Hell's Kitchen (American season 6)


Season 6 of the American competitive reality television series Hell's Kitchen began airing on the Fox Network on July 21, 2009 and concluded on October 13, 2009.
This is the first season where two finalists did not get nominated for elimination.
Despite suffering a fractured wrist early in the competition, Executive Chef Dave Levey won the season and was awarded a position under James Walt at the in Whistler, British Columbia, the first time the prize was a position at a Canadian restaurant. The competition started with 16 contestants as normal. However, Robert Hesse, who withdrew from season 5 due to health problems, was added at the end of the first dinner service, marks the second season which featured an odd number of contestants, with 17, after season 4 with 15, and being the last season featured an odd number of contestants to date. This season also the last to featured the normal single elimination before finals, as the rest of the seasons brings the tradition double elimination before finals, until it was returned again in season 15 to 17.

Format

The first half of each episode consists of a team challenge, in which the winning side gets a reward of some sort of leisure activity, while the losing side has to clean up and prepare both kitchens, as well as some activity that is not so pleasant. Afterwards, the teams compete in executing a dinner service, during which Ramsay can impose additional punishments or kick chefs out of the kitchen. The losing team nominates chefs to be considered for elimination. Ramsay can also nominate chefs, and ultimately sends a chef home. At six chefs left, the teams merge to one, and the chefs compete as individuals.

Staff

returned as the head chef, blue team sous chef Scott Leibfried, and Maître d' Jean-Philippe Susilovic as well. Heather West, the winner of Season 2, became the new sous chef for the red team, she replaced Gloria Félix who was the sous-chef for the previous two seasons.

Opening sequence

The chefs appear in a Hell's Kitchen style carnival. A second version was shown from episode 2 onwards featuring Robert taking the place of Dave who now appears before Tennille.

Contestants

Initially, sixteen chefs began the competition, and were joined by a seventeenth, Robert Hesse from the previous season, after the first dinner service, marks the second season to feature an odd number of contestants after season 4.
ContestantAge OccupationHometownResult
David "Dave" Levey32Executive ChefSan Diego, CaliforniaWinner
Kevin Cottle35Executive ChefMiddletown, ConnecticutRunner-Up
Ariel Contreras-Fox27Sous ChefLos Angeles, CaliforniaEliminated before Finals
Tennille Middleton28Executive ChefFairfax, VirginiaEliminated after 13th Service
Suzanne Schlicht24Sous ChefMilwaukee, WisconsinEliminated after 12th Service
Vincent "Van" Hurd26Fish CookDallas, TexasEliminated after 11th Service
Sabrina Gresset34Restaurant ManagerPhoenix, ArizonaEliminated before Black Jackets
Andy Husbands39Executive ChefBoston, MassachusettsEliminated after 9th Service
Amanda Davenport27Sous ChefNew York, New YorkEliminated after 8th Service
Robert Hesse30Executive ChefQuogue, New YorkEliminated after 7th Service
James "Jim" McGloin34Sous ChefNashua, New HampshireEliminated after 6th Service
Amanda "Tek" Moore27Line CookNew York, New YorkEliminated after 5th Service
Connie "Lovely" Jackson23Children's Camp Executive ChefChicago, IllinoisEliminated after 4th Service
Antonio "Tony" D'Alessandro30Culinary Store ManagerChicago, IllinoisEliminated after 2nd Service
Joseph Tinnelly27Former U.S. Marine/Sous ChefMassapequa Park, New YorkLeft after 2nd Service
Melinda Meaney38Private ChefPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaEliminated after 1st Service
David "Louie" Cordio45Diner OwnerFitchburg, MassachusettsEliminated during 1st Service

;Notes

Contestant progress

Each week, the best member from the losing team during the latest service period is asked to nominate two of their teammates for elimination; one of these two is meant to be sent home by Ramsay. On some weeks, there is a variation in the nomination process, depending on the losing team's performance.

Episodes

Each episode consists of a challenge with a reward, a service and an elimination.