Hell's Kitchen 4 Contestants Announced

In case you took it too seriously

Ah, springtime: Trees bud, flowers bloom, seasonal menus change, and not only do we get a new season of Top Chef, but Gordon Ramsay makes his return with Hell's Kitchen, too. As we know, El Gordo wrapped two seasons back to back here in LA last year, but unlike the last three seasons, we won't see a Los Angeles contestant---too bad after all the fun we had with runner-up Bonnie Muirhead last year. There's still a huge LA connection: The winner will be named "executive chef" of Gordon Ramsay at the London West Hollywood.

There's limited info on the contestants, but we note enough contenders with real titles (sous, exec) that Ramsay would probably hire even without the donkey calling and shenanigans of HK. We can't see a stay-at-home-dad picking up from South Carolina to help run a Ramsay kitchen in Los Angeles, for instance. But "executive chef" has many meanings in the world of Hell's Kitchen. Season two winner Heather West was to become "executive chef" at Terra Rosa at the Red Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, but landed with a "senior chef" position instead. She fared better than season one winner Michael Wray: He was supposed to win his own restaurant but was basically offered an internship at one of Ramsay's restaurants (he took a cash prize and kitchen equipment). Only season three winner Rock Harper got what he was promised, head chef at Terra Verde in Vegas. Considering what happened at New York's London Hotel outpost, you'd think Ramsay wouldn't take staffing too lightly. But here he is, whoring his new West Hollywood restaurant with aplomb. The new season premieres on Tuesday, April 1, 9pm, FOX.

Ben, 29, an electrician and former chef from Charlotte, NC
Bobby, 37, an executive chef from Niagara Falls, NY
Christina, 25, a culinary student from St. Louis, MO
Corey, 25, a private chef from Brooklyn, NY
Craig, 30, a sous chef from Coram, NY
Dominic, 43, a stay-at-home dad from Catawba, SC
Jason, 29, a sous chef from Las Vegas, NV
Jen, 24, a line cook from Chicago, IL
Louross, 24, a hotel cook from Las Vegas, NV
Matt, 35, a sous chef from Pinehill, NJ
Petrozza, 47, a catering director from Charlotte, NC
Rosann, 33, a receptionist and former cook from Staten Island, NY
Sharon, 31, a room-service chef from Las Vegas, NV
Shayna, 28, a catering-company owner from Buffalo, NY
Vanessa, 31, a line cook from Bozeman, MT

· Hell's Kitchen, Wrapped [~ELA~]
· Keeping up with Hell's Kitchen's Bonnie Muirhead [~ELA~]
· Hell's Kitchen: Spoilers and Empty Promises [~ELA~]
· BREAKING: Ramsay Dismisses Neil Ferguson [Eater NY]