Hell's Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay's popular reality food competition show, is among the most challenging reality series to compete on. To survive on this show, you need to be a tough cookie. If you are a massive fan of the show, some rumors about Godron Ramsay being a racist might've reached your ears. So how many black people have won in Hell's kitchen? Curious to know?
The famous show follows a group of chefs who aren't quite ready for prime-time television but willing to work to become Ramsay's head chef at one of his restaurants. The two teams of cooks in this long-running Fox series compete for a $250,000 prize and a position in one of Ramsay's restaurants. So far, we've seen many black contestants on the show, four of whom won!
The tasks, food, and seeing Ramsay yell at the competitors, all add to the appeal and popularity of this show. So who are the four black winners you might be curious to know? In the rest of the article, I will share everything you might be interested in about these talented chefs! In addition, I will also shed some light on whether Gordon Ramsay is biased against black contestants or not!
Who Are The Black Contestants That Won On Hell's Kitchen?
One of the most challenging competition shows to compete in is Gordon Ramsay's popular reality cooking competition series, Hell's Kitchen. To begin with, the competitors must put up with a constantly angry Gordon Ramsay yelling obscenities in their faces. Then there's the cutthroat competition, where losers aren't allowed to walk away with their pride intact.
But instead, they face a variety of humiliating "punishments." After the twentieth season, it's no secret that this program requires its contestants to have nerves of steel to survive. With the world being hard enough as it is for black people, you might wonder how the show treats its black contestants.
Throughout the 20 seasons, we've seen countless black contestants, four of whom could win the show! Let's dig deeper to know a bit more about them –
1. Rahman Rock Harper (Season 3 Winner)
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On August 13, 2007, at age 30, Rahman of Spotsylvania County Courthouse, Virginia, was crowned the winner of the third season of "Hell's Kitchen." Early on in life, Harper realized he had a knack for the kitchen. So he attended Johnson & Wales University (JWU) to pursue a career in the culinary arts.
Harper has worked at Burke Station Restaurant, Café Calliope, BET on Jazz Restaurant, and Planet Hollywood. Before joining the third season of the Fox reality show, Hell's Kitchen, in 2007, he was the executive chef at B. Smith's Restaurant. After winning Hell's Kitchen, he became the National Celebrity Chef for the March of Dimes.
Since then, he has been the executive chef at Ben's Next Door in Washington, DC. He also taught a course at Stanford. Additionally, this talented chef is the author of the best-selling "44 Things Parents Should Know About Healthy Cooking for Kids." On top of it all, he has opened and runs Queen Mother's in Arlington, Virginia.
2. Ja'Nel Witt (Season 11 Winner)
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Ja'Nel Witt, the chef, has had quite an eventful life. The chef captivates viewers and judges to claim victory on Hell's Kitchen Season 11. Though Witt started as a promising contender, things quickly spiraled out of control. The cash award she won on "Hell's Kitchen" was hers to keep.
Unfortunately, she had to give up her executive position at the Gordon Ramsay Pub and Grill. Witt also had to leave her previous job and join Houston's Corner Table team. All this was because she had been accused of drug use just before she started working at the Gordon Ramsay Pub and Grill.
Ultimately, Ja'Nel Witt was able to work out her own problems. After working as executive chef at Corner Table, the chef decided to try his luck at Sammy's Steakhouse in Richmond. Witt keeps her Instagram followers up to date on her culinary exploits.
3. La Tasha Mccutchen (Season 13 Winner)
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One need only think back to Season 13 of Hell's Kitchen to recall the season's most formidable competitor and eventual victor, La Tasha McCutchen. Before her appearance on the show, the chef worked as Winter Haven's kitchen executive. She could impress the judges of Hell's Kitchen with her proficiency in the kitchen, her aptitude as a leader, and her dedication to her craft.
Before opening her restaurant in New York City, the chef was the head chef at Gordon Ramsay's "Caesars restaurant" in Atlantic City. After a year, she changed careers and began working as a private chef. All the while, she actively participates in food-related events and demonstrations.
McCutchen is also quite active on Instagram. You can see her regularly updating her followers with photos of the delicious meals she prepares.
4. Ariel Malone (Season 15 Winner)
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Originally from Hackensack, New Jersey, Ariel Malone worked as a chef at a country club. Her confidence in the kitchen, her talent as a cook, and her willingness to speak her mind made her the champion of Hell's Kitchen season 15!
Malone has been keeping herself busy after leaving Hell's Kitchen. In Las Vegas, she worked for BLT Steak, located within Bally's Casino. In 2017, she decided to depart from that position. Her victory in "Hell's Kitchen" landed her a job at the eatery. The job was great, and the salary was even better: $250,000 a year.
Malone is now a private chef; she frequently shares images of her meals on Instagram. In addition, she is a mother of triplets and keeps herself very busy caring for her young children.
Is Gordon Ramsay Biased Against Black People On Hell's Kitchen?
The popularity of Hell's Kitchen has skyrocketed throughout the years, and it's no secret why. With its 20th season underway on Fox, the show has been subject to numerous rumors. With only four black contestants winning the champion title since its beginning, you might feel that the show is playing favoritism against a specific group of people!
A post on Reddit argued that Gordon Ramsay might be against black people in the show! Allegedly, almost 90% of all eliminations where a black person faces a non-black opponent would result in the black contender's elimination! However, the rumors are nothing but talk this time, as the reality couldn't be farther away from it!
Throughout the 20 seasons, you will see numerous black contestants competing alongside people of various backgrounds. You can even argue that some of the most fierce contestants on the show have been black chefs! Of course, the black contestants have faced elimination, but it's a harsh competition! There's hardly any solid proof that these contestants had to leave for racist reasons.
As a judge, there's hardly any proof against Gordon Ramsay that proves that he was biased against the black contestants either! In fact, several Reddit users argued in a thread that he has been nothing but supportive of the black contestants! However, they could not say the same about the other contestants and even some producers!
Conclusion
Gordon Ramsay has been on several food programs on The Food Network, including MasterChef. However, inarguably, his most famous series is Hell's Kitchen. With the show 20 seasons in, you might wonder how many black people have won on Hell's kitchen!
In this article, I have shared all there is to know about the black winners on the show and debunked some baseless rumors! Thanks for reading!
