For the 18th season of “Hell’s Kitchen,” which premieres Sept. 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Fox, the reality TV show is changing up its usual recipe, as a Blue Team of eight contestants who previously lost in earlier seasons — dubbed the veterans — goes up against a Red Team of eight untested rookie chefs. An added twist: For the first time since Season 1, the groups will consist of cooks of both genders. Meet the players, both old and new, before they are stressed out by the ever-demanding overseer of “Hell’s Kitchen,” Gordon Ramsay.
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Roe DiLeo
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Blue Team: Veteran
Hometown: Dallas
Head chef DiLeo took fifth place in Season 13 and was eliminated during during episode 14 when her performance suffered, but Ramsay saluted her work ethic. She now works at City Tavern in Dallas.
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Kevin Cottle
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX Blue Team: Veteran
Age: 44
Hometown:Connecticut/Massachusetts
The Season 6 runner-up lost to Dave Levey and returned to being an executive chef.
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Jen Gavin
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Blue Team: Veteran
Age: 34
Hometown: Chicago
Jen was a “garde manger” or pantry chef, who had a bit of an attitude problem. She was came in fourth place after being cut in week 12 of Season 4 for her lack of team work skills. For a while, she was a chef for a celebrity catering company, cooking for the likes of Paul McCartney and Lady Gaga.
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Heather Williams
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Blue Team: Veteran
Age: 28
Hometown: Easton, Pennsylvania
The sous chef was runner-up on Season 16, losing to event chef Kimberly Ann Ryan after her service went downhill.
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Bret Hauser
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Blue Team: Veteran
Age: 33
Hometown: Delray Beach, Florida
This sous chef was forced to leave in episode 8 of Season 14 after an accident caused further injury to a slipped disk, forcing Chef Ramsay to make him leave. He went on to be an executive chef at Pizza Craft Artisan Pizzeria and now does private chef experiences.
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T Gregoire
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX Blue Team: Veteran
Age: 34
Hometown: Atlanta
T (for Torrece) was a line cook who came in second and just missed winning Season 14. She would become an executive chef.
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Ariel Contreras-Fox
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Blue Team: Veteran
Age: 36
Hometown: Brooklyn
The onetime sous chef from Season 6 got as far as third place in week 14. She was good enough that Ramsay allowed her to keep her black jacket in recognition of her hard work. She is currently a corporate executive chef for Landry’s SRD Dos Caminos.
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Trevor McGrath
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Blue Team: Veteran
Age: 38
Hometown: Chicago
The line cook from Season 8 was cut during episode 14, but got points from Ramsay for his determination. He ended up in television, working as a consultant for CNBC and the Food Network.
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Scott Popvic
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Red Team: Rookie
Executive chef
Hometown: Cleveland
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Scotley Innis
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Red Team: Rookie
Sous chef
Hometown: Atlanta
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Mia Castro
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Red Team: Rookie
Private chef
Hometown: Miami Beach
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Kanae Houston
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Red Team: Rookie
Lead line cook
Hometown: Los Angeles
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Jose DeJesus
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Red Team: Rookie
Chef de cuisine
Hometown: Bronx
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Elizabeth “Gizzy” Barton
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Red Team: Rookie
Former executive chef
Hometown: Atlanta
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Chris Motto
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Red Team: Rookie
Executive chef
Hometown: Baton Rouge
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Chris Mendonca
Image Credit: Michael Becker / FOX. Red Team: Rookie
Executive chef
Hometown: Boston
