The reality competition series Hell's Kitchen has seen its fair share of contestants, including Kenneth McDuffie, over nineteen seasons. The hopeful chefs come from a variety of backgrounds to compete for different reasons. There are chefs with just a couple of months' experience in kitchens under their belts, and then there are chefs who've been working the line since they were teenagers. There are chefs who struggle with sobriety, as well as single parents who are desperate to show their children that they can achieve their dreams if they work hard enough.
The new chefs of season 19 are competing for a grand prize of $250k and the executive chef position at Hell's Kitchen Restaurant in Lake Tahoe. Amber Lancaster, a seasoned chef who's worked at many Michelin-starred restaurants, became a chef after her uncle asked her what she would do if money wasn't an issue. Then there's young and talented Syann Williams, who comes from a long line of chefs in Atlanta, Georgia. One contestant, Kenneth McDuffie, who hails from Philadelphia, credits the brief time he was on the show with saving his life.
Kenneth McDuffie entered season 19 as one of the 18 hopeful chefs vying for the grand prize, but if you blinked, you probably missed him. In a shrimp cooking challenge on the very first episode, Kenneth dropped a block of Parmesan cheese on his plate. Worse, when Ramsay asked him what the mystery block was, Kenneth said it must've been an errant potato that somehow found its way onto the plate. Needless the say, the dish did not go down well and Kenneth was eliminated.
Kenneth's quick exit from the show didn't leave a foul taste in his mouth. Instead, the chef, who's been cooking since he was six, said, "I can honestly say that Hell’s Kitchen saved my life." He has also stated, “if it wasn’t for me being casted on this show, I believe I would not be here to tell my story at all.” He's definitely found the silver lining in being eliminated from Hell's Kitchen.
At the time of his casting, Kenneth was battling depression and had attempted to take his own life (other Hell's Kitchen contestants have sadly died). However, he found that being part of the show was like a dream, as he had the opportunity to work with new friends. Since his appearance on the show, he's gotten into therapy and completely turned his life around. Because the experience inspired him so deeply, he calls HK "heaven's kitchen."
Though he lost his job due to the pandemic, he says that the job loss has actually been a blessing. He's been able to focus his energy on his catering company and his plans to open a restaurant later this year. His restaurant will be named for his great-grandmother, Esther Smith. She is the woman who first gave him a potato and a knife and told him to start cooking.
As for his relationship with Gordon Ramsay, who owns multiple restaurants, McDuffie says the Hell's Kitchen head honcho inspired him. When he left the show, Ramsay told McDuffie not to take the experience for granted. Kenneth says it was, "the best advice that anyone could give [him]," according to WPDE. Chef Ramsay continues to inspire Kenneth to this day, especially when he likes his social media posts.
Hell's Kitchen airs Thursdays at 8pm ET on Fox
Source: WPDE