Hell's Kitchen: 10 Worst Seasons Of The Show,Ranked (According To IMDB)
Hell's Kitchen is a very-long running reality series. Premiering all the way back in May 2005, Hell's Kitchen has since aired eighteen seasons, totaling 282 episodes. As is often the case with such a long-running show, the quality of the seasons vary wildly.
Reality shows live and die on a few very important factors. Perhaps the most important of all is the cast. Without a great cast, a particular season of a reality show will plummet and no one will be interested in who goes home and who wins. There are other aspects to consider, like competitions, rewards, and drama.
These are the ten worst seasons of Hell's Kitchen, ranked according to IMDb.
10 Season 14 - 6.9
Season 14 aired between March and June of 2015. Fourteen is notable for a few exceptional occurrences. This season featured the first elimination from a winning team for the first time since season 11. Randy Bell was eliminated from the winning team in episode 11 for his horrible performance in dinner service. It also features the last chef to date to withdraw from the competition, as Bret Hauser was pulled for a slipped disc. It is also the first season to contain an all-female final three in Michelle Tribble, T, and Meghan Gill.
9 Season 16 - 6.9
Airing between September 2016 and February 2017 was season 16, which saw event chef Kimberly-Ann Ryan taking home the top prize. Season 16 also contained an all-female final three in Heidi Parent, Heather Williams, and Kimberly-Ann Ryan. A few criticisms were aimed at this particular season, including Ramsay's toned down insults, the boring blue team, a few nasty contestants, and a general "bland" atmosphere.
8 Season 5 - 6.8
Season 5 stretches back to 2009. Sixteen contestants competed throughout the season, with Danny Veltri being awarded a spot at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. Being just 23 years old at the time of winning, Veltri remains to this date the youngest contestant to have won Hell's Kitchen. The season is primary remembered for its high number of unconventional eliminations - including the first ever time that a contestant was eliminated despite being on the winning team (Carol Scott).
7 Season 11 - 6.8
Season 11 is notable for containing twenty contestants - tied with season 12 for the most contestants in Hell's Kitchen history.
The winner was Ja'Nel Witt, who was awarded a spot at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill in Caesar's Palace. The season's reputation could boil down to a few things, including the long length (the longest season of the show with 22 episodes) and the total domination of the red team, winning 10 of 12 challenges.
6 Season 3 - 6.7
The early seasons of a show will usually be quite mediocre, as it still hasn't "come into itself" yet. Unfortunately, that is certainly the case with Hell's Kitchen. Many of the show's earlier episodes are lowly-rated - including season 3. However, season 3 is notable for containing many firsts, including the first overruling of nominations, the first elimination during dinner service, and the first to feature a double elimination.
5 Season 4 - 6.7
Season 4 is another lowly-rated early season. Season 4's winner was Christina Machamer, who became the senior sous chef at Gordon Ramsay's London West Hollywood in Los Angeles. The season is primarily criticized for its unlikable cast. At the forefront is Jen Gavin. Gavin is quite infamous for being rude, bullying Louross, giving constant and lame excuses, and attempting to cheat during an individual challenge.
4 Season 7 - 6.7
Season 7 saw the victory of Holli Ugalde, who was given a position at London's Savoy Hotel.
However, Ugalde faced alleged visa issues and was unable to accept the position. Season 7 is a generally forgettable season, and some viewers consider Ugalde a boring and unremarkable victor. Other viewers have divisive opinions on contestants like Fran Klier and Benjamin Knack, who would eventually become the runner-up of season 17. Speaking of which...
3 Season 17 - 6.7
Despite being an All-Star season, season 17 is not fondly remembered. The winner was Michelle Tribble, who previously placed third in season fourteen. As is often the case with All-Star seasons, season 17 was often deemed controversial due to its eliminations. Viewers get attached to returnees, and seeing them eliminated always hurts. Other people simply hate Elise Harris, who is often considered one of the most unlikable contestants in the show's history.
2 Season 15 - 6.6
Season 15 aired between January and April of 2016 and saw country club chef Ariel Malone earning a spot at BLT Steak at Bally's. Season 15 is hated for two primary reasons - Ariel and Jackie Fuchs. Ariel is often considered one of the worst winners in the show's history, which is never good for a season's reputation. Jackie Fuchs is one of the most disliked contestants, infamous for her attitude and bullying - which includes dumping an ashtray on Kristin.
1 Season 13 - 6.5
Deemed the worst season in the history of Hell's Kitchen by IMDb users is season 13. Thirteen saw the crowning of La Tasha McCutchen, who was awarded a spot at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at the Caesar's Palace in Atlantic City. A reality competition show lives and dies on its cast, and season 13 simply did not have a good cast. There were very few, if any, memorable contestants, not to mention a very weak black jacket group. Aside from Sterling Wright, who remains a fan favorite to this day, season 13 simply boring, bland, and utterly forgettable.