| “ | You're not intimidated by getting loud. You act like a little bitch in the kitchen now you want to be all fucking loud. | ” |
Jose DeJesus, or simply José DeJesus, was a contestant on Season 18 of Hell's Kitchen. He ranked in 8th place.
Season 18[]
Episode 1/2[]
- Main article: Episode 1801 - Rookies vs. Veterans
- Main article: Episode 1802 - A Fond Farewell
When the sixteen chefs arrived at Hell's Kitchen, they were welcomed by Marino and the Sous Chefs and were given butternut squash risotto for lunch. Jose was the sixth rookie to explain his credentials.
During the Signature Dish Challenge, Jose revealed his pan-seared scallops with parsnip, went up against Ariel, and he was the fifth person from the red team to have his dish judged by Ramsay. He made pan-seared scallops with parsnip purée, it was praised for having a delicious purée, and he scored 4 points. The rookies won the challenge after a tie at 29, and they were rewarded with dinner at Josiah Citrin’s Charcoal, with Ramsay joining them along with Citrin. During the reward, he said that he would never forget that dinner.[1]
During the Creative Risotto Challenge, Jose presented his uni and crab risotto when the Sous Chefs were tasting the dishes and felt confident in his dish as, despite coming from Puerto Rico, his cooking was beyond his culture’s food. He lost the challenge as he was not called up as one of the top four of the rookies.
During dinner service, Jose was on the fish station with Scott. At one point, he wanted to take the lead on fish, and that he was on his A-game, before wanting to show Ramsay that he was a silent killer. However, his halibut was raw, and a pissed Ramsay showed it to the rookies, before warning him and Scott to either get a grip, or they would be kicked out through the front door, and berated them for acting like idiots instead of professional chefs. After Kanae told him to get it together, he got his refire accepted, and they sent out their first order of entrées. The rookies lost the service, and they were asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, he was considered for elimination by Motto, Gizzy, and Kanae, but he argued that meat also fucked up that night along with fish.
Jose was not nominated for elimination, but Ramsay decided to call him up along with Scott and Chris. During his plea, Ramsay accused him of dropping his head and disappearing, but he argued that despite his slow start, he was a driven person and wanted to be in the competition 120%. He survived elimination, and while being dismissed, he said that he wanted to make Ramsay proud.[2]
Episode 3[]
- Main article: Episode 1803 - Hell's Riders
During the Marines Service Challenge, Jose was on the meat station with Kanae. He was not seen, the rookies won the challenge, and they were rewarded with a trip to Paramount Ranch and got to star in their own Western film.
During dinner service, Jose was on the meat station with Scotley. When he called out for a 60-second delay, Scotley called out three minutes instead. After Gizzy overcooked the halibut, Ramsay asked him to take over, and he got his attempt accepted. Later, he called out an order incorrectly, but Mia corrected him. Both teams were named joint-winners.[3]
Episode 4[]
- Main article: Episode 1804 - Hell Freezes Over
Back at the dorms, Jose was with Chris and Scotley at the hot tub and talked about how sexy the ladies on their team were.
Before the Winter Soup Challenge, Jose was paired up with Kanae on the sledding, and they were the final pair to sled down. They struggled as Kanae face planted on their way down, and they lost the pre-challenge to the veterans. He was the fifth rookie to have his dish judged and presented his miso soup and vegetables. It was praised for the funkiness and being easy to eat, and he scored seven points. The rookies won the challenge 51-41, and they were rewarded with an overnight trip to L’Horizon at Palm Springs and ate dinner at Sopa.
During dinner service, Jose was on the garnish station. He was not seen much, except for being asked by Mia to help her out on the flatbreads. Both teams were named joint-losers, and they were asked to nominate two each.
Jose was not nominated for elimination, he said goodbye to Gizzy, Kanae, and Mia as they were reassigned to the blue team, and welcomed Bret, Kevin, and Trev as new teammates as Ramsay decided to end the Rookies Vs. Veterans team format, and bring back the battle of the sexes.[4]
Episode 5[]
- Main article: Episode 1805 - Fish Out of Water
Back at the dorms, Mia asked Jose if he had any kids, he revealed that he had an eleven-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son, and said that he never focused on life before his kids came.
During the Seven-Way Cooking Challenge, Jose received shallow fried as his cooking method, he was the fifth person from the red team to have his dish judged and went up against Ariel. He made a shallow fried halibut with back braised red cabbage, it was praised for being flavorable, he tied that round with Ariel, and felt honored to hear Ramsay say that he put his heart into his own dish. The red team eventually lost the challenge 3-5, and they were punished by participating in composting day, which involved mixing all the waste that was accumulated in the 18 seasons of the show and mixing it with manure that would be arriving soon.
During dinner service, Jose was on the appetizer station with Motto. He was not seen that night, the red team lost the service, and they were asked to nominate two people for elimination.
He was not nominated for elimination.[5]
Episode 6[]
- Main article: Episode 1806 - Hot Potato
Before the Potato Challenge, Jose noticed that with the number of people they had, there were not going to be a lot of ingredient pieces for everybody, only to be proven wrong when a container of potatoes and pieces soon came down. He was the first person from the red team to have his dish judged and went up against T. He made a sweet potato gratin, it was criticized for trying too hard in the concept, with Richard Blaise saying that some people looked better in jeans and t-shirts, and he scored 4 points. The red team eventually won the challenge after a tie at 40, and they were rewarded with a trip to Animal Tracks to meet some animals and ate lunch at Daniel Humm’s Nomad Food truck.
Before steak night service Jose learned that Chris had left and shook his head in sadness at the former's departure. During the Steak Night dinner service, he was on the appetizer station. At one point, Ramsay reminded him to cook his risotto on the fire, and he knew that Ramsay was only trying to make him a better chef, before calling it an honor. It paid off as his risotto was accepted, and the red team eventually won the service.[6]
Episode 7[]
- Main article: Episode 1807 - Last Chef Standing
During the Last Chef Standing Challenge, Jose was the second person from the red team to leave the kitchen, was the second person from the red team to have his dish judged by Ramsay, and went up against Kanae. He made a fried chicken, it was praised for tasting delicious, and he tied that round with Kanae. The red team eventually lost the challenge 3-4, and they were punished by participating in delivery day and shucking corn and peas.
Because Jose was the second person from the red team to leave the kitchen in the previous challenge, he was forced to participate in the Cook For Your Life Challenge with Bret and Scotley from the red team, and Gizzy, Heather, and Roe from the blue team. During the cooking, he had an idea for a chorizo corn hash and wanted to win that challenge for his family. He was the fifth person to have his dish judged by Ramsay, he believed that he was safe due to putting his heart and soul into his dish, and presented his pan-seared salmon with chorizo hash and avocado salsa-verde. It was praised for the presentation as the colors really popped out, the salmon skin for being very crispy, but Ramsay said that the only nitpick was that it lacked acidity. Despite that, his dish was deemed better than Gizzy’s, he was the fourth person deemed safe, and Ramsay told him that it was the best dish he created so far in the competition. He felt good about his performance and only wished that he could call his kids to reassure them that he was still in the competition.[7]
Episode 8[]
- Main article: Episode 1808 - One Hell of a Party
Before the Tilly Sweet 16 Planning Challenge, a picture of a teenage Jose was shown, with a bit of his beard starting to grow. He was in a team with Bret and Trev on entrées, and they went up against Ariel, Heather, and Mia from the blue team. He made fish and chips with sweet potato fries and mango moho, and it easily won a spot on the menu. The red team eventually lost the challenge 2-4, and they were punished by baking four-layered personal cakes for Tilly’s guest and setting up a mobile photo booth which included origami styled flowers. During the punishment, he struggled to try and fold the flowers with the instructions, and when Bret was suffering an anxiety attack, he got concerned and called the medic.
During the Tilly Sweet 16 dinner service, Jose was on the meat station. At one point, one of his entrées was accepted, and after the blue team got kicked out of the kitchen, he, along with Motto and Scotley, were called in to complete their tables. The red team won the service, Ramsay praised him for his best performance yet, and he commented that it felt good finishing up the women’s orders for them.[8]
Episode 9[]
- Main article: Episode 1809 - What Happens in Vegas
During the Chinese Cuisine Challenge, Jose wanted to go up against Kanae, and their protein was spot prawns. He was the final person from the red team to have his dish judged and presented his head-on prawns. It was praised for being flavorable, but because Shirley Chung and Ramsay were a little confused as to why the noodles were not as seasoned as the prawns, he lost that round to Kanae. The red team lost the challenge 2-3, and they were punished by baking fortune cookies and stuffing the fortunes inside them.
During dinner service, Jose was at the fish station with Trev. He kept micromanaging Trev’s work, much to the latter’s annoyance, and when Trev's scallops came out raw, he decided to cook the refire himself, but that led to more bicker which annoyed Bret. However, his scallops were rejected for looking disgusting, and a pissed Ramsay reminded the men that it was not opening night anymore. Later, he was seen helping Scotley out on meat, but after Trev sent up burnt salmon, he decided to take over again due to concern as the latter was an All-Star as Ramsay was lost for words due to the fact that they had a strong service the previous night. After, his attempt broke on him, and he told Ramsay that he needed more time. Despite the blue team coming over to help out, his salmon was raw, and that served to be the final straw for Ramsay, who proceeded to kick the men out of the kitchen.
The red team lost the service, and they were asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, Jose was considered for elimination by Motto, but he and Scotley recalled how Trev served two burnt salmon earlier. However, when Trev argued that he took more control of the fish that night, he accused the former of covering his own ass and not taking responsibility.
During elimination, Jose told Ramsay that there was some bad vibe in the team and they didn't like each other, and Scotley and Trev's argument in front of the latter proved his point. He was not nominated for elimination, but because he was a third consideration, Ramsay called him up with Scotley and Trev. During his plea, he said that he was driven to become the Executive Chef. He survived elimination.[9]
Episode 10[]
- Main article: Episode 1810 - Poor Trev
Following elimination, Jose felt upset after his poor service but Motto gave him encouragement and reminded him that he was a strong chef. Later, he showed a bit of disgust when Bret talked about his past girlfriends.
During the Blind Taste Test, Jose received all three punishments during Trev's turn due to the latter getting 0 out of 4 in the challenge, which led him to complain about his pants being drenched. He was the final person from the red team to compete and went up against Kanae. While he correctly identified coffee, Kanae did as well, and the red team lost the challenge 6-10. They were punished by cleaning up the dining room, polishing glassware, and making handmade gelato. During the punishment, he, Motto, and in particular Bret mocked Trev for sabotaging the gelato machine, causing the latter to retreat in embarrassment.
During the Charity Night dinner service, Jose had some bruised pieces of salad during Bret's course and was forced to pick some out. He was in charge of the veal saltimbocca course. At first, he struggled to give Ramsay and Heather correct timings, due to interference from Trev. Although appearing to have his team under control as he wanted to keep the men focused, he failed to notice that six portions of veal were raw. As a result, it was sent back and Ramsay berated the red team, questioning who cooked it. Although both Motto and Trev were on the station, Jose believed that Trev was responsible as the latter had earlier sent undercooked scallops and attempted to blame Bret. Then, he claimed that he should have cooked the veal himself as his team let him down, while an infuriated Ramsay ordered the men to get the desserts ready as he himself cooked the refires.
The red team lost the service, and they were asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, Jose reminded Trev that the soufflé course was a team effort, but when the latter asked him who he thought the raw veal came from, either himself or Motto, he himself argued that there was no way of knowing that. Then, he felt that Trev should have been sent home long ago as he sucked at everything but running his mouth, but Bret reminded him that he should have cut into the veal to see what the state was.
Jose was the red team's first nominee for elimination with Trev as the second. After coming down to the front, Ramsay asked him why he was different from the Trev, and he answered that he, unlike Trev, took responsibility for his mistakes. During his plea, said that he had a lot of passion and drive, and despite having a bad day, he had been strong overall. He was eliminated for his poor leadership on his course and allowing the raw veal to leave the kitchen without checking them first, but before leaving, Ramsay wished him luck and was told to keep his head high. During his exit interview, he felt emotional describing that although he was disappointed, he would continue to keep progressing for the stars after his learning experience in Hell's Kitchen.
Ramsay's comment: "On a night when it should have been Hell’s Kitchen giving back to some amazing charities, it was the charities that ended up giving back Jose’s raw veal." [10]
Episode 15/16[]
- Main article: Episode 1815 - A Rollercoaster Ride
- Main article: Episode 1816 - The Grand Finale
Jose was one of the eight chefs who returned for the final dinner service. She was Mia's third pick, after Roe and Trev, and was followed and Heather.[11]
During dinner service, Jose was on the garnish station. He was not seen much, except for commenting that Mia should not have put Trev on appetizers as they did not want to start out slow but respected her decision. After service, he felt that Mia would win as she proved to the veterans she was a threat. Mia eventually lost the finals to Ariel.[12]
Nomination history[]
| Week 1 | Nominated |
|---|---|
| Week 2 | Win |
| Week 3 | Safe |
| Week 4 | Safe |
| Week 5 | Win |
| Week 6 | Nominated |
| Week 7 | Win |
| Week 8 | Nominated |
| Week 9 | Nominated |
Post Hell's Kitchen[]
- After his appearance on the show, Jose returned to his pop up dining company called the Breaking Bread Kitchen.
- He became a Private Chef, offering private chef services, catering services, and consulting services.
- On August 2, 2020, he appeared on Beat Bobby Flay in the episode "It's All Gouda" and eventually won both rounds.
Trivia[]
- Along with Mia, he is the second Puerto Rican contestant of Hell's Kitchen following Fernando (Season 13).
- He is the fourth contestant to be nominated by Ramsay on opening night, following Chino (Season 9), Royce (Season 10), and Christine (Season 14).
Quotes[]
- (to Trev not owning up to his mistakes) "You're not intimidated by getting loud. You act like a little bitch in the kitchen now you want to be all fucking loud."
- (After being eliminated) "It's disappointment. And it has been a long journey. But it was ultimately a learning experience. The lesson is, don't hold yourself back, go for the stars. That's all I can say."
- (About Mia after the final dinner service) "I’m proud of Mia, coming in as a rookie and proving to the veterans that, you know, we were stronger than what they imagined. Definitely feel like Mia is taking this W home."
Gallery[]
.png "Jose's Confessional (Red Jacket).png (1.43 MB)")
,_Chris_(S18),_and_Jose_Nominated.png "Scott (S18), Chris (S18), and Jose Nominated.png (976 KB)")
_Nominated.png "Scotley, Jose, and Trev (S18) Nominated.png (1.47 MB)")
.png "Jose's Confessional (Blue Jacket).png (1.41 MB)")
.png "Jose's Risotto Dish (Not Judged).png (1.02 MB)")
.png "Kanae and Jose's Chinese Cuisine Dish (Spot Prawns).png (942 KB)")
External links[]
Jose DeJesus on Instagram
References[]
| Hell's Kitchen: Rookies vs. Veterans |
|---|
| Staff |
| Gordon Ramsay (Head Chef) • Jocky Petrie (Blue Team Sous Chef) • Christina Wilson (Red Team Sous Chef) • Marino Monferrato (Maître d'hôtel) |
| Contestants |
| Veterans |
| Ariel Contreras-Fox • Kevin Cottle • Roe DiLeo • Jen Gavin • T Gregoire • Bret Hauser • Trev McGrath • Heather Williams |
| Rookies |
| Gizzy Barton • Mia Castro • Jose DeJesus • Kanae Houston • Scotley Innis • Chris Mendonca • Chris Motto • Scott Popovic |