Twenty Aspiring Restaurateurs Brave the Heat of "Hell's Kitchen" on the Season 12 Premiere

We are so excited and ready for the next season of Hell’s Kitchen. Host, executive producer and award-winning chef Gordon Ramsay welcomes 20 new competitors on the Season 12 premiere of Hell’s Kitchen airing Thursday, March 13 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. These aspiring restaurateurs will endure an intense culinary academy, including a series of grueling team challenges and dinner services to prove they possess the right combination of ingredients to win Season 12.

In the premiere episode, Chef Ramsay offers the newest batch of contestants a never-before-seen welcome: the first-ever flash mob in Hell’s Kitchen history. Then, after splitting the chefs into two teams – men (blue) vs. women (red) – Ramsay asks them to present their signature dishes in another battle of the sexes. The twist? This time they will be cooking in front of a live audience.

Throughout the season, the contestants must prove their ability to work in teams, before Chef Ramsay determines which chefs are worthy of a black jacket. The rewards for the winners include a luxurious spa day, a surprise trip to Las Vegas and an extravagant shopping spree, while the punishments include churning ice cream, cleaning the dorms and separating trash and recyclables. As the competition progresses, the number of contestants will be narrowed down until only two chefs are left to compete for the ultimate prize: a Head Chef position at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant with a salary of a quarter of a million dollars, and the opportunity to fulfill his/her dreams of working in the culinary industry as the winner of Hell’s Kitchen.

Now….drum roll please....it’s time to meet the 20 chefs competing on this season of Hell’s Kitchen:

The Red Team (Women) includes:

Beth Taylor Age: 43 Hometown: Independence, LA Occupation: Line Cook Signature Dish: Pecan Crusted Catfish with Wilted Spinach andSmoked Gouda Grits – photo left

Bev Lazo-Gonzalez Age: 42 Hometown: Whittier, CA Occupation: Food Truck Chef Signature Dish: Southeast Asian-Style Fish Tacos – photo right

Jessica Vogel Age: 28 Hometown: Sparta, NJ Occupation: Line Cook Signature Dish: Rosemary Crusted Venison Loin with Cranberry Ancho Chili Gastrique over Goat Cheese Polenta and Roasted Brussels Sprouts – photo left

Joy Parham-Thomas Age: 25 Hometown: Philadelphia, PA Occupation: Kitchen Supervisor Signature Dish: Chilled Corn Soup – photo right

Kashia Zollicoffer Age: 23 Hometown: Carthage, MS Occupation: Line Cook Signature Dish: New York Strip and Blue Cheese Crab Butter with Roasted Asparagus – photo left

Melanie Finch Age: 23 Hometown: Woodland Hills, CA Occupation: Line Cook Signature Dish: Pan-Seared Scallops with Mashed Lentils, Roasted Pear and Crispy Raspberry Gastrique – photo right

Nicole Rutz Age: 33 Hometown: Morganville, NJ Occupation: Baker Signature Dish: Halibut Filet with Squash and Tomatoes in an Herb Butter Sauce – photo left

Rochelle Bergman Age: 27 Hometown: Riverside, CA Occupation: Caterer Signature Dish: Mushroom Chicken with Asparagus – photo right

Sandra Flores Age: 36 Hometown: Queens, NY Occupation: Sous Chef Signature Dish: Tender Cod Filet with Macadamia Nut Fig Butter and Fire-Roasted Corn with Applewood Bacon – photo left

Simone Hammond Age: 43 Hometown: Henderson, NV Occupation: Buffet Cook Signature Dish: Peach and Crab Apple Chutney Pork Chop, Cornbread Dressing with Pecans and Haricot Verts with Fig and Cranberries in a White Wine Butter Sauce – photo right

The Blue Team (Men) includes:

Anton Testino Age: 39 Hometown: Butler, NJ Occupation: Head Chef Signature Dish: Pork with Crabmeat Crust – photo left

Chris Eversole Age: 27 Hometown: Las Vegas, NV Occupation: Line Cook Signature Dish: Poule Rotie – photo right

Guarav Navin Age: 34 Hometown: East Stroudsburg, PA Occupation: Head Chef Signature Dish: Afreen Tuna Met Komyn Parfume Pulao – photo left

Jason Zepaltas Age: 31 Hometown: Chicago, IL Occupation: Sous Chef Signature Dish: Seared, then Braised Wild Salmon with Vegetables – photo right

Mike Aresta Age: 38 Hometown: Keyport, NJ Occupation: Chef Instructor Signature Dish: Herb-Fried Tortellini with Romesco – photo left

Michael DeMarco Age: 29 Hometown: Scranton, PA Occupation: Line Cook Signature Dish: Ricotta Gnocchi with Roasted Tomato Creme and Sausage – photo right

Michael Gabriel Age: 25 Hometown: Spring, TX Occupation: Executive Chef Signature Dish: Stuffed Chicken Breast with Asparagus and Diced Rosemary Yukon Potatoes – photo left

Ralph Johnson Age: 28 Hometown: Boston, MA Occupation: Chef De Partie Signature Dish: New England Lobster Dinner – photo right

Richard Mancini Age: 48 Hometown: Bloomingdale, IL Occupation: Executive Chef Signature Dish: Pan-Roasted Sea Bass with Roma Tomato and Basil Sauce over Sauteed Kale and Pancetta – photo left

Scott Commings Age: 36 Hometown: Woodstock, IL Occupation: Executive Chef Signature Dish: Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb with Parsnip Puree and Sherry Jus – photo right