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This is for Saxon, and for my family. She's so proud of me, and my family's got to be so proud.

Johnathan Benvenuti was a contestant on Season 22 of Hell's Kitchen. He was the runner-up of that season.

Season 22[]

Episode 1/2[]

Main article: Episode 2201 - The Dream Begins
Main article: Episode 2202 - Tad Overwhelming

The eighteen new chefs arrived at Hell's Kitchen, where Marino awaited them. As the chefs unloaded from the SUVs, Johnathan revealed that he lived with his parents and his five-year-old daughter, face palming at how embarrassing it sounded. The chefs entered Hell's Kitchen and noticed the past winners from each season before entering the dining room. To give the chefs some inspiration, Ramsay decided to have them walk through the famous doors and have a taste of what it felt like to win. Afterwards, the chefs got to know each other before the Sous Chefs arrived, explaining how their time in the competition helped their careers. Later, a guitar player appeared and played the national anthem as four other doors appeared behind the curtain, each figure explaining their journey for the American Dream. After Ramsay stepped out, he welcomed the chefs to the twenty-second season, where they were celebrating the American Dream. Ramsay said the three celebrities the chefs saw were proof of the American Dream and that Hell's Kitchen was part of the American Dream. Ramsay said the winner of that season would become his Head Chef at Hell's Kitchen in Caesars Las Vegas with a salary of $250,000. Then, Ramsay told the chefs that their Signature Dish Challenge was about to begin.

During the Signature Dish Challenge, Johnathan was pumped up, as making a good impression on Ramsay was important. Then, he said the American Dream was not about goodwill; it was about sacrificing everything to make a better life. He was the fifth person from the blue team to have his dish judged by Ramsay, and he went up against Claudia. Before his dish was tasted, he said his dream was to open a family restaurant and said he bought his daughter her first knife set. Also, he said he was competing for his daughter, which was hard as it was the longest he had been away from her. He made gnocchi with clam cream sauce, bacon, and vegetables. They were deemed a good dish, and Ramsay felt he had been cooking since he was five. So, he scored a perfect five, much to his excitement. The blue team lost the challenge after a 29-point tie. They were punished by participating in delivery day and cleaning up both kitchens.

As the chefs studied at the dorms, Johnathan gave Tad a giant feather to use as a makeshift broom so he could show off his Quidditch skills.[1]

During the Creative Scallops Challenge, Johnathan noticed his teammates going through different seafood and found some scallops to use. During the cooking, he felt comfortable shucking scallops and planned on making an Escabèche. Although he said he had never made it with scallops before, he was willing to take a risk. As the men went through their dishes to decide on a top three, he hoped they put their differences aside and focus as a team. His dish was well received and was named one of the top three of the blue team. He was the second person from the top three to have his dish judged by Ramsay, and he presented his scallop Escabèche in orange Ju vinegar. It had a beautiful presentation and a perfect cook, making Ramsay deem it better than Jermaine's. After he felt confident he would win a Punishment Pass, he won the challenge after managing to survive Ryan's dish. As he claimed his Punishment Pass, he said it was his destiny and was on cloud nine.

During dinner service, Johnathan served a seafood ceviche in the dining room with Jermaine. He was not seen that night, and both teams were named joint losers. They were asked to nominate two each.

He was not nominated for elimination.[2]

Episode 3[]

Main article: Episode 2203 - Citizens of Hell's Kitchen

During the American Citizen Brunch Service Challenge, Johnathan was at the garnish station with Ryan. He felt comfortable cooking crab cakes, as he had made thousands before, and got his plate accepted. Later, he was seen walking Mattias' steaks, but they turned out to be cold. The blue team won the challenge, and they were rewarded with a Los Angeles-styled pool party at the Godfrey Hotel with a lunch catered by Craig’s. During the reward, the men gazed at Jermaine's leopard swimsuit, and he could not believe the latter’s flexibility.

During dinner service, Johnathan was at the appetizer station with Brad. He thought showing Ramsay he could be a leader by working with Brad would be good, and he got his appetizers accepted. When he saw Mattias struggle on the chicken with no help, he decided to jump in and help the former out by coaching him on the cook. Later, he was seen walking Mattias' chicken to the pass, but it turned out to be burnt on one side. Both teams were named joint losers, and they were asked to nominate two each. During deliberation, he felt that Jermaine let Mattias fall that night and commented that he tried to help the latter when the former did not. Then, he told Jermaine and Brad that they should have jumped in to help rather than standing around or looking for help.

He was not nominated for elimination.[3]

Episode 4[]

Main article: Episode 2204 - Gimme an H!

During the American Classics Challenge, Johnathan went up against Sammi, and their dish was fried chicken. During the cooking, Sous Chef Jason warned him not to overcook the white chicken meat, but he planned to double-coat the fried chicken. But with five minutes left, he discovered raw chicken and rushed to put it back in the fryer. He was the sixth person from the blue team to have his dish judged by Ramsay and presented his fried chicken breast. He was nervous about the cook of his protein, but he hoped Ramsay saw his heart. While Ramsay was skeptical about his dish, the cook was spot on, and it tasted moist. He tied that round with Sammi and recalled how his daughter looked up to him. The blue team won the challenge 7-6, and they were rewarded with a trip to Santa Barbara with parasailing and dinner at the Hotel Milo.

During dinner service, Johnathan was at the fish station with Mattias. At one point, he was ready to bounce back and help Mattias get off the thin ice after the latter served a cold lobster tail. The blue team lost the service, and they were asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, he and Mattias discussed how Ramsay chewed Jason out for smirking during a rant, but the latter denied it.

He was not nominated for elimination.[4]

Episode 5[]

Main article: Episode 2205 - Just Bring the DARN Fish!

While returning to the dorms, Johnathan felt hurt to see Jason survive over Mattias, as he felt the latter was too arrogant. When Jason argued with Raneisha about his attitude, he got embarrassed.

During the Protein Identification Challenge, Johnathan was paired up with Jason, and they were the final pair from the blue team to compete. Their dish was monkfish and rabbit. The pairing of sea bass and pork was wrong, but the sea bass and rabbit got a blue light. As he and Jason struggled on a fish, Dahmere screamed at them to bring one up. Fortunately, their third attempt was correct, and the blue team won the challenge 6:39-13:14. The blue team was rewarded with an axe-throwing experience, with Ramsay joining them. He got excited by the idea as it was a dream come true. During the reward, he called it a good feeling to have Ramsay with them.

During dinner service, Johnathan was at the meat station with Jermaine. When the men were forced to restart on their first order, he told his teammates to refocus themselves. Later, he stepped in and checked which one of Jermaine's Wellingtons were perfect. While refiring their order, he was determined to get the refired ticket done and get themselves ahead of the game. The blue team won the service. After elimination, he called it insane to see the women fall apart and did not believe that the men would act like that.[5]

Episode 6[]

Main article: Episode 2206 - Fusion Confusion

During the Fusion Cuisine Challenge, Johnathan went up against Carmen, and he kicked Thai while the latter kicked Japanese. During the cooking, he admitted that he did not cook either Thai food or Japanese food that often, but he was inspired by the ingredients he had. When Tony Messina came to guest judge the challenge, he said he respected the former as he was a legend and felt he was pooping bricks. When Jermaine bluntly told Ramsay that he cooked the rice in a pot, his face palmed in embarrassment. He was the final person from the blue team to have his dish judged and presented his brown butter and soy glazed sea bream with lime oil. It was praised for using the whole fish and having the sheen in the glaze. He scored over Carmen. The blue team won the challenge 4-3, and he felt great clinching it for the men.

The blue team was rewarded with a day playing bubble soccer and brand-new Keurig sets. Also, Tony Messina deemed Johnathan's dish the best of the day, and he won two tickets to Las Vegas for an Allegiant Stadium event, courtesy of Allegiant Travels. During the reward, he got knocked down all over the place.

During dinner service, Johnathan was at the garnish station. When Dahmere took the lead on appetizers, he was impressed that the former clicked it on that night and was ready to run through a wall for him. Later, he noticed that Jason was firing more fish than was ordered and told him to chill as they were not cooking for a banquet. After service, he was sad to see Brad go home due to health problems and said it hurt to see the latter go like that. Both teams were asked to nominate two each. During deliberation, he voted for Jermaine.

He was not nominated for elimination.[6]

Episode 7[]

Main article: Episode 2207 - All Up in Your Grills

When the chefs saw the Fourth of July parade, Johnathan stated that Ramsay knew how to celebrate the holiday. During the Grilling Challenge, he cooked the trout and went up against Sammi. During the cooking, he and Dahmere casually talked about the Fourth of July. After time was up, he felt great about his creation and knew Ramsay would love it. He was the fourth person from the blue team to have his dish judged, and he presented his blackened trout with a charred lemon hollandaise sauce. It had a great cook on the fish, and he and Sammi tied that round. The blue team lost the challenge 2-5, and they were punished by cleaning the grills, disassembling them, and packing them up for the women. During the punishment, he was willing to let the women grill back home, but he was also prepared to turn it out for that night's service. Later, he swore he would have someone else clean his grill back home.

During the Steak Night dinner service, Johnathan was at the appetizer station with Jason. He knew they were nervous working with a new menu, and it was important for them to rally together. Fortunately, his and Jason's dishes were accepted. Later that night, he felt they were close to bouncing back on the following ticket. The blue team lost the service, and Dahmere was named the "Best of the Worst". During deliberation, he claimed he was not scared when Dahmere asked why everyone got scared in services.

He was not nominated for elimination.[7]

Episode 8[]

Main article: Episode 2208 - Cooking For Your Life

Before the Last Chef Standing Challenge, Johnathan thought the red team would regret having Donya sit out of the challenge. During the cooking, he worked on the veal parmesan and kept the tomato sauce for the dish simple as he refused to let his Italian family down. He was the first chef from the blue team to leave the kitchen, and he was seen giving Ryan directions on the veal. He was the second person from the blue team to have his dish judged by Ramsay, and he went up against Sandra. His dish was deemed delicious as Ramsay liked the seasoned breadcrumbs, and he tied that round with Sandra. The blue team won the challenge 5-3. They were rewarded with a wellness retreat, lunch from Crossroads Kitchen, and Hexclad cookware.

Later that day, Ramsay held private interviews with the chefs. Johnathan was the tenth chef to have his meeting, and Ramsay asked what the American Dream meant for him. He said his dream was to make his family proud and was determined to give his daughter a better life. He showed Ramsay his daughter's toy that he had in his pocket all the time, and the latter urged him to step into the spotlight. He said it was more about his daughter's American Dream than his own and wanted to put her on his back toward the finish line. He was not named the weakest chef on the blue team and did not have to compete in the Cook For Your Life Challenge. While watching the challenge, he saw Devon’s game face and knew it was the latter’s time to bounce back after failing on Steak Night.[8]

Episode 9[]

Main article: Episode 2209 - More Bang For Your Buck

Back at the dorms, Johnathan was shocked that Devon was eliminated as that meant the men were down two people.

Before the Budget Challenge, Johnathan welcomed Atoye as a new teammate. During the cooking, he made a rustic pork chop and apple compote as he was cooking with his mother's heart that day. When Atoye went up to have her dish judged, he thought she would knock it out of the park as he was there when she plated everything. He was the final person from the blue team to have his dish judged and was ready to step up to the plate and show Suzanne Goin what he made. He made a grilled pork chop with a sweet potato puree and apple compote. It tasted good, and Ramsay deemed it the dish of the evening. Goin gave him $52 and asked him if he could cook that dish for her that night. The blue team won the challenge $208-$207, and they were rewarded with an overnight trip to Hicksville Trailer Park in Joshua Tree. During the reward, he considered it a Trailer Park palace.

During dinner service, Johnathan was at the meat station. When both teams worked on Daniel Mac's twelve top order, he and Jason convinced Sandra to be ready in eight minutes rather than four. He coordinated with Dahmere on times, and the order was sent out. Then, he let out an audible shout of excitement, only for Ramsay to tell him that they had not won yet and he should not be a cheerleader. He felt embarrassed by that. When both teams were on their final orders, he knew it was time to kick it up to sixth gear as Ramsay told them there was no room for error. The blue team won the service, and he was proud of his teammates for bringing out a win.[9]

Episode 10[]

Main article: Episode 2210 - The Pastabilities Are Endless

The following day, Johnathan was determined to make his daughter proud and told everyone that he found out she lost her first tooth recently. Being a mother herself, Atoye said she was sick of seeing teeth around her house, but he and the former bounded over being parents and making the sacrifices to win it for their family.

During part one of the Creative Pasta Challenge, Johnathan knew the red team would be quick on the beam, but he was confident that he could beat them. As part one began, he and Leigh crossed the marinara pool, grabbing pecorino cheese for the pasta. When there was one empty spot left on the board, Johnathan grabbed olives and got back first. The blue team won part one and received a five-minute head start. During the cooking, he made the tagliatelle pasta. When Evan Funke came to guest judge the challenge, he felt he was over the moon seeing the former. However, he also felt intimidated serving pasta to Funke. He was the first person from the blue team to have his dish judged, and he went up against Donya. He made a mushroom ragu and pancetta tagliatelle. They were criticized for having inconsistent pasta density, and he lost that round to Donya.

The blue team lost the challenge 1-3 and they were punished by making 200 lbs. of fresh pasta for that night’s service. Ramsay asked Johnathan if he would use his Punishment Pass, but he decided to stay with the blue team. During the punishment, Sous Chef Jason saw that his dough was dry and was forced to start over as it was too late to save it. As Ryan commented that he should have said something, he started over as he felt his Italian pride coming out. The second attempt came out perfectly, and the blue team finished their punishment with no other hiccups.

During dinner service, Johnathan was at the appetizer station with Dahmere. At one point, he compared Dahmere’s voice to that of a lion’s and felt the energy from it. When Dahmere saw Atoye struggle with fish, the former asked him to watch appetizers alone. When the blue team got Thuy Santos' order, he knew they could not do less than perfect for Sous Chef Jason’s wife. Both teams lost the service, and Dahmere was named the "Best of the Worst" for the blue team. During deliberation, Dahmere congratulated him for doing well that night, and he was confident he was not going home.

He was not nominated for elimination.[10]

Episode 11[]

Main article: Episode 2211 - A Hellish Food Fight

When Ramsay announced the Blind Taste Test, Johnathan knew how big the challenge was as it separated the cooks from the chefs. During Ryan's turn, he got the milk dunk punishment. He was the final person from the blue team to compete, and he went up against Sammi. Before starting, he felt good as he did everything he did in his morning routine to clean his palate while cutting back on the cigarettes. He got peanuts and Kalamata olives, resulting in Dahmere getting the milk dunk punishment. The blue team won the challenge 7-5, and they were rewarded with a $4,000 shopping spree at Sur la Table. When the blue team walked past the red team during their punishment, he jokingly asked for a mint on his pillow when they finished. During the reward, he bought a small pink apron for his daughter and said he could not remember the last time he spent money on himself.

During the Charity Night dinner service, Johnathan was seen calling out times for Jason's gnocchi as the latter did not want to micromanage. He was in charge of the pan-seared scallops course, and he swore he would pull it together for the men and was ready to rock it out as he did back home. When it came time for plating, he went through the scallops he was given, but Ramsay saw some that were overcooked. He thought his team was dooming him, especially Jason, as Ramsay was getting frustrated by the mess the men were in. Sous Chef Jason caught Jason shaking the scallops, causing them to rip, and he could not believe someone like the latter could mess up on the scallops. Eventually, Jason’s refires were accepted, and he served his course. When Jason lied about Sous Chef Christina showing him a way to use egg whites she did not initially tell them to do, he was not pleased that the former would throw the Sous Chefs under the bus.

Both teams were named joint losers, and they were asked to nominate one each. During deliberation, Johnathan said that Jason’s attitude had not gone away since the start of the service, but the latter argued it was honesty. When Jason voted for him for nomination, the former denied overcooking his scallops. However, he was too frustrated to argue.

Johnathan was not nominated for elimination. However, Ramsay heard Jason claim he led his scallop course and asked the latter if he told him to cook all of them. Jason claimed that he told him and Dahmere to cook all of them. While being dismissed, he was not happy that Jason survived and called the latter garbage with no morals.[11]

Episode 12[]

Main article: Episode 2212 - A Hell's Kitchen Special Delivery

While returning to the dorms, Johnathan was angry that Jason threw him under the bus at elimination and told the latter never to bring up his name again. However, Jason told him that it was a competition and that he should lead by example. That led to them bickering over the scallops again, as he said he lost respect for Jason still surviving despite being nominated five times. He went to the bedroom to cool off, but Jason did not understand why he was angry. Jason claimed that his meltdown meant he was not worthy of being a head chef and tried to talk to him in the bedroom. However, he did not want to talk as Jason clearly did not get his frustration before storming away.

During the first Black Jackets Challenge, Johnathan rolled an S and picked spinach. During the cooking, he was locked in with the challenge after last night and was ready to prove himself. He explained his herb-crusted dish to Sous Chef Jason, along with pickling his turnips, and said he was winning a jacket for his family and friends. After Jason found his misplaced turnips, he said the former was his own worst enemy with the dumb mistakes he made. He was the fifth person to have his dish judged by Ramsay, and he presented his spinach in two ways with a herbed truffle-crusted halibut and miso oil Berblanc. He felt proud of his dish, and Ramsay loved all the components of the dish as it was utter perfection. After he went back in line, Ramsay decided not to waste any more time and gave him a black jacket as it was a standout dish. He knew his family would be proud as Ramsay sent him back to the dorms to spend the rest of the day upstairs, with a surprise waiting for the former. As he felt he had done something right, he returned to the dorms, where it was set up as a Black Jackets Lounge. Also, he found a set of Hexclad knives waiting for him. Sammi later joined him.

Johnathan and Sammi watched the second challenge through live stream, and they welcomed Dahmere and Carmen when they won their black jackets. While watching the final challenge, he saw Leigh's raw lamb and felt she was going home. When the livestream ended, he hoped that Jason would not return to the dorms with a black jacket, but Sammi had a feeling the latter would not. When Leigh entered with a black jacket, he was shocked that Ryan did not make it, only for the latter to burst through the doors with his black jacket. That excited everyone, especially himself, as he wanted to battle with Ryan and prove who was the best out of them.[12]

Episode 13[]

Main article: Episode 2213 - HellishHangover

After Ramsay and the Sous Chefs left, the final six continued to celebrate by taking pictures and drinking all night. The most drunk were Johnathan and Sammi, as both had been drinking all day. The following day, the final six went downstairs, where Ramsay asked him if he had sobered up after spending the previous day drinking. He claimed he sobered up but said he looked like a sack of poop on a hot day, which irritated him.

During the Presentation Challenge, Johnathan worked on his ceviche but was still mad about what Ramsay said to him earlier. He was the third chef to have his dish judged, and he presented his sea bass ceviche. It was criticized for the plate he used, and while the texture was good, Meehan thought it needed a little crunch to balance out the softness. He received fifteen points between Meehan’s seven and Ramsay’s eight. His dish was ranked third online, and he received an additional eight points, ending with twenty-three points. He lost the challenge to Leigh, and he bitterly said that Leigh and Carmen’s dishes looked like they came from the nineties, claiming he would have won if that was the direction of the challenge.

Johnathan was punished by prepping 100 pounds of almonds for the lamb entrée at the following service. After hearing that, Johnathan was not pleased, especially as the comment Ramsay made earlier still stuck with him. During the punishment, he said he would not wish it on his worst enemy. During their lunch break, he continued to go on about Ramsay’s comment, something Sammi noticed. However, Ryan told him that he should get over it.

During dinner service, Johnathan was at the garnish station. After Dahmere got two lobster tails undercooked, he was seen serving the refires. On entrées, he was ready to bounce back from that morning. However, he sent up lamb garnish when the lamb was not on order, and Ramsay said he expected better from him. Then, he served soggy fries and hated letting Ramsay down, only to send up a refire order of fries with too much oil in them. Later, he dropped a sausage he was going to send up to the pass and brought the other one to the pass. Ramsay accused him of not caring, but he got irked by that accusation as he did care. The sausage came out ice cold, and Ramsay took him to the pass to feel it. Disappointed that he was not performing well, Ramsay told him to leave if he did not care. As he worked on the refire, Ryan was surprised that he was doing poorly as the latter considered him his biggest competition. Afterwards, he got the refire accepted and was later seen walking Dahmere's halibut to the pass. After Ramsay got frustrated with the miserable night, the former told him to be closer to Dahmere for support. He acknowledged that they must do better, and when Leigh served a butchered Wellington, he said they should know how to cook one by now.

After service, Ramsay asked the final six to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, Johnathan admitted that he was confused all night as Ramsay’s comment still bothered him and did not understand why the latter would say that to him.

Johnathan was not nominated for elimination. As Ramsay dismissed the chefs, he was asked to stay for a private chat. Ramsay knew something happened to him that night and asked what happened. He confronted Ramsay about the sack of poop comment he made earlier that day, but the latter argued that he was bantering with him. While Ramsay told him that he could not control what happened at the dorms, he must keep his composure in the kitchen as his comment was not personal. With the tension gone, he returned to the dorms. He said that once he won the competition, Ramsay could call him anything he wanted as he was determined to open his door.[13]

Episode 14[]

Main article: Episode 2214 - Don't Be Fooled

After having his talk with Ramsay, Johnathan was ready to put aside the incident and use it to fuel himself. He told Ryan about the discussion after making it to the dorms and was ready for the following day. Then, Ryan said how crazy it was that they each had a one-in-four shot at winning, and the former and he reaffirmed their pact to make it to the end together and battle it out.

Before the King of the Hill Challenge, Johnathan was ready to show Ramsay he could kick some butt. During the circuit portion of the challenge, he grabbed the mahi-mahi as he had Florida on his mind. After the shopping, it was revealed that he shopped for Sammi while he got Carmen's ingredients. During the cooking, he decided to make an aji Amarillo potato puree and a crab cake, saying he knew where he was headed: Florida. He was the final person to have his dish judged by Ramsay and refused to believe that Carmen’s dish would beat him. He made a crab cake with a spicy aji Amarillo puree. Ramsay found the crab cake delicious, but he found himself in a tough position as both his and Carmen’s dishes were exceptional. In the end, his dish was deemed the better of the two, and he won the challenge. He felt amazing to win and get his redemption.

Johnathan was rewarded with hosting a pop-up event at the Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte Harbor, Florida, and Ramsay revealed he also earned two round-trip tickets and a two-night stay in the sun suites. After hearing that, he told his daughter that they were going to Florida. Also, he received a jet ski adventure, and Ramsay said he could bring someone with him. He picked Ryan after making it obvious to everyone, and the latter thanked him for winning it for them. During the reward, he felt his adrenaline was off the charts and was happy to spend it with Ryan. At lunch, he jokingly called it his first date with Ryan and knew the finish line was coming close. As they ate, he and Ryan agreed to crush service that night and see each other holding the door handles.

During dinner service, Johnathan was at the garnish station. When he saw Carmen struggle to get a steak refire going, he felt she would not be able to catch up. He was the third person to run the pass and knew that everything was on the line that night. He called out his first order, and while Ramsay liked how he called it out, the latter reminded him not to let his guard down in front of his brigade. He refused to let anything pass him, and Ryan liked how he was running them. Ramsay secretly gave him a carbonara with fava beans instead of peas, but he instantly saw the mistake. After the order was sent out, Ramsay gave him an Artic char instead of the salmon Sammi cooked. That time, he did not see the mistake and plated the fish. Ramsay pointed out that mistake, and he knew that it was a tough one to spot as the salmon and Artic char looked alike. Still, he swore it would be his only mistake and was given a rack of venison instead of a rack of lamb. Despite not knowing what protein that was, he was sure that it was not lamb. Ramsay said he was correct, and he felt he was over the moon.

After service, Ramsay told the final four to have a deep discussion on why they deserved to continue in the competition. During deliberation, he reminded the group that he was competing for his daughter’s American Dream and knew the sacrifices he had made to get to where he was.

After the final four came downstairs, Ramsay asked them to explain why they deserved to stay. Johnathan said he was proud to be in the building as a father. He was named the second person to be in the final three for leading with authority and being the most consistent chef in the competition. He was after Ryan and was followed by Sammi. While being dismissed, he was determined to get his hands on the door by kicking it into a new gear.[14]

Episode 15/16[]

Main article: Episode 2215 - And Then There Were Two
Main article: Episode 2216 - One Hell of An American Dream

While returning to the dorms, Johnathan was overwhelmed with emotions and said they all deserved to be in the final three. Still, he was determined to get his hands on the door with his daughter on his back. Sometime later, Ramsay called the dorms and told him to bring everyone downstairs. There, Ramsay told the three that they must create a menu for their final challenge. To help conceptualize their menus, Ramsay was giving them the Sous Chefs to help them. Ramsay asked the chefs to press a button to reveal where they were meeting their Sous Chefs, but he did not have to press it as he immediately got the dorms. He met with Sous Chef Jason and was thrilled to work with someone he considered a menu. He said he wanted a poke bowl on the menu as it reminded him of his mother, and he said he was thinking of his family for the dishes. Then, he said he wanted to make glazed carrots and knew Sous Chef Jason would not let him play it safe as he wanted to win.

The following day, Ramsay sent the final three to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for inspiration. When the three entered the Coliseum, Ramsay spoke with them through the jumbotron. Ramsay told them how the Coliseum hosted several Olympics throughout the years and how countless athletes made their American Dreams come true on the fields before them. Carl Lewis came out to meet the final three, making Johnathan speechless over seeing a legend like the former. Lewis explained how he dreamed about joining the Olympics, and he went through a lot to get there. Afterwards, Lewis surprised them with a helicopter tour over Los Angeles. As the final three went on the helicopter, he called the view breathtaking, while Sammi felt how crazy the journey had been for her. Their first stop was new clothes at the US Boutique, and he felt like a million bucks over his new clothes. Their second stop was at the 71 Above with Ramsay. He revealed that he never had someone other than his daughter to be with, but Ramsay suggested that he should never give up on finding someone special to be with.

When the group got back to Hell’s Kitchen, they saw the front hallway under construction as Ramsay wanted to get things ready for the final service. Ramsay took the final three to another pathway, leading them to a room of the props used in the season. That caused Johnathan to recall all the little things they went through, from the trio of celebrities that told the chefs their accomplished American Dreams on day one to how Ramsay recalled how they each scored a perfect five on the Signature Dish Challenge. The final stop was the black jacket case, where he recalled how he got the first one before the judging on part one was over. Ramsay said he was proud of all three of them as they deserved to be in the final three despite their ups and downs before revealing that he had another present for them. Taking them to his office, Ramsay gave the final three two tickets from Allegiant Airlines. Afterwards, Ramsay took down the paper covering the construction of the dining room, only to reveal a group of guests awaiting them, including seven of the previously eliminated chefs. Ramsay announced the Final Menu Challenge, and after announcing the final three, he told them that they had one hour to cook a five-course meal from their menu, with the top two chefs earning their spots in the final dinner service. Ramsay urged the trio to make their meals the most important ones of their career, and he began the challenge.

During the challenge, Johnathan said he was always ready to cook as Atoye rooted for him to win. He went in with great confidence and felt invincible with Sous Chef Jason by his side. Three minutes left, he said he wanted to win for his daughter. During the cold appetizer round, he made a Hawaiian-styled tuna poke with avocado mousse and crispy wonton chips. Giada De Laurentiis liked the number of flavors in the dish, and he scored a perfect ten. That pleased him as it was a good start. For the hot appetizer round, he made a ravioli stuffed with glazed carrots. It had a lot of flavors, and Brian Malarkey wished he could eat more of it. He scored a perfect ten. For the fish entrée round, he served a grilled branzino in an orange Escabèche, shaved fennel, caper salad, and crispy chickpeas. Nyesha Arrington liked how he scored the fish as it did not look buckled from the grilling and found the flavors bright and acidic in a good way. He scored eight points, but that disappointed him as he lost his perfect run. For the chicken entrée round, he made a crispy skin pan-seared chicken breast with dumplings, carrots, and pearl onions. It was deemed an elevated dish, and he scored nine points. For the beef entrée round, he presented his New York striploin with a blue cheese butter crust, potato pancake, and a port wine sauce. While the sauce was strong, Curtis Stone said that the pancake helped make it work and told him that he made it work. Stone told him that his dish was the tastiest of the night, and the former gave him a nine. With a score of 46 points, he was the second person to make it to the finale. Still, he knew he had one more challenge ahead of him and said the job was not done.

Due to scoring below Ryan, Johnathan was left with the final pick by default. He chose Dahmere as his first pick, with the latter promising to do everything to win it for him. After Ryan picked Jason, he was happy that he would not be stuck with the latter. Then, he picked Donya and Leigh while being left with Atoye by default. Still, he was happy with his choices and wished Ryan luck with the team he picked.[15]

Back at the dorms, Johnathan was overwhelmed with emotions, claiming that he did it for his daughter. He told his team he would not scream at them like Ramsay did, as he wanted them to have fun and cook food with smiles. As he went through the menu, he assigned Dahmere to meat. While Dahmere was concerned about his voice, the former knew he could depend on himself and Donya to pick up the pace. In contrast, Donya felt good to be on his team, though her concern was the simplistic menu. Lastly, he assigned Leigh on appetizers, making her a little surprised that he did not have an ego.

During prep, Johnathan thought his team was rock solid and knew they could rise to the occasion. Hours later, Sous Chef Jason asked him to see Ramsay in his office. Once there, Ramsay commented that he was one night away from winning, and he said he was ready to change his and his daughter’s life. Suddenly, his daughter and parents came into Ramsay’s office, leading to an emotional reunion. Ramsay allowed him time to spend time with his family, with his daughter showing him a drawing of them baking blueberry muffins. That made him feel motivated to cook for his family, and he told his family about his menu. Before service began, Ramsay summoned him and Ryan to his office, reminding them that it was their night to prove they could run a kitchen. To get them in the right mindset, Ramsay handed them their head chef jackets. After putting it on, he called it a surreal moment. Afterwards, Ramsay told the two to show that dreams in America could be made and wished them luck. When they exited the office, the dining room was full of people as Ryan called it a pinch-me moment. Ramsay welcomed the guests to the final dinner service and had the finalists explain their menu and their American Dream. He said he was fighting for his family, and his menu expressed the heart of his family. Ramsay reminded the two about the grand prize and wished them the best of luck. After entering his kitchen, he was ready to crush that night for his family.

During dinner service, Johnathan received his first order and called it out. he felt his team was rock solid and knew that night was also a testament to how much they had grown in the competition. As Dahmere worked on the lamb, he promised to rock it out. However, Ramsay found the lamb to be raw, and he said it was not the night for stupid mistakes. He told Dahmere to refire the lamb, making Atoye comment how amazing he was as they were working for him and his family. As Atoye sent up her poke dish, he accepted Dahmere’s refire. With appetizers rolling out of the blue kitchen, he looked to begin firing entrées. Dahmere knew a lot was on the line for him and swore he would redeem his earlier mistake. However, Leigh got nervous as she noticed Dahmere getting overwhelmed. Dahmere sent up ice-cold sauce for the steak, making him frustrated with the former as the meat station was sinking. Worse, the steak was rare, and Ramsay warned him that they were in trouble. With no other options, he reassigned Donya to meat and Dahmere to garnish. Donya immediately got to work, and he knew it was the most important night of his life. Fortunately, Donya got her steaks accepted and compared herself to Stephen Curry. Later, he felt the switch was working as he knew they could bounce back from the bumps they made that night. He served his final order in the blue kitchen. As the chefs cleared down, he told his team he was proud of him as Dahmere was ready to see him live out his American Dream as the latter felt he deserved to win the competition.

After lining up, Ramsay thanked the returning chefs for their extraordinary performance for the finalists and said the competition was close. Ramsay said he would study every comment card to help decide a winner, but based on what he saw that night, they made his job difficult. Ramsay sent the group back to the dorms, telling them to enjoy a drink even though Johnathan swore he would not have one after what happened at black jackets. Back at the dorms, he was proud of what he had done that night and felt he had risen to the occasion. He and Ryan reflected on that night and how much they went through to get there, with the latter commenting that no matter what, they were both winners. He knew that their lives would change after that night and never expected to get there in his twenties. Later that evening, Ramsay called the dorms and asked him and Ryan to enter his office. There, Ramsay said he had a difficult decision that night, thinking back to the first day when he brought out the winning doors to give them a taste of what it was like to win. Ramsay told him that he had a big heart to go along with his skills and was proud of how he was fighting for his daughter. Afterwards, Ramsay had the two stand in front of the doors, both knowing that only one of them would open for someone. After Ramsay counted to three, both turned their handles, but his door did not open. He was named the runner-up. Despite being disappointed that he lost, he said he was proud to compete against Ryan and knew it would be fuel to drive him forward.[16]

Nomination History[]

Week 1 Safe
Week 2 Safe
Week 3 Safe
Week 4 Win
Week 5 Safe
Week 6 Safe
Week 7 Safe
Week 8 Win
Week 9 Safe
Week 10 Safe
Week 11 Safe
Week 12 Safe
Week 13 Safe
Week 14 Safe
Week 15 Runner-up

Post Hell's Kitchen[]

  • After his appearance on the show, Johnathan opened his own restaurant, Bar Becky in Long Beach, California.

Trivia[]

  • He is the eighth contestant to earn a Punishment Pass, following Bret (Season 18), Syann (Season 19), Steve, Brynn (both from Season 20), Alejandro, Alex (both from Season 21), and Melissa (also from Season 22). He also holds the record for the longest time of holding a Punishment Pass and is the first chef to let his expire upon making it to black jackets.
  • He is the second contestant to receive a black jacket during a Black Jackets Challenge round before Ramsay finished his judging, following Alejandro (Season 21).
  • He and Ryan are the fifth pair of finalists to avoid being nominated throughout the season, following Dave and Kevin (Season 6), Holli and Jay (Season 7), Meghan and T (Season 14), and Ryan and Heather (Season 16).
  • He, Ryan, and Sammi are the second final three to avoid being nominated, following Heidi, Heather, and Ryan (Season 16).
  • He and Ryan are the third pair of finalists to be the same age (28), following Heather and Virginia (Season 2) and Nona and Russell (Season 8).
  • He is the eighth runner-up and fifth male runner-up to have never been nominated for elimination during the entire season, following Kevin (Season 6), Jay (Season 7), Will (Season 9), T (Season 14), Heather (Season 16), Benjamin (Season 17), and Mary Lou (Season 19).
  • He is the fifth runner-up and second male runner-up to score a perfect five on the new format of the Signature Dish Challenge, following T (Season 14), Heather (Season 16), Benjamin (Season 17), and Mia (Season 18).

Quotes[]

  • "I can't believe I got told I look like a sack of shit."
  • "Only Jason would throw Chef Christina and Chef Jason under the bus. Am I surprised? No."
  • (Imitating Ramsay's accent) "It's... RAW!!"
  • (When getting a black jacket immediately after presenting his dish) "This is for Saxon, and for my family. She's so proud of me, and my family's got to be so proud."
  • (After being named runner-up) "My door didn't open. And, uh, it's...it's tough. I just have to use it as fuel for my fire. I know I'm going to be successful. I know Saxon is going to be proud of me, and I'm happy I lost to Ryan and such a good person and a good man and a good friend.”

Gallery[]

External links[]

References[]

  1. (September 28, 2022). "Episode 2201 - The Dream Begins". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 22. Episode 1.
  2. (October 5, 2022). "Episode 2202 - Tad Overwhelming". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 22. Episode 2.
  3. (October 12, 2022). "Episode 2203 - Citizens of Hell's Kitchen". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 22. Episode 3.
  4. (October 19, 2022). "Episode 2204 - Gimme an H!". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 22. Episode 4.
  5. (October 26, 2023). "Episode 2205 - Just Bring the DARN Fish!". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 22. Episode 5.
  6. (November 2, 2023). "Episode 2206 - Fusion Confusion". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 22. Episode 6.
  7. (November 9, 2023). "Episode 2207 - All Up in Your Grills". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 22. Episode 7.
  8. (November 16, 2023). "Episode 2208 - Cooking For Your Life". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 22. Episode 8.
  9. (November 30, 2023). "Episode 2209 - More Bang For Your Buck". Hell's Kitchen (U.S. TV series). Season 22. Episode 9.
  10. (December 7, 2023). "Episode 2210 - The Pastabilities Are Endless". Season 22. Episode 10.
  11. (December 14, 2023). "Episode 2211 - A Hellish Food Fight". Season 22. Episode 11.
  12. (January 4, 2024). "Episode 2212 - A Hell's Kitchen Special Delivery". Season 22. Episode 12.
  13. (January 11, 2024). "Episode 2213 - HellishHangover". Season 22. Episode 13.
  14. (January 18, 2024). "Episode 2214 - Don't Be Fooled". Season 22. Episode 14.
  15. (January 25, 2024). "Episode 2215 - And Then There Were Two". Season 22. Episode 15.
  16. (January 25, 2024). "Episode 2216 - One Hell of An American Dream". Season 22. Episode 16.
Hell's Kitchen: The American Dream
Staff
Gordon Ramsay (Head Chef) • Jay Santos (Blue Team Sous Chef) • Christina Wilson (Red Team Sous Chef) • Marino Monferrato (Maître d'hôtel)
Contestants
Johnathan BenvenutiMattias ButtsRaneisha ConerlyBrad DelgadoClaudia DiawaraSandra GajovskyJason HedinCarmen IbarraMelissa IronsAtoye JohnsonDahmere MerriweatherRyan O'SullivanLeigh OrleansDevon RosenblattSammi TarantinoDonya TaylorTad WaltersJermaine Wright
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