Guy Vaknin

“

Six chefs, one for each scallop, and one to rub their asses.

”

Hometown	New York City, NY
Occupation	Executive Catering Chef
Culinary Education	The Institute of Culinary Education
Statistics
Signature Dish Challenge Score	0 out of 1
Challenges Won	2
Services Won	1
Times as BoW/Announcer	1
Times Nominated	2
Placement	13th
Episode Eliminated	13 Chefs Compete Part 2

Guy Vaknin was a contestant on Season 10 of Hell's Kitchen. He ranked in 13th place.

Season 10

Episode 1

Main article: Episode 1001 - 18 Chefs Compete

The eighteen chefs arrived at Hell's Kitchen via SUVs and police escort, and as they walked in, Sous Chef Scott told the chefs he shaved his head to prove his commitment to Ramsay and showed a picture of him with a full head of hair, before deciding to shave the chefs' heads. After two chefs got their heads shaved, really Sous Chef Scott's friends, the latter was about to shave Danielle's head until Ramsay stopped him and told her to get back in line. He told the chefs to get in the kitchens to cook their signature dishes.

During the Signature Dish Challenge, Guy was the second person from the blue team to have his dish judged by Ramsay and went up against Tiffany. Before having his dish judged, he revealed he was born in Israel and was a drill sergeant for three years. He made a pan-seared striped bass with chocolate miso sauce, but warned Ramsay not to try his dish as he burned his sauce and that the execution of his dish was poor, much to Patrick's dismay. Despite that, Ramsay tasted his dish, commented that it was like a fish sundae, and neither he nor Tiffany scored that round. The blue team lost the challenge 3-5, and they were punished by cleaning up both kitchens.

During dinner service, Guy was on the appetizer station with Tavon and Royce. After Royce complained about his missing anchovies, he got irritated by that and told him to get his bitch ass up and find them himself. Later, he felt that Don was in his own world for not contributing and wandering around. The blue team lost the service and were asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, Royce blamed him for the missing anchovies as he prepped the salad station that night, but he argued that the former should have grabbed them from the fridge.

Guy was not nominated for elimination, but when Royce tried to accuse him of sabotaging him, he argued that forgetting the anchovies did not count as sabotage. While being dismissed, he felt that Royce’s attempt to throw him under the bus would not work on him.

Episode 2

Main article: Episode 1002 - 17 Chefs Compete

Back at the dorms, Guy was still upset Royce tried to throw him under the bus, once again argued that he never sabotaged him, and told him to be a man about his mistakes.

During the Scallop Challenge, Royce’s face was bleeding and claimed that Guy hit him in the face with a scallop, but he felt the former deserved it for trying to throw him under the bus the previous night. When Ramsay gave out a demonstration on how to properly clean a scallop, he admitted to never have cleaned a scallop before in his life. He was paired up with Royce, they were seen having only one attempt made, and it was accepted. The blue team eventually lost the challenge 2-6, and they were punished by cleaning up the ice from the front entrance, prepping prawns for the following night’s service, and drinking a scallop shake. When the women came back from their reward, he got pissed and said he would not mind getting sunburned.

During dinner service, Guy was on the appetizer station. At one point, he refused to allow anything he sent to the pass to be rejected and got his dish accepted. When Royce was struggling on garnish and growing nervous, he compared him to a little girl. Both teams were named joint losers, and they were asked to nominate two each. During deliberation, he called Royce the weakest link for not manning up.

He was not nominated for elimination.

Episode 3

Main article: Episode 1003 - 16 Chefs Compete

When the chefs saw a group of immigrants get inducted as Americans, Guy felt for very much as he only became an American citizen four months ago and knew how hard it was to become one as he applied twice. During the Immigrants Lunch Service Challenge, he was on the garnish station. He was not seen much, except for helping out on the cobb salad. The blue team lost the challenge, and they were punished with hard labor at Ballona Wetlands. During the punishment, he felt Patrick was leading not by example, but by telling them what to do.

During dinner service, Guy was at the dessert station. He was not seen that night, and the blue team won the service.

Episode 4

Main article: Episode 1004 - 15 Chefs Compete

Back at the dorms, Tiffany told Guy that Barbie sucked. The next day, a group of dogs was let loose in the dorms, and their loud barking woke up the chefs, confusing Barbie. Once up, Sous Chef Scott gave them overalls to put on.

During the Creative Lamb Challenge, Guy was seen collecting avocado. He was paired up with Justin on the rack of lamb, and during the cooking part, they were still discussing ideas as he accidentally cut his hand while cleaning his knife, and yelled in pain. As the medic went to see him, Clemenza grew worried as it meant the cut was that serious, but it turned out to be a cut on his finger. As Clemenza told him to not act like a bitch, Ramsay said that his screaming sounded like he had a circumcision without an antiseptic. After the pair of Tiffany and Danielle revealed their souffle component, he was confident the men would score as there was no way she could have made a souffle in 45 minutes. They were the third pair from the blue team to have their dish judged, and went up against the pair of Barbie and Robyn. Justin presented their grilled rack of lamb with roasted garlic and basil purée and turnip three-way, and after tasting it, Ramsay said that it worked. So, they scored over the pair of Barbie and Robyn, and the blue team won the challenge 3-2. They were rewarded with a VIP trip to the Hollywood Park racetrack, and when Clemenza asked for some cash to gamble, Ramsay gave them $100 to use and asked them not to spend it on hot dogs.

During dinner service, Guy was on the garnish station. Before receiving their next ticket, Patrick told him he loved him. When Don was getting entrées ready, he said he was wearing 17 seat belts due to the former driving the bus. Both teams were named joint losers, and they were asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, he agreed with Clemenza and Patrick to nominate Don and Brian.

Guy was not nominated for elimination, and after Don's elimination, he welcomed Roshni as a new teammate.

Episode 5

Main article: Episode 1005 - 14 Chefs Compete

During the Mexican Cuisine Challenge, Guy was not seen cooking a dish, and it was not chosen for judging. The blue team lost the challenge 2-3, and they were punished by prepping for Mexican Night, which included making both the salsa and the tortilla by hand, along with eating tripe for lunch.

During the Mexican Night dinner service, Guy was on the fish station with Brian. At one point, he walked up his tuna, but despite knowing his shit and promise to never put out poor food, his first attempt was cold. Then, he angered Ramsay when he claimed it felt good before the latter ordered for ahi tuna in room temperature as Clemenza told him to get it right as he was just pan-searing tuna. Despite that, he got his refire accepted, and appetizers were quickly leaving the blue kitchen. On entrées, he sent up steaks that had one portion overcooked, and the other one dry, frustrating Clemenza as he knew he could cook steak because they all done it a million times before as Ramsay accused him of giving up. Later, Patrick put his chicken back in the oven just after he sliced his steak and after he blamed the former for screwing him on that, Ramsay decided to kick the two out of the kitchen. Both teams were named joint losers, and they were asked to nominate two people each for elimination. During deliberation, Royce and Brian considered him for elimination for screwing up on his station and forcing the others to try and rebound from their mistakes.

Guy was named the blue team's second nominee for elimination, with Patrick as the first, and they joined Barbie and Danielle from the red team. During his plea, he said he had been solid before that night and was a fighter, but when Ramsay asked if he was in over his head, he replied that he was not. After Barbie was sent back in line, the episode ended in a cliffhanger before Ramsay could go any further.

Episode 6/7

Main article: Episode 1006 - 13 Chefs Compete Part 1

Main article: Episode 1007 - 13 Chefs Compete Part 2

Continuing from the previous episode, Guy survived elimination after Danielle's elimination. Back at the dorms, he felt Royce was all talk and did not see the latter as a leader.

During the Fashion Night Planning Challenge, Guy was in a team of three with Clemenza and Royce, and during the cooking, Clemenza suggested to the two about an outside the box puttanesca sauce for the swordfish dish. Five minutes left, he was slow on his potato component, much to Clemenza’s concern as Royce called it ridiculous as potatoes were so easy to cook, but he managed to get them plated on time. They cooked the seafood entrée, were the final group from the blue team to have their dish judged, and went up against the pair of Kimmie and Robyn. He presented the trios swordfish seasoned with chili, paprika, and saffron, and after mentioning that they represented Italy and Spain, it complimented Ina Soltani as the two countries were her biggest influences. Amanda Che herself liked the mussel and clam’s idea as it resonated with her as a swimwear designer, and after tasting the dish, the judges deemed it delicious despite wanting the presentation to be refined and leave out the sauce. They won that round over the pair of Kimmie and Robyn, and the blue team won the challenge 2-1.

The blue team was rewarded with a $1000 shopping spree at the M. Fredric boutique along with a wine tasting excursion at the Rosenthal Estate. During the reward, Guy and Justin got annoyed at Patrick's description of the wine as they wanted to enjoy themselves. Eventually, the blue team went through eight glasses of wine together, making him a little drunk.

Before service began, Guy, along with Roshni, confirmed that nothing was to be cooked until the first catwalk when Clemenza started cooking scallops before service began. When it was revealed that 4 servings were wasted, he got annoyed and said that Clemenza needed to pay attention.

During the Fashion Night dinner service, Guy was on the meat station. Knowing Clemenza was getting frustrated on the number of scallops, he went to help him out, but after the Fashion Night producer came up to the pass about a time to start the next show, Ramsay ordered the two to speed it up. However, his scallops were overcooked, Ramsay berated him for not cooking with control. After, Royce accused him of fumbling on the scallops, and both he and Clemenza. When Ramsay pulled both teams together, berated them for their dreadful timings, and told them that he wanted the first table of entrées served by the time the final model did her walk, He was correctly able to remember the blue team’s order, four beef and two swordfish. Despite trying his best to focus on his work and get the beef ready, he was mesmerized by the models until Ramsay informed him about a burning pan, resulting in a charred filet as Ramsay reminded the blue team how it needed proper searing due to a lack of fat, and Patrick accused him of tuning out on such a simple thing to do. Later, he sliced his beef, but it was raw and cold, even though he argued it was warm, but got the refire accepted.

The blue team lost the service and were asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, Guy was considered by Justin as the second nominee, which Patrick agreed to. Fearing that the wind was changing for him, he tried to push for Brian instead as he could have help Clemenza out on scallops, to which Royce agreed with. However, Brian argued that he did help Clemenza as best as he could and got pissed because if it were not for him, they would have been fucked.

Guy was the blue team’s second nominee for elimination, with Clemenza as the first, but while Roshni said it was a near tie between Brian and him as the second nominee, it was ultimately him who had the most votes. During his plea, Ramsay reminded him that it was the second time in a row he was standing in front of him, but he felt he was not done as he fought every day despite being the least experienced chef in the competition, and that he had enough energy for five chefs. When Ramsay asked if he was better than Clemenza, he said he was. Ultimately, he was eliminated for his poor performance on meat and being on his second nomination in a row, but before leaving, Ramsay thanked him for his hard work. During his exit interview, he did not think he would be eliminated that early, felt Ramsay made the wrong decision and stood by for what he did and what he sent out.

Ramsay's comment: "Guy's performance in Hell's Kitchen was extremely inconsistent. That is why I know he is not the guy to run Gordon Ramsay Steak."

Nomination History

Week 1	Safe
Week 2	Safe
Week 3	Win
Week 4	Safe
Week 5	Nominated
Week 6	Nominated

Post Hell's Kitchen

• After his appearance on the show, Guy married, had two sons, and opened a vegan sushi restaurant with his wife called Beyond Sushi, which has expanded to six locations in Manhattan, New York.
• He appeared on Shark Tank season 10 in November 2018 and secured $1.5 million of investment to help expand into the West Coast.
• On January 15, 2021, he opened up a new restaurant called Willow Vegan Bistro in New York City.

Trivia

• He is the first Hell's Kitchen contestant born in Israel, and is also the first Moroccan contestant as he has Moroccan descent.
• He is the third contestant who had a military background before entering the competition, following Bobby (Season 4) and Joseph (Season 6)
• He and Hassan (Season 15) are the only two Executive Catering Chefs to compete on the show.
• He is the only contestant to this date who suggested Ramsay not to taste his Signature Dish.

Quotes

• (About his signature dish) "The sauce got burnt."
• "Don't put it in your mouth, it's not good. It's... NOT GOOD! It's not for eating."
• "Royce, he goes up there and throws me under the bus, and then puts a truck behind it, and a train to go over me too. Well, it doesn't work in my world. You fall down again, I'll put you up there. Just a matter of time."
• (About Royce getting cut with a scallop) "I think Royce deserved it for throwing me under the bus. It will bite you on your ass."
• "Six chefs, one for each scallop, and one to rub their asses."
• (To Patrick) "Patrick, you told me to cut the steak. You didn´t give me the right time. You told me it´s ready, and it wasn't ready. FUCK YOU, MOTHERFUCKER!"
• (About Don) "Once we got into entrees, Don is the guy who is driving the fucking car and I'm in the backseat. Do you know how many seatbelts I would put on? Like 17."
• (After being eliminated) "I never thought that I would be eliminated this early in the game. Chef Ramsay definitely made the wrong decision. I stand behind everything that I did, and I stand behind every dish that I put out there. I thought he would respect that. Apparently, he doesn't."

Gallery

• Chef
• Dishes

Guy's Intro Spot

Guy in Blue Jacket

Guy's Confessional

Danielle, Barbie, Patrick, and Guy Nominated

Guy and Clemenza Nominated

Guy Eliminated

Guy's Signature Dish (Episode 1)

Guy and Justin's Creative Lamb Dish (Rack of Lamb)

External links

• Guy Vaknin on Instagram