.

Recoup, passion, and strive. He went from public enemy number one to winner. Thank you, Chef Ramsay, for seeing through the pettiness and rewarding the deserving.

The Newcomers

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Alex Belew, Season 21

Charismatic, caring, and an all-around incredible dude. From the get-go, he established himself as a titan and sure as hell lived up to it. Great win for one of the best contestants ever!
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Chris Motto, Season 18

Motto's departure was not only totally unexpected but also incredibly moving and noble. He's a talented chef who, in my opinion, had the potential to win the competition.
To me, moments like that are the ones that stick out when thinking of all the seasons of Hell's Kitchen. I hope he accomplishes his goals back home, but I also hope to see him again.
However, he could have won the competition, declined to work for Chef Ramsay, and just taken the money.

If the remaining women (Heather, Kanae, Ariel, and Mia) in the top 7 of Season 18 all got 4 of the 5 black jackets, then Motto would pull off a Season 11 Jon. Not only did he deserve the black jacket, but he was also the only competent chef on the men's team.

The Contenders

Heather West, Season 2

How is she not first? Burned her hand and stayed in service, got the first appetizers for the red team out, and never gave up. Good enough to become Sous Chef for Season 6 - the best so far.

I'll be honest, she is one of the most deserving winners in history. Hard worker, true determination, true leader.

Come on, Raj is higher than Heather?! How does that happen?
Paula DaSilva, Season 5

I think Season 5 might be the only season where I disagree with the choice of the winner. During most of the season, Paula had better services than Ramsay, and she also made a lot fewer mistakes than Danny overall. Her lone elimination nomination wasn't really one.

She took her defeat in the finals the best out of all the runner-ups of the show. Plus, she's very talented, has a great attitude, and is an amazing chef overall. Definitely one of the best contestants on the show.

She was just perfect when it came to cooking, always delivering to the highest standard. She might not have been the most exciting or extravagant, but in my opinion, she was the best cook in HK.
She was also very intelligent, friendly, hard-working, funny, and beautiful. Ramsay saw that, and I think she was one of his all-time favorite contestants.
Danny Veltri, Season 5

I don't think he was a douchebag. I think he really saw the other chefs cook and knew he was better. Never complained and always seemed competent. Competed well in every challenge.

This guy started out as a douchebag but quickly matured during the show. He gained the talent but, most importantly, the maturity that allowed him to win Hell's Kitchen 5.

What a beast. I honestly didn't think he had a chance of winning but man, he won it all. He was a great chef.
Paul Niedermann, Season 9

Right up there with Scott and Christina as the greatest pass performers of all time. People have lost with far more tragic backstories than Paul, so I don't buy the "dead parent" angle at all. He won because he motivated his team, didn't tolerate drama, and even had Elise saying, "I wanna see the dude win." Will's another of my top ten votes due to his near-flawless service record (though he and Paul were about even in challenges), but he just couldn't lead a brigade the way Paul did. Definitely the most overhated winner in all of HK.

How come Paul, the winner, is ranked lower than Steven, the first chef eliminated by Chef Ramsay? That means I don't include Jason's medical emergency.
Robert Hesse, Seasons 5 & 6

I liked him in Season 5, but in Season 6, he seemed like a completely different person. He also seemed to be doing worse than his initial run. I'm sure that if he were offered a chance to return, he would be able to do significantly better, given how he's lost a LOT of weight.
The guy's health is immaculate now. I am curious about how much better he'd fare in recent years.

He is the most underrated chef in Hell's Kitchen history. I will never understand why Ramsay eliminated Robert over Andy. Andy was bad and it was horrible seeing him make big mistakes.
If I were Ramsay, I would have given Robert a black jacket instead of Suzanne. Not only that, I would have put him facing either Dave or Kevin in the finals of Hell's Kitchen Season 6.
Sterling Wright, Season 13

He was always so positive, supportive, and never backstabbed anyone. I was happy to see him get as far as he did. Too bad he couldn't be put on Season 16 to help balance out the men's terrible egos - they were all so horrible and crude that season.
Sterling was definitely a class act!

Mr. 100 himself. He would always be 100 and worthy of a black jacket anytime. Just like Rochelle, he's not really suited for head chef, but he is sure as hell 100% suited for a head sous chef position or second in command.

He may not look like a serious competitor, but his passion, drive, and determination prove that he's always 100 despite not making it to the black jackets.
Ja'Nel Witt, Season 11

A lot was said about Ja'Nel losing the prize position, but she was flawless in her season and was usually the reason the Red Team won so many challenges. Ja'Nel was so good that when she switched teams, she still kept her challenge streak going despite how bad that season's Blue Team was.
Thankfully, she seems to have gotten her life together and is working as a chef today.

Put your personal feelings aside, people. She messed up a magnificent opportunity but she was no doubt one of the strongest and most consistent chefs ever on the show. Definitely top five.
Kimberly Ann Ryan, Season 16

She consistently won challenges and rarely, if ever, messed up on the line. She had personality and style, and masterful technique. She is a master of the kitchen and should be regarded as one of the greatest, easily up there with Dave and Christina.

I knew from the very start Ryan was going to win. She had all the qualities needed to be a head chef. She was carrying every team she was on: Red, Blue, and Black. What I love most is how she found her voice. I am so happy she is a head chef.

A lot of people say that Ryan barely made any mistakes, and it's true. I've seen her make like two small mistakes in the dinner services in Season 16. Sure, I bet she did more than what I remembered, but she kept her chill and excelled.
Jason "Jay" Santos, Season 7

He was really good, and it was nice to see him flirting with Holli. It was entertaining.

Honestly, he was a great chef. It was cute to watch him flirt with Holli.

Should've won over Holli. Very strong chef.
Van Hurd, Season 6

Along with Kevin and Dave, they are literally the A-Team and total bros throughout. Van had one of the most passion and heart I've seen for cooking. I would have made him winner of All-Stars if Nick and Benjamin were not around.

This guy was not only a great chef but a very funny guy! He's my favorite contestant from Season 6 along with Dave and Kevin.

Loved him in season 6, was sent home way too early in season 17. I hope this guy is doing well because he has talent and charm.
Ariel Contreras-Fox, Season 6

Sad that she was against Dave and Kevin, or else she would have definitely been my choice for a perfect finalist. She was consistent, always doing her best, and was always honest. Good thing she won in Season 18.

She has grown a lot since Season 18, and I am so proud that she won this season. She truly deserved the win!

Seeing her on Season 18 easily puts her in the top 10 alongside the likes of Dave, Christina W, and Ryan. She's way better than winners like Scott.
Justin Antiorio, Season 10

He was extremely strong. His palate was on point, and his abilities were on show. He was one of the nicest chefs and only came to blows with Robyn, who wasn't the most liked.
Justin was a damn fine chef and a damn fine leader. Even though I think Christina deserved her win, he definitely deserved second.

Great chef, great leader, only contestant to get a perfect score in the blind taste test, should have won.

A very talented chef. Although Christina's win was kind of a given, I would have liked to see Justin win.
Jillian Flathers, Season 8

Most robbed contestant ever. I'm not mad that Nona won, but in my opinion, among the four last contestants, Trevor and Jillian were better choices than the two actual finalists.
Jillian was way more consistent with her services than Nona and had a way better attitude than Russel.

Easily one of the most robbed in Hell's Kitchen, her elimination was so unfair. Russell has a terrible attitude, and she is way more consistent than Nona. When she was eliminated and cried, I cried with her because she deserved to be in the Final Two.
Torrece "T" Gregoire, Season 14

T was on the cast a season too early. She was absolutely perfect, but there was no way Meghan could lose. She definitely would've won Season 15, and screwed herself out of winning Rookies vs. Veterans.

T was the most consistent and the most composed and steady of season 14. Probably the best runner-up so far.

T for "Terrific" is definitely true. She ran the pass very well. Very impressive.
Jason Zepaltas, Seasons 9 & 12

When you talk about pure passion, this guy is hands down number one. He couldn't cook in the first service for the ninth season, which sucks. Because he was dehydrated, he was off the show. But he came back! He came back because he still wanted the position. Talk about determination.
I was so sad when he lost to Scott because no one had more passion than him. He really wanted it but didn't end up getting it. It was heartbreaking. No one was better than him, and that's why I think he should be higher on the list.

He is a great chef. Many people think he had a terrible attitude, but he displayed that attitude with people like Mike and Sandra, who are useless contestants. He was very consistent, and it surprised me that he didn't win Hell's Kitchen 12, considering that he made a big comeback after he left season 9 because of dehydration. He is a great chef and should be higher than Rochelle.