Hell's Kitchen is the reality series in which contestants compete to become professional chefs under Gordon Ramsay.
The American version of Hell's Kitchen premiered on Fox in 2005, with Gordon Ramsay as host and head chef. Contestants are divided into teams and challenged to prepare food in a restaurant service environment. Ramsay evaluates their organization, cooking technique, communication and ability to work under pressure.
Each episode commonly includes a challenge, a dinner service and an elimination. The winning contestant traditionally receives a head-chef position or another major culinary opportunity, although the exact prize has changed over the years. The contestants live together during filming, but the core competition takes place in the show's restaurant kitchen.
Hell's Kitchen is often confused with MasterChef, another Ramsay programme. MasterChef focuses on home cooks competing in a broader range of culinary tests, while Hell's Kitchen is built around professional-style restaurant service. Ramsay also appears in Kitchen Nightmares, which is a renovation and restaurant-rescue series rather than a contestant competition.
The format has inspired adaptations in several countries.