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Each contestant on every season of Hell’s Kitchen is competing for a highly-coveted spot working for Chef Gordon Ramsay. You’d imagine that these individuals are passionate about cuisine and the food industry. While many of them stay in the restaurant business, many have left the industry. Here is a roundup of the chefs who have ditched cooking altogether for new careers.
Season 1
Several contestants from Season 1 of Hell’s Kitchen are no longer involved in the food industry. The first elimination of the season, Carolann Valentino, couldn’t take the heat. However, she went on to become an actress. Last year, she put on a one-woman show that received high remarks.
Jeff LaPoff, who also walked out of the competition, has left the industry as well. Many fans remember him as the person who walked out during Season 1 after a heated argument with Chef Gordon Ramsay. He is now an Allstate insurance agent. Wendy Liu pursued a career in account management and Mary Ellen Daniels is now working in hospitality.
Season 2
Gabe Gagliardi and Tom Pauley from HK Season 2 also pursued new careers after appearing on the show. You may recall Tom came in 8th and Gabe came in 10th. After leaving Hell’s Kitchen, Tom became a motivational speaker, while Gabe got into real estate. Unfortunately, Tom passed away in July of 2023. His cause of death was not released to the public. He joins a list of 11 former contestants who have died since appearing on the show.
Season 4
Ben Caylor and Rosann Fama from Season 4 also looked to other job opportunities after leaving the reality competition. Rosann pursued work as a receptionist. Ben, on the other hand, became an electrician. He’s also gotten into some trouble since leaving Hell’s Kitchen. WCCB Charlotte shared his mugshot, sharing that he was arrested for assault on a female in 2019.
Season 5 & Season 6
Lacey D’Angelo from Season 5 sought a more “normal” line of work after HK. Following her time on the show, she became a Researcher/Administrative Assistant. In the following season, Amanda Davenport placed in 9th but went on to pursue a career as a real estate agent.
Season 7
It is no surprise that Andrew Forster from Season 7 is now a farmer. He spoke a lot about wanting to focus on the animals/butchering more than the food. Following his surprise exit during dinner service, he said he wanted to spend time on his farm.
Maria Torrisi and Siobhan Allgood also sought out other opportunities. Siobhan worked as a freelance model for a while, but recent Reddit posts questioned where she is today. More recently, there have been reports that Siobahn is homeless and potentially dealing with drug addiction. She even posted her knife set from Hell’s Kitchen for sale on social media. There haven’t been any recent updates on her life though.
Maria works in healthcare insurance sales and claims; however, her Instagram page still labels her as a “chef.”
Season 9
Carrie Keep was easily a fan-favorite from Season 9. It may come as a surprise that Carrie didn’t continue as a chef after leaving Hell’s Kitchen. The latest report about her profession is that she is a pilates instructor. Her Instagram shows updates about her life, including beach trips, nights out, and an occasional throwback to HK.
Season 12
Chris Eversole didn’t last long in Season 12 and he seemed to take that as a sign to get out of the food industry. He decided to jump into the cryptocurrency world as a trader. His last crypto-related post was in 2019. He is also a father to a little girl.
All-Star Season 17
Josh Trovato showed up on Hell’s Kitchen twice. He first appeared in Season 14 and then again in the All-Star season (17). You might think someone who sought the title of Hell’s Kitchen winner twice would be committed to the food industry. Since leaving HK, he’s been doing a little bit of everything. He’s been labeled as a “fitness guru.” Josh has also done some acting and worked in health insurance. Not to mention, he’s also been a bartender part-time. However, he’s stayed away from the restaurant scene since losing the all-star season.
