It's easy to sit back on your comfy couch and talk back to the screen: "I could cook circles around those guys!" Well, are you sure about that? If so, now's your chance. Casting for the sixth season of this Fox phenomenon has begun.
But before auditioning, you might want to know what you're getting yourself into. We went behind the scenes to get all the spicy details of what it's like to be a contestant on Hell's Kitchen.
First of all, how do you get on the show in the first place? According to Hell's Kitchen executive producers Arthur Smith and Kent Weed, showing a competitive streak can't hurt. But what's critical is serious passion.
"The one thing we look for is a passion for cooking, a passion to be in the restaurant business," says Smith. Unlike other reality television shows, Hell's Kitchen doesn't seek out camera-ready contestants. In fact, Smith and Weed explained they specifically don't want anyone who wants to be a TV star. "You don't have to be a model or a personal trainer," explains Smith. "Our cast members are line cooks and garde-mangers. They're in the trenches."
What about all those hard-core smokers and cursers? Do you have to be a badass to get on Hell's Kitchen? Not exactly. "We started with four smokers in season two. Then we ended up with 10!" says Smith. "They just end up smoking once they're here — it's the weirdest thing."
It may not be all that weird since the stress on the set is enough to drive anyone to smoke. Smith and Weed explain, as part of the Hell's Kitchen boot camp, contestants work long hours in hot and dangerous conditions. On top of that, they must put their lives on hold for five weeks. Says Weed, "[Contestants] live in Hell's Kitchen, and their world is Hell's Kitchen." In other words: no calling home, no television, no outside world. This show is no joke.
As a contestant you live in the "dorm" and share a bedroom with three or four other contestants. The cameras are on around the clock, except, of course, when contestants are using the facilities. But there are still cameras in the bathroom. So if you land on this show, get ready to be seen with your bedhead.
And sleep? You can expect anywhere from zero to five hours (or six if it isn't a dinner service) per night. Days start at 7 a.m. and bedtime is usually around 2 a.m., after dinner service — which means after the kitchen has been thoroughly washed and cleaned. When the contestants aren't cooking in Hell's Kitchen, they are cooking for themselves in the dormitory kitchen. "If they want to eat, they have to cook," says Smith. The fridge is fully stocked, but after 19 hours on your feet, you probably won't be up for creating a square meal. Instead, most contestants have been known to reach for quick and easy junk food.
Think of it as school, only the Gordon Ramsay version. "Everything is regimented, everything is part of the program," explains Smith. "[Contestants] are always learning something, prepping something, or meeting with the sous chefs, who are with them a lot." Sous chefs Gloria Felix and Scott Liebfried act as the school counselors, guiding the contestants, rooting for them, and making them the best they can be.
What if you can't stand the heat? Can you quit? "People reach a breaking point and want to leave," explains Weed. "Gordon always offers them that out." As a natural part of the process, Smith and Weed explain that every contestant goes through self-doubt and breakdowns.
There is a lot to consider before going on the show. Besides all of the emotional ups and downs, there is no official salary. Though, according to Smith and Weed, contestants do receive a modest stipend.
And what about the culinary expertise? What kind of skills are needed?
"We do put [the final casting group] through a cooking test with our sous chef to get an idea of their basic skills," explains Weed. Though you needn't have cooked in a five-star kitchen, you will need to know basic knife skills. "One of the things we know from working with Gordon is," says Smith, "it isn't always the most experienced who are the best."
That much is true. In season one, Elsie Ramos, an executive assistant and mother of six, had no formal training, but made it to the final four. And this past season, culinary student Christina Machamer won the top prize. "Gordon was so impressed with Christina," says Smith. "She didn't have a lot of experience, but she had an ability to learn. She had speed, and she had passion."
There's that word again: passion.
Think you have some? Are you ready for sleep deprivation? The 19-hour days? Gordon's tough love? Then start working on your application and apply. If you're lucky your drive, talent, and, of course, passion will get you noticed. In fact, it might even lead you straight to Hell — Hell's Kitchen, that is.
