Scott Commings

 

“

It's motivation to win this for a better life for me and my family.

”

Hometown/Residence	Woodstock, IL
Occupation	Executive Chef
Culinary Education	Purdue University
Statistics
Signature Dish Challenge Score	0 out of 1
Blind Taste Test Score	2 out of 4
Challenges Won	8
Services Won	3
Times as BoW/Announcer	0
Times Nominated	7
Placement	Winner

Scott Commings was a contestant on Season 12 of Hell's Kitchen. He was the winner of that season and was awarded a head chef position at the Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Palace, in Las Vegas, with a $250,000 salary.

Season 12

Episode 1

Main article: Episode 1201 - 20 Chefs Compete

The twenty new chefs rode on a bus on route to Hell's Kitchen and during this time they had the opportunity to get to know each other. Upon arrival, they were greeted by Jean-Philippe who walked the chefs into Hell’s Kitchen, only to walk into a service already going on with the food receiving positive comments and Ramsay expressing that the chefs in the kitchen were doing a splendid job. That confused the chefs, and once the service ended, Ramsay approached them and welcomed them. Ramsay explained that he did a soft opening to showcase the chefs what his expectations were, and asked if they could perform a service like the one they saw. Everybody promised they would, and Ramsay revealed that the winner would become a Head Chef at one of his restaurants, but first, they had to survive Hell’s Kitchen in Los Angeles, a place he deemed the capital of entertainment. Shortly after, patrons of the restaurant began performing. Afterwards, Ramsay announced it was time for the Signature Dish Challenge.

During the Signature Dish Challenge, Scott was the final person from the blue team to have his dish judged by Ramsay and went up against Jessica. He made a lightly fennel dusted rack of lamb, but while he felt purely confident Ramsay would love his dish after taking a big risk, Ramsay felt he fucked the lamb completely. So, he lost that round to Jessica, and the blue team lost the challenge 4-5. They were punished by resetting the dining room ahead of the opening service.

During dinner service, Scott was on the garnish station with Ralph. He was not seen much, but the blue team was kicked out of the kitchen after multiple mistakes, even though he asked if he could stay. Both teams were named joint losers, and they were asked to nominate two each. During deliberation, he considered Gaurav and Gabriel as his nominees, but while he knew the latter and DeMarco had poor performances on fish, he struggled to figure out which of the two did the worst.

He was not nominated for elimination.

Episode 2

Main article: Episode 1202 - 19 Chefs Compete

The next day, at 4:33 AM, the chefs awoke to the sounds of dirt bikes revving in the dorms, and Sous Chef Andi told the chefs to meet Ramsay outside. During the Basics Relay Challenge, Scott was paired with Mike, they were the fourth pair from the blue team to compete, and they were tasked with filleting four trouts. They quickly got their trouts filleted and sent up to Ramsay, which were all accepted. The blue team won the challenge 5-4, and they were rewarded with a trip to San Francisco, ate lunch with Ramsay at Epic Roasthouse, and went on a VIP trip around San Francisco on Segways. During the reward, he felt it was the perfect chance for them to let out some steam and congratulate themselves for winning the challenge for a once in a lifetime experience.

During dinner service, Scott was on the fish station with Ralph. At one point, he and Gabriel communicated on timings for their first entrée order, but the latter asked why he dropped the halibut when chicken took longer to cook. However, he wanted to get moving and walked his halibut before Gabriel was ready, but it was revealed to be raw, annoying Richard as he rushed Gabriel for no reason. Eventually, the blue team was kicked out after multiple mistakes. Both teams were named joint losers, and they were asked to nominate two each. During deliberation, Gabriel deemed him the weakest for the lack of communication, but while he argued that he did have good communication, Gabriel reminded him about his raw halibut and felt he was being a hindrance. However, he refused to believe he was the weakest chef as well and refused to be nominated.

He was not nominated for elimination.

Episode 3

Main article: Episode 1203 - 18 Chefs Compete

The next day, at 5:45 AM, the chefs were woken to the sound of pigs squealing and a farmer yelling very loud. During the Potato Challenge, Scott was not seen during part one, but the blue team won 100-90. During part two, he decided to venture into making a potato soufflé, but despite Ramsay questioning if that was wise, he believed so as he wanted to take a risk despite soufflés being a scary dish to make. He was chosen as part of the top five, was the final person from the blue team to have his dish judged by Ramsay, and went up against Joy. While he looked for a perfect five, he was hoping for something positive from Ramsay before presenting his potato soufflé with béchamel and fresh herbs. Ramsay commended him for having the balls to make a soufflé, praised the delicious seasoning, and gave him four points. The blue team eventually lost the challenge 16-18, and they were punished by cleaning the livestock out in the pen.

During dinner service, Scott was on the meat station and was joined by DeMarco after the latter returned from urgent care. After DeMarco realized he forgot to leave the bone on his chicken and had to do a refire, he was forced to tell Ramsay the bad news, leaving the latter angrily confused over their situation and refused to send out an incomplete table, before ordering a refire. After, he felt DeMarco could not get it together as it was taking too long for a simple chicken. Then, despite Mike telling him that the halibut was not ready, he sliced his lamb and walked it to the pass, angering Chris as he never told him earlier. Since the halibut would not be ready until two minutes, it enraged Ramsay enough to kick the blue team out of the kitchen. Both teams were named joint losers, and they were asked to nominate three each. During deliberation, he, Anton, and DeMarco were seen going inbetween Mike and Jason before the two's argument got physical.

He was not nominated for elimination.

Episode 4

Main article: Episode 1204 - 17 Chefs Compete

During the Lobster Ravioli Challenge, Scott was paired up with Jason, and they were seen getting three of their attempts accepted. The blue team eventually lost the challenge 9-10, and they were punished by cleaning up the pennies worth $200,000, as well as clean and prep both kitchens for that night’s service. During the punishment, while on a break, he said that Mike and DeMarco were not helping much, and when Mike showed attitude, he said that all the BS nonsense must stop because otherwise, their service would be doomed.

During the Steak Night dinner service, Scott was on tableside with Gabriel. He was not seen that night, the blue team lost the service after receiving help from the red team, and they were asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, he asked where the hang-ups began.

He was not nominated for elimination.

Episode 5

Main article: Episode 1205 - 16 Chefs Compete

During the Creative Memory Challenge, Scott was paired up with Ralph, and they were seen matching up polenta. During the cooking, he suggested using a hollandaise on swordfish, but while Ralph agreed to that, he has never done it and hoped he knew what he was doing. They were the final pair from the blue team to have their dish judged and went up against Joy and Bev. He presented their swordfish with basmati rice and hollandaise sauce, but while Ramsay praised the dish for a beautifully cooked protein and being moist, he criticized the hollandaise sauce component, which Ramsay said was never accepted. They lost that round, and the blue team lost the challenge 2-3. They were punished by harvesting fresh honey, making 100 pounds of honey taffy, and drinking sardine shakes for lunch.

During the Wedding brunch service, Scott was on the fruit salad station with Anton. He was seen leading the course strongly, allowing the men to push out salads at a strong pace. After Ramsay caught Ralph trying to toast bread on a cold pan, he deemed that a rookie mistake. The blue team lost the service, and they were asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, he said the men sucked as both the Croque monsieur and scrambled egg stations were all 101 and wanted to see the weak go home.

He was not nominated for elimination.

Episode 6

Main article: Episode 1206 - 15 Chefs Compete

The next day, Ramsay asked both teams to name a leader for the following service. During deliberation, Scott nominated Jason, but eventually, Anton was named the blue team's leader.

During dinner service, Scott was on the fish station with Chris. At one point, he kept calling out one minute on the halibut despite Ramsay wanting an answer for the next table, eventually leading the latter to pull him to the front and lecture him as Jason compared him to somebody who thought to use their kidneys for thinking. Eventually, he got refocused. The blue team won the service.

Episode 7

Main article: Episode 1207 - 14 Chefs Compete

During the Gourmet Pizza Challenge, Scott was paired up with Gabriel, they were the second pair from the blue team to have their dish judged, and went up against Joy and Jessica. They made a lobster pizza, but despite feeling a little confident despite the nerves of cooking for Wolfgang Puck, the latter felt the lobster could have been cut into smaller pieces, and Ramsay was disappointed in the taste. So, they scored 5 points. The blue team won the challenge 15-12, and they were rewarded with a trip to the rooftop of the Andaz Hotel in Sunset Strip and received yoga lessons. During the reward, he felt it was great to get outside and see Hollywood after being cooped up in the restaurant.

During the Italian Family Night dinner service, he was on the appetizer station with Jason. He told Chris that his third attempt was burnt on the bottom, but when the latter continued to struggle, he decided to help Chris. Unfortunately, the pizzas continued to come out burnt as Gabriel watched in disbelief, and the latter felt like they were asses that night. When Gabriel sent up a pizza, it was burnt and black on the bottom, and a furious Ramsay took the former, Chris, and himself into the back-pantry room demanding an explanation. He claimed that the pizzas were not cooking properly, but Ramsay told him to make the pizzas thinner. As the three went back into the kitchen, he said that every night was a challenge, but they had to find a way to push through. Anton tried to give him some pointers on the pizzas, but he ignored him despite Anton reminding him that he burned 15 already. Eventually, the blue team ran out of dough, and an infuriated Ramsay asked him and Chris how they were going to get through this as out of the 36 portions they made, only 10 pizzas were served. He was embarrassed over the debacle, while Chris apologized fucking Ramsay, before blaming him for bombing his station. Then, Ramsay called up Jean-Philippe and had him bring him and Chris to the affected tables to apologize, and he was embarrassed because he made pizzas with his family all the time. After, he and Chris offered the table a replacement of spaghetti and meatballs.

The blue team lost the service, and they were asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, Jason and Gabriel nominated him for elimination, but he argued that Chris should have had his station properly set up. However, Chris argued that he only cooked three trashed pizzas out of the 26 that were thrown out even though Scott said that he was saying what he saw.

Scott was named the blue team's second nominee for elimination, with Chris as the first, and they were joined by Ralph. During his plea, he said he learned from his mistakes and doing everything he can do despite some stumbles. He survived elimination, and while being dismissed, he felt he dodged a bullet and knew he could not afford to make any more mistakes.

Episode 8

Main article: Episode 1208 - 13 Chefs Compete

During the 160th Sorority Anniversary Planning Challenge, Scott's seafood idea was rejected by Gabriel. He was not seen presenting a dish, and the blue team lost the challenge 1-2. They were punished by decorating the dining room for the 160th Anniversary service. During the punishment, he felt that the men dominated the challenge, but the committee members were biased towards the women.

During the 160th Sorority Anniversary dinner service, Scott was on the meat station. At one point, Gabriel asked him for a time on the ribeye, but he did not respond, much to Richard’s frustration. Then, he walked the ribeye’s without telling either Richard or Gabriel, forcing the two to rush their garnishes, and the latter accused him of not being a team player, but he felt he was a team player. The blue team won the service.

Episode 9

Main article: Episode 1209 - 12 Chefs Compete

During the Dome Challenge, Scott accidentally grabbed both chicken breast and duck breast but gave the former to Gabriel. He later grabbed fennel, fingerling potatoes, and chicken stock, planning to make a seared duck breast with baby fennel and fingerling potatoes. He was the final person from the blue team to have his dish judged and went up against Sandra. He made a pan-roasted duck breast with baby leeks in chicken stock and fingerling potatoes, but while it was deemed a classic combination that seemed easy, he lost that round to Sandra. The blue team lost the challenge 3-4, and they were punished by doing the waiting staff's chores.

Later that day, Ramsay announced he would do some individual evaluation reports. Back at the dorms, Scott felt Jessica was fucking crazy and acting like a nutbar when she kept answering the phone. He was the seventh chef to do his evaluation, and Ramsay asked him if he was the strongest chef for the men. He believed he was, but Ramsay told him to show it as there was not much time left. When at the patio with the chefs that did their evaluations, he said it was worth every shitty moment that has happened. He was not deemed the weakest chef on the blue team and did not have to compete in the Cook For Your Life Challenge. During the challenge, he feared that Richard dropped the risotto too soon.

Episode 10

Main article: Episode 1210 - 11 Chefs Compete

The next day, the chefs went to Ramsay's gastropub to take a tour of the restaurant, and look at the menu for Gastropub Night. Scott said seeing the opportunity up close made everybody give them more of a chance, but he wanted to win as it was his dream job.

During the Gastropub Night dinner service, Scott was on the garnish station. When entrées began, he tried to tell Anton on what was on order next, but the latter said he was not an idiot as he could bang out any station without him screwing it up for him. While he was trying to coordinate people and did not need any friends, he sent up soggy fries, and Anton called it pure stupidity. To make things worse, the salad he sent up was watery, which Gabriel was shocked about, and Ramsay angrily asked where their rhythm was. When Gabriel pushed Anton to bring the chicken up, he did not even have the fries ready. While the red team came in to help them, the blue team was eventually kicked out of service.

The blue team lost the service, and they were asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, Anton deemed Scott, Ralph, and Gabriel as the weakest chefs, and was considered by Ralph. When he asked Gabriel when he ever took the lead on a station, the latter accused him of talking the talk and nothing else. He argued why he should go up when his only mistakes were a bad serving of garnishes and felt Ralph and Gabriel sunk them. However, everybody went with him and Gabriel as their nominees.

Scott was named the blue team's first nominee for elimination, with Ralph as the second, and they were joined by Gabriel. During his pleas, he said he had a big heart as he helped his team whenever he could. He survived elimination, and while being dismissed, he felt that Gabriel made a fool of himself by ratting out Ralph and that the latter should watch his back from now on.

Episode 11

Main article: Episode 1211 - 10 Chefs Compete

While going back to the dorms, Scott was shocked at the stunt Gabriel pulled at elimination, believing that the latter would have to perform perfectly from now on, and felt Gabriel should have been eliminated for that move alone. Jason and Anton agreed with him as the men came to a unanimous decision, and Jason felt Gabriel did not give a fuck about the team anymore, even feeling he would be better off with the women after that night.

During the Creative Pork Challenge, Scott went up to correct the blue team's two incorrect answers, he finished first, and the blue team won the first challenge. He picked pork cheek and decided to go up against Kashia, although the latter felt he was underestimating her abilities, which he would regret. During the cooking, he decided to take a big risk by making a pork-filled ravioli, but Ramsay reminded him that there were only 20 minutes left on the clock, and Gabriel did not think it was a good idea. He was the final person from the blue team to have his dish judged by Ramsay, made a cheek ravioli under joule meat, and hoped it was worth it. Ramsay deemed it delicious as he admitted to his doubts earlier, he won that round over Kashia, the blue team won the challenge 3-2, and Jason said the men were all thinking about him differently after he nailed it. They were rewarded with an indoor skydiving experience and brand new Vitamix blenders.

During dinner service, Scott was on the appetizer station with Jason. He began working on the risottos, but Jason butted in and placed him on salads as he feared it would be bad. When he finished the salads, he checked on Anton for the scallops, but the latter refused to let him help as he would throw him off. However, Anton served only nine scallops for two portions, but while he told him that he was in over his head, Anton called him a hemorrhoid before pushing him away. He tried to help Anton again, the latter refused it, saying he would ask only if he wanted it. Then, Anton served an overcooked halibut, and when Ramsay showed it, Anton claimed that he was confusing him. However, neither Jason and Richard believed that as the latter asked Anton how he fucked him up, and a fed-up Ramsay took the men into the pantry room to sort out their problems. After a quick discussion, it was decided that he would stay with Jason on the other side, although he called Anton a loser if he could not get fish out. After Anton served an overcooked salmon, he called the former a douchebag with zero finesse. When Anton blamed him for causing an oil slip, he claimed to have seen it all now.

Both teams were named joint losers, and they were asked to nominate two each. During deliberation, Gabriel nominated him for elimination, but he nominated the former and Anton. While Gabriel claimed that he grabbed the wrong pan, he deemed the former the weakest chef of the ten remaining, and if they could not rely on him, then they had to move on. While Gabriel understood his intentions, he felt he was confusing Anton, but he argued that he was trying to help the latter out when he was struggling. Anton claimed he would only ask for help if he needed it, but when he told him to own up to his mistakes, he denied playing the blame game.

Scott was the blue team's second nominee for elimination, with Anton as the first, and they joined Sandra and Rochelle from the red team. During his plea, Ramsay questioned him why the men nominated him for a lack of coordination, but he had no idea as he was trying to work with everybody every day, and was putting out food to Ramsay’s standards. He survived elimination as he and Anton were reassigned to the red team, being exchanged for Sandra and Rochelle.

Episode 12

Main article: Episode 1212 - 10 Chefs Again

Back at the dorms, Scott felt that Anton would have a harder time in the red team than himself as his bull headiness would not fly.

During the King of the Hill Challenge, Scott was the second chef to have his dish judged by Ramsay and made fried oysters with crispy mushrooms and falger wheat, they were praised for delicious oysters, but criticized for overcooked swordfish. Despite that, he was seated in the winner’s chair, only to be dethroned by Sandra. The red team lost the challenge, and they were punished by participating in delivery day. During the punishment, Melanie handed him her half of the delivery with Anton, claiming to be weak.

Later that day, Sous Chef Andi called the dorms and asked Scott to bring everybody downstairs. During the Charity Night dinner service, he was in charge of the rack of lamb course. He had everybody on the red team cooking a component of the lamb dish, but come plating, he was caught saucing the lamb with a ladle. Ramsay told him that it would spill over if done that way, showing him how to do it with a regular spoon. Melanie got annoyed by that as they all did their part, but his course came out perfectly. Both teams were named joint losers, and they were asked to nominate two each. During deliberation, he considered Joy based on her poor performance during the challenge, but she considered him due to him zoning out that night.

Scott was the red team's second nominee for elimination, with Kashia as the first, and they joined Sandra and Gabriel from the blue team. During his plea, he said he kept working every day and trying to everything perfect, but while Ramsay admitted that he shined in the challenges, he was looking for a leader. However, he said he was, and asked for another chance so Ramsay could see it, but the latter said he was getting tired of waiting. He survived elimination, and while being dismissed, he called his nomination bullshit but decided to take it as a learning experience to make sure he was never nominated again.

Episode 13

Main article: Episode 1213 - 9 Chefs Compete

Back at the dorms, Scott comforted a shaken Kashia.

The next day, Sous Chef James entered the dorms with two delivery people and gathered both teams to the living room. After, the delivery people began to rap out a message from Ramsay, revealing that the packages they had were two blank menus and that they had one hour to create their own menu for that night’s service. When the red team worked on their menu, Scott and Melanie agreed to write down four appetizers and four entrées, and his suggestion about a butternut squash putting risotto on the menu was accepted. Then, he vetoed Kashia's tuna slider appetizer as they already had a fish appetizer, before suggesting beef carpaccio. When Joy suggested fried chicken, he recalled how poorly both teams did on the fried chicken during the 160th Sorority Anniversary dinner service. While the rest of the team agreed to keep it the menu safe, Joy told them not to be scared over chicken, although he did not understand why somebody would be adamant for fried chicken after it tanked. However, Joy told him she can fry chicken, and the red team reluctantly put it on the menu.

During prep, Ramsay looked at the red team's demo dishes, asked about the two raw dishes, and if they were to give the red team an easy night. Scott said it was for delivery and flavor. After, Ramsay voiced the same concern he had over Joy's fried chicken, but the latter promised that she can do it. During dinner service, he was on the appetizer station with Anton. At one point, he knew Joy had to own up to it and make it perfect as it was do or die, but his constant questions irked her as she sent up her chicken. Ramsay told Joy that it was perfectly cooked, and he was relieved about that. The red team won the service, but Ramsay asked them to name one woman to move into the blue team.

After Richard's elimination, Scott said goodbye to Melanie as the latter was reassigned to the blue team.

Episode 14

Main article: Episode 1214 - 8 Chefs Compete

During the Blind Taste Test, Scott was the third person from the red team to compete and went up against Jason. He got hot dog and radish correct, and the red team won the challenge 6-4. They were rewarded with skating lessons with former Olympic figure skater Rachael Flatt. During the reward, he teased Kashia for being afraid of everything, and later, Flatt showed him some skating moves, although Anton called him a teacher’s pet like he was in the kitchen, He then fell when he tried to replicate her spin.

During dinner service, Scott was on the appetizer station. On the first ticket, he allowed Anton to help him with appetizers, shocking the latter as that meant the former was learning to ask for help. With Anton’s help, his appetizers were accepted, and Ramsay ordered him to keep it all the same. When Kashia sent up an incomplete order of scallops, Ramsay asked him to give him a fresh scallop, but he fired an entire order instead of a single scallop, annoying Anton. When Kashia served braised salmon instead of seared salmon, he said that was not the right way for her to cook fish, and tried to calm her down. When Anton was getting flustered on meat, he offered his assistance by slicing the chicken. However, he ended up walking up pink chicken, and although he blamed Anton for not cooking it properly, the latter called him a vindictive rat. Later, he sliced Anton’s Wellingtons, but they were all overcooked, and he could not understand the former's argument by claiming that the oven was different than the blue kitchen. When Anton's attitude got erratic due to him arguing with Sous Chef Andi, he said that the former was going down in flames.

The red team lost the service, Ramsay told Scott that he was done sending him raw chicken, and they were asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, Joy nominated him for bringing the blue team’s issues into the red team, but while he said he communicated that night, he was shut down as Kashia agreed with Joy. He argued that nothing from his end was held back, and despite Kashia reminding him about the raw chicken walk up, he knew the latter and Joy were letting their friendship cloud their judgment as Kashia was braising the salmon instead of searing it. He considered Kashia as his nominee, but the latter argued that her fish came out when it was ready, and felt he was trying to pass her off as the weakest chef than himself.

Scott was the red team's second nominee for elimination, with Anton as the first. During his plea, he said he was improving and that he was trying to help wherever he could, but when Ramsay asked him why he was not shining in the red team, he said he was trying to and put the drive the latter wanted. He survived elimination, and while being dismissed, he knew he had to step up and make sure he was not going home.

Episode 15/16

Main article: Episode 1215 - 7 Chefs Compete

Main article: Episode 1216 - 7 Chefs Again

Back at the dorms, Scott felt the red team had something against him, but knew he was a good chef and was trying to win for a better life for his family.

The next day, the chefs were awaking to the phone ringing, and Sous Chef Andi told Scott to have everybody dressed and downstairs immediately. During the Budget Challenge, he decided to get Chilean sea bass despite it being an expensive item at $10, and during the cooking, he explained that they were focused on their own dishes, but put Joy’s pork loin in the oven when she asked him. When Joy had a meltdown over her pork being raw, he hugged her in comfort over her turmoil and reassured her that it could still be a great dish if the pork rested. He was the second person from the red team to have his dish judged and went up against the pair of Rochelle and Gabriel. He made a pan-roasted sea bass and jumbo shrimp, it was criticized for overcooked fish, but praised for a spot on shrimp and having well-respected proteins, and he scored a $23.67 average.

The red team won the challenge $73.01-$69.33, and they were rewarded with a $1000 shopping spree at the Grove district, and lunch at Hatfield. During the reward, Scott bought some stuff for his wife as thanks for taking care of the kids, and at Hatfield, he explained to the women how argumentive the blue team was, and how nice the change in perspective was. Then, Kashia said it was nice to get to know him on a personal level, especially since the red team came together in the challenge.

The next day, everybody was on different levels of mood as Scott knew that a day in Hell’s Kitchen was never the same as the other, before feeling that the competition was taking its toll on everybody. During the Black Jackets Challenge, he had scallops already in his mind and decided to go outside the box and add crab to his scallops. He was the fourth person to have his dish judged, but before that, he small talked with the previous contestants for having a life outside of Hell’s Kitchen. However, Jason called him a kiss ass, and that it was getting on his nerves. He made seared sea scallops with crab and tarragon purée was praised for a vibrant presentation, having well-cooked scallops, and having the balls to pickling carrots in 45 minutes. While he felt he was in a shoo-in to win, Paul said the pickled carrots only tasted like regular carrots, it lacked seasoning, and he scored 11 points, with Jason showing fake sympathy.

Scott lost the challenge to Joy and was punished by making lunch for her and the judges. When going back to the dorms, he and Kashia congratulated Joy for winning, but he noticed Kashia feeling homesick, and they talked over missing their family as he hoped to talk through it would help. During the punishment, he wished it was him instead of Joy next to the former contestants as he had a lot of questions to ask.

During prep, Scott knew that with Joy and Kashia acting like sisters, there was no way the two would nominate the other, and he had to be perfect that night. During dinner service, he was on the fish station. On entrées, he put three halibut in the oven when there were two on order, but when he argued that the extra one was for the following order, Ramsay called him an idiot as the ticket was not fired yet. Kashia told him to put his passion into his cooking, and on the ten-top order, said he needed three minutes on the salmon, but Ramsay said that the other proteins were on the pass, and he refused to have a repeat from the appetizers, leading Kashia to asked him what he was thinking. When he walked up the salmon, it was burnt, and Ramsay warned him that he was pissing him off. Then, Ramsay took him and Gabriel to the back-pantry room, berated them for being out of control, and asked if they were ready to go home. They said they were not, and once back in their kitchens, he refused to let Ramsay down again as Jean-Philippe pushed him for the third attempt. With Joy’s help, he got the third attempt accepted and to Minnie Driver, much to his relief. After, Ramsay chewed him out for looking at the salmon’s temperature in the air.

Both teams were named joint losers, and they were asked to nominate one each. While being dismissed, Scott knew he screwed up as he should not have sent up poor slams, and wanted to know what he could do to improve. When Sous Chef Andi came by, he asked her for some advice on taking the lashings, and she told him to take it forward and move on, especially since Ramsay gets so upset when food is not going out of the kitchen. He appreciated it as it was good to learn from other’s experiences, and knew he had to own up to his mistakes so he would not make them again. During deliberation, he argued that he was trying to improve himself, and Joy did not argue against that.

Scott was named the red team's nominee for elimination and was joined by Jason from the blue team. During his plea, he said he worked hard and despite his mistakes, he pushed forward and wanted to do whatever he could. When Ramsay asked him what was different from him and Jason, he said he was more creative. He survived elimination as Ramsay gave him the fifth black jacket. While being dismissed, he said it was everybody’s game, before knowing he was going to win.

Episode 17

Main article: Episode 1217 - 6 Chefs Compete

Back at the dorms, the final six were about to relax when Ramsay called the dorms and asked Scott to bring everybody downstairs as he knew the latter would take tranquility into chaos. The next day, the final six walked downstairs to a party bus, and on the way down, he and Jason tried to figure out what Ramsay said last night.

Before the 50 Tailgating Portions Challenge, Scott felt it was an easy challenge because college students ate shitty dorm food, and made a spicy mahi-mahi panini, saying he was not going traditional even though Joy felt he was trying to complicate the dish. When he saw a huge flame erupt on Jason's grill, he felt the former was going down in flames. He and Jason were tied as the highest-rated dish, they won the challenge, and it made him feel great to stand out on top.

Scott and Jason were rewarded with a day at the Saddle Peak Lodge in Malibu, with a tasting menu and wine pairings. He could not wait to talk about wine flavors and profile, and during the reward, he said it was the best day for him to win a challenge as he and Jason met with Chris Kufek. Later, they met with Anthony Dias Blue, which he recognized as a noteworthy wine rater for 35 years, and called it an incredible experience. When they returned to the kitchen, they moved away from the women when they tried to hug them in their dirty jumpsuits.

During dinner service, Scott was on the appetizer station with Joy. After Kashia served only one lobster tail instead of the two on order, she blamed him and Joy for not communicating with her, but the latter said they did. On their final appetizer order, he had to refire a risotto order as he felt they were mushy and told Ramsay they would take six minutes, but not why, which Melanie took notice of. Ramsay asked Joy for the reason as he did not have the balls to say it, and had him send the mushy risotto to him, being lectured that he needed to know why a refire was needed. However, he was getting tired of Ramsay beating his ass every day since the start, and got his refire accepted. When Kashia struggled on fish, Ramsay reassigned him onto fish, and he did not want to get caught up in her shit. On an anniversary order, he walked up raw halibut, and Ramsay was forced to send out an incomplete order to make sure the anniversary table got something. Two hours into dinner service, he and Kashia saw that the refire was raw, Ramsay had them bring it up to him but got pissed when he was trying to get back to fish. He argued he had no idea how that happened, got pissed when Ramsay accused him of not caring, shocking Rochelle as there was no talkback allowed, and when Ramsay accused him of not knowing anything, he snapped that he did. After service, Ramsay asked the final six to nominate one chef for elimination. During deliberation, he agreed with Jason on nominating Kashia, but when he asked why his name was picked, Joy and Kashia reminded him about his argument with Ramsay.

Scott was not nominated for elimination, but Ramsay called him down to the down, and he joined Kashia. During his plea, Ramsay told him that if he was wrong, he would be the first one to admit it, and was not happy the way he screamed at him about the raw halibut. He said he was confused about the pan, but Ramsay was more insulted by the way he answered him. He said he would never disrespect him and was only trying to understand the situation, but while Ramsay knew he could cook, he did not know if he could listen anymore. He survived elimination, and while being dismissed, he knew that despite being nominated multiple times, he survived as Ramsay knew he wanted him to continue.

Episode 18

Main article: Episode 1218 - 5 Chefs Compete

While going back to the dorms, Scott was stunned that he survived another elimination, knew he had a one in five chance of winning, and looked to be the winner at the end.

During the Leftovers Challenge, Scott knew they had to move with a purpose, and did a duck breast and pork tenderloin dish, dismaying Rochelle as he already had an idea. He was the first person to have his dish judged, and made pork tenderloin and pan-roasted duck breast dish with lentils, mushrooms, and pancetta. Laurie Buckle found the presentation to be lovely, she and Ramsay found the dish to be seasoned beautifully, and found a cohesiveness to it. He was proud that they loved his dish, and took the compliment in despite knowing it was a small one. When Melanie was the last person up, he was confident he would win, but after her judging, Ramsay asked him to walk his dish back to the front for another look. In the end, he was named the winner, and he called it fantastic as he earned his black jacket for a reason.

Scott was rewarded with a photoshoot with Better Homes and Garden, having his dish featured in the magazine, and a fighter jet experience, with the chance to bring somebody with him. Although Melanie felt she should be picked based on being the runner up of the challenge, he picked Jason, with the latter thanking him for a chance of a lifetime. During the reward, he could not believe he was going to be seen by 4 million readers as he did the photoshoot, and called it one heck of a day. At Air Combat USA, he felt like a little boy just by flying the plane. When they landed, he called it a great one in a lifetime opportunity as he and Jason talked about their experience.

During prep, Scott and Jason came back from their reward with full knowledge of Rochelle’s accident, and near the beginnings of service, he and Melanie noticed that the latter was still not around. During dinner service, he was on the appetizer station with Melanie. At the start of service, he tried to fire two tickets at the same time, but Ramsay told him that it was not fast food to go, and Melanie told him to slow down as he was not in a fighter jet anymore. On the next order, he called himself Captain App as he can make happy food, but his aggressive sliding of the pan led to some of the risotto to fall onto the hot plate, and Ramsay warned him that it was stinking up the restaurant. While Rochelle feared they were going to sink on appetizers, he got his risottos accepted. After Melanie served a capellini with a little amount of crab in it, he felt he should not have taken over the capellini as he cooked the crab. Fortunately, his attempt was accepted. Later, he saw Melanie's capellini was burnt.

After service, Ramsay announced that nobody else was going home that night. While being dismissed, Scott knew what he was capable of and had to put his head down as the competition was not getting easier.

Episode 19

Main article: Episode 1219 - 4 Chefs Compete

Back at the dorms, Rochelle was proud of Scott despite having a warped perception of him because of his multiple nominations. He believed that he was the easy choice to get nominated as the plan b, but despite getting his ass kicked by Ramsay every day, he must be doing something right before commenting that it was the Fantastic Four now. The next day, he received a visit from his wife and children came out of the limousines, tearing him up as he had a picture of his family next to his bed. As he reunited with his family, he called it a special moment to have his kids in his arms as he told them what he has been doing, and that his family was the three most important people in his life. When they left, he said it was hard to say goodbye to his family.

Before the Taste It Now Make It Challenge, Scott said he did not focus on the dish too much. During the cooking, he said it was tough to distinguish the taste of the fish protein as he had a lot in his mind, but decided to take escolar as it had a meatier taste. He also used prosciutto as his meat wrapping, butternut squash, and watercress to recreate Ramsay's dish. When he had his dish judged, he hoped he got the dish correct as Ramsay liked it. He lost the challenge as he did not use the correct protein. He was punished by participating in moving day and prepping the kitchen for that night’s service. During the punishment, he was forced to lift the mattress into the truck by himself as Rochelle could not do it with her injured thumb, while Melanie deliberately did not help as she wanted him to get tired out. However, he was annoyed by the fact he did all the heavy lifting by himself as the women ate lunch.

During dinner service, Scott was on the meat station. As the night began, he knew that while everybody could cook, it was time to show who was at the top. When Melanie struggled on the pass, he wondered if she could command respect to run a kitchen, and felt she needed a few more years. He was the third person to run the pass and said he felt he was a better orchestrator as he called out the entrée order with authority, something Ramsay liked. He knew it was not easy to run the pass as Ramsay made it, but while some of the dishes were being sent out, Sous Chef James placed a duck breast on a pan with a chicken order. However, he instantly saw the mistake along with pink chicken, and then, he rejected Melanie’s garnishes for lacking salt. While Melanie felt that he was being too picky and sending back too many things as he sent back an overly garlicky halibut sauce to Jason, the customers were enjoying the quality of the food. During Jason's turn, he was surprised that the former was acting like a goofball, and knew Jason had to command respect to earn his respect.

After service, Ramsay asked the final four to name one person that did not deserve to be in the finale. During deliberation, Scott did not feel confident about Melanie as a leader, and he and Jason agreed that it could be based on her age. As for Rochelle, he pointed out how she laughed when things went rough, and Jason was confident that they had it.

When the final four came downstairs, Ramsay asked them who did not belong in the finale. Scott said Melanie as she had simple hiccups when he worked with her, and was concerned about her consistency level, while the latter picked him. After Rochelle's elimination, Ramsay told the final three that he could see anyone of them in the finale, but there could only be two. He was named the first finalist as Ramsay deemed him the biggest comeback chef of the show’s history, and his performance on the hot pass proved it. He was joined by Jason as the second finalist, and after Melanie's elimination, Ramsay congratulated the final two and told them to enjoy the moment as their biggest test lied ahead of them. While being dismissed, he said that being resilient was his motto since the beginning, and was not ready to go home now.

Episode 20

Main article: Episode 1220 - Winner Chosen

Continuing from the previous episode, Ramsay told the final two that he was sending them to a luxury suite at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills for an overnight trip. While going upstairs to pack up, Scott called it ridiculous and was proud that his resilience made him one of the finalists. At the Four Seasons Hotel, he said the suite was dripping in gorgeousness, wanted somebody to pinch him, and he and Jason toasted to making it far. When working on his menu, he hoped to have one night away from the competition but felt that winning the competition would affect his family and wanted to keep that perspective strong. The next day, he and Jason came downstairs for breakfast, only to be joined by his wife and children. He said that there was no better gift than to sit down with his kids as family was such a big deal for him and played with his children. After breakfast, the Sous Chefs came to get him and Jason as there were more things to be done, but when they arrived back to their suite, they met Ramsay waiting for them. Ramsay gave the two their head chef jackets, which he knew was important as it meant all the hard work was worth it, before calling it an honor. After, Ramsay said that he was taking them out for the evening so they can have fun without the competition for once. Later that evening, he and Jason met with Ramsay outside the Vogue Theatre for a boxing match, and he was psyched to join the latter on a night out. When they sat down, the MC announced the main event, but it turned out that he and Jason were the next competitors in the ring, much to their shock. Ramsay told them that their final challenge began now, and revealed that he had kitchens ready behind them so they could cook in front of the audience.

During the Final Menu Challenge, Scott thought he was going to sit down for a nice evening and have a drink with Ramsay, but as it was Hell’s Kitchen, nothing was certain. On the cold appetizer round, he made a tempura-based Caesar salad, and Michael Voltaggio like the texture of the tempura mixed with the anchovies, calling it the better Caesar salad he had recently. So, he scored 9 points. On the hot appetizer round, he made a duck confit ravioli, it looked pretty and colorful despite having tough pasta to cut through, and he scored 8 points. On the chicken entrée round, he made a grilled chicken with creamy polenta, it was delicious, and he scored 9 points. On the fish entrée round, he made a pan-roasted halibut in a saffron broth, and while it was deemed beautiful, it was criticized for tasting like tomato water, and he scored 8 points. On the beef entrée round, he made a charred roasted beef tenderloin with tamarin glaze, it was praised for the presentation and the tamarin flavor, and he scored 9 points.

Scott won the challenge 43-42 and said that it was unbelievable that he won the final challenge. He had first pick of his brigade. He picked Chris as his first, Ralph as his second, Rochelle as his third, Kashia as his fourth, and Jessica as his fifth and last. Back at the dorms, his more detailed instructions made Jessica confused by it, although he felt it was easy. During prep, he rejected Jessica's prepped potatoes for not meeting his standards.

During dinner service, Scott received the first order and pushed his team to give out more energy after a wonky response. He waited on Chris for the scallops, but he told the latter to cook them for another minute and knew the first order had to come out perfect. Fortunately, Chris’ second attempt was perfect, and Ramsay told him to keep up the standards as the food was leaving the blue kitchen. Although, his daughter refused to eat his wife’s scallops despite the latter offering them. The blue team was in harmony as he served Natasha Bedingfield’s appetizers, and began firing entrées. He told Chris to have his food ready in four minutes instead of five and knew that he had to keep the strong energy from appetizers going. However, Jessica served broken potatoes that led to a coating on the beans, but while he reminded her of how they were supposed to be made, she did not understand why it was a big deal. That forced Kashia and Chris to hold off on walking their entrées as he wanted the refired garnishes first, and Ramsay warned Jessica that it was not the night to make mistakes. Then, he told Rochelle to help Jessica on garnish after she was finished with hot appetizers. Later, he was at a standstill due to the garnish refire, but when they finally made it to the pass, Kashia and Chris could walk up their entrées, with the former stating they were doing it to see him win for his family, and he praised Kashia’s steaks for being cooked perfectly. One hour and fifteen minutes into dinner service, he was trying to get ahead of Jason with the VIP order but found out that Jessica walked up fries that she did not mix. Ramsay warned him that garnish was a big mess, while he called it ridiculous as nothing was coming out, and could not afford any more mistakes. After Jessica walked up soggy fries, he got fed-up, and he kicked her out of the kitchen despite her begging him not to as he knew she was not getting any better, and could not do it anymore. After, he told Rochelle to take control of garnish. Near the end of the night, he told the blue team that they had four more orders, and Kashia compared his leadership to Ramsay’s as he wanted perfection. He was able to get his VIP order completed.

When both teams were lined up, Ramsay reminded Scott and Jason that while their final service was over, he still had a hell of thinking to do as that night was a close one. After, he and Jason said goodbye to their brigade before heading back to the dorms. Back at the dorms, he called it a long road, and was proud of what he did, before knowing it was Ramsay’s decision. Later that evening, Ramsay called the dorms and told them to come to his office. Once there, Ramsay told him that he pushed him the hardest because he saw how talented he was at creative dishes, and not only was he artistic, he was also very determined. After, Ramsay said he made a decision and had the two stand in front of the two doors. After Ramsay’s countdown from three, both turned their handles, but only his door opened. He became the winner of Hell’s Kitchen and won the head chef’s position with a salary of $250,000, and was stunned that he won and was in shock, before knowing that it was the hardest thing he ever did, and now, he can have his kids grow up near a beach. He thanked everybody who helped him throughout the competition and his family as he hung up his portrait on the Wall of Fame.

Ramsay's comment: "Scott won tonight because he has all the qualities I'm looking for in a head chef. He is passionate, determined, and a true leader. He's an artist plating food and has a phenomenal palate. There's no doubt in my mind that he's got a great career ahead of him."

Nomination History

Week 1	Safe
Week 2	Safe
Week 3	Safe
Week 4	Safe
Week 5	Safe
Week 6	Win
Week 7	Nominated
Week 8	Win
Week 9	Safe
Week 10	Nominated
Week 11	Nominated
Week 12	Nominated
Week 13	Win
Week 14	Nominated
Week 15	Nominated
Week 16	Nominated
Week 17	Safe
Week 18	Safe
Week 19	Winner

Season 15

Episode 1

Main article: Episode 1501 - 18 Chefs Compete

Scott was present in the 15th Hell's Kitchen anniversary parade, along with Christina (Season 10).

Season 16

Episode 1

Main article: Episode 1601 - When the Wall Comes Tumbling Down

Scott returned to Los Angeles at Takami Restaurant, along with Season 4 winner Christina, to give the red team advice on what to do during the competition. During that time, he reminded the women that it was all about how they finished.

Season 19

Episode 10

Main article: Episode 1910 - There's Something About Marc

Ramsay invited Scott and Season 17 winner Michelle as VIP guests for dinner service. He dined at the blue kitchen's chef's table.

Post Hell's Kitchen

• After his appearance on the show, Scott took up his position as the Head Chef at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Palace, but it turned out to be a Chef Tournant instead before moving to Freedom Beat.
• He is also Co-Founder of BLT Foods Las Vegas. In 2018 he opened Stove in Las Vegas with co-owner Antonio Nunez.
• He also appeared in the second season of Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch, a CBBC cooking show, hosted by Ramsay's daughter, Matilda.

Trivia

• He and Jason are the third pair of finalists to come from the same state (Illinois), following Heather and Virginia (Season 2) and Danny and Paula (Season 5).
• He and Jason are also the second pair of finalists to be nominated for elimination on the same day, following Ja'Nel and Mary (Season 11).
• He participated in the fourth all-male finals of Hell's Kitchen.
• He is the twelfth winner and sixth male winner of Hell's Kitchen, following Michael (Season 1), Rock (Season 3), Danny (Season 5), Dave (Season 6), and Paul (Season 9).
• At age 36, he is the first contestant to hold the record as the oldest winner of Hell's Kitchen, which would later be beaten in both Seasons 19 and 21.
• He is the only winner to this date whom Ramsay never asked to announce his team's nominees for elimination.
• He is the fourth winner who was not awarded their promised position, following Dave (Season 6), Holli (Season 7), and Ja'Nel (Season 11).
• He is the sixth male contestant who switched teams and made it to the black jackets, following Michael (Season 1), Matt (Season 4), Giovanni (Season 5), Benjamin (Season 7), and Trev (Season 8).
• He is the fourth winner who switched teams, following Michael (Season 1), Heather (Season 2), and Ja'Nel (Season 11), and the first who did by reassignment.
• He is the fourth contestant to have worn every colored jacket (blue, red, black, and chef's) and win the season, following Michael (Season 1), Heather (Season 2), and Ja'Nel (Season 11).
• He, Anton, Rochelle, and Sandra (all from Season 12) were all involved in the third instance of simultaneous team switch, following Scott and Autumn (Season 7) and Trev and Melissa (Season 8). This was also the first instance where more than one person from each team was involved.
• He is the second finalist to kick a member of his brigade out during the final service, following Mary (Season 11), as well as the only winner who did.
• He is the fifth contestant to tie the record for the most nominations throughout a single season with seven, following Autumn (Season 7), Sabrina (Season 8), Elise (Season 9), and Clemenza (Season 10).
  • This also makes him the most nominated and only winner to have been nominated three times consecutively, achieving this feat twice.
  • This also means he holds the current record for most survived nominations, with 7
• He is the fourth winner and the first male winner to be nominated by Ramsay, following Christina (Season 4), Nona (Season 8), and Ja'Nel (Season 11).

Quotes

• "It's motivation to win this for a better life for me and my family."
• (About Ralph throwing up his shake) "Ralph... maybe the reason that's his name!"
• "One more minute on the halibut!"
• (About Joy regarding her meltdown due to her "raw" pork) "I feel bad for Joy. She was definitely emotional about her pork. She felt that she could have done more. And we all feel like that."
• (About the Red Team) "If my team has something against me, that's just how it goes. I know I'm a good chef, and I'm here to try to win this thing for a better life for my family. That's what I am all about."
• (About Chef Ramsay) "I'm sick of getting yelled at. Chef, you've beaten my ass, every single day that I've been here. I'm starting to get angry about it!!!"
• (About his family) "I wake up with a picture of my wife and kids right next to the bed, that's the last thing I think about at night, and the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning."
• (About running the pass) "It's definitely not easy to run the pass. The biggest thing is, you know, just to make sure that everybody is coordinated and working together. Chef is the one that makes it look easy, you know."
• (About Jason while running the pass) "Jason is a goofball, man. And you know, I was little bit surprised, you know, I thought he would have kept it a little more serious. Jason has to be able to command the respect, when respect is needed during service."
• (Upon kicking Jessica out in the final dinner service) "Hey, STOP! STOP! JESSICA. (Jessica: Yeah?) GO! (Jessica: No, no, please Chef.) GO. Don't talk to me anymore, I want YOU OUT. Go. (To Rochelle) Rochelle? Take control of this station (The garnish station) now, please."
  • (After kicking Jessica out in the final dinner service) "Jessica wasn't getting any better from start to finish. I can't do it anymore, man. That's IT."
• (After being named winner) "Oh my God. I just, I just fucking won. I can't believe it. I'm still in fucking shock. I pushed really hard. I gave everything I ever had. It's been a tough road and it hasn't been without some blood and tears. You know, there's no question this is the hardest thing I've ever done."
• "My whole life is my wife and kids and now my kids are growing up on a beach."

Gallery

• Season 12
• Guest

• Chef
• Dishes

Scott's Intro Spot

Scott in Blue Jacket

Scott's Confessional (Blue Jacket)

Chris, Ralph, and Scott Nominated

Gabriel, Ralph, and Scott Nominated

Rochelle, Sandra, Scott, and Anton Nominated

Scott joins the Red Team

Scott in Red Jacket

Scott's Confessional (Red Jacket)

Kashia, Scott, Sandra and Gabriel Nominated

Scott in Blind Taste Test

Anton and Scott Nominated

Scott and Jason Nominated

Scott in Black Jacket

Scott's Confessional (Black Jacket)

Scott and Kashia Nominated

Scott in Head Chef Jacket

Scott's Confessional (Head Chef Jacket)

Scott after being crowned the winner

Scott's Signature Dish

Scott's Potato Dish (Episode 3)

Scott and Ralph's Creative Memory Ingredient Dish (Swordfish) (Episode 5)

Scott and Gabriel's Pizza (Episode 7)

Scott's Dome Dish (Duck Breast) (Episode 9)

Scott's Creative Pork Dish (Pork Cheek) (Episode 11)

Scott's King of The Hill Dish (Episode 12)

Scott's Budget Dish (Episode 15)

Scott's Black Jacket Dish (Episode 15)

Scott's 50 Tailgating Portions Dish (Episode 17)

Scott's Leftover Dish (Episode 18)

Scott's Final Tasting Dish (Cold Appetizer) (Episode 20)

Scott and Jason's Final Tasting Dishes (Hot Appetizer) (Episode 20)

Scott and Jason's Final Tasting Dishes (Chicken Entrée) (Episode 20)

Scott's Final Tasting Dish (Fish Entrée) (Episode 20)

Scott's Final Tasting Dish (Beef Entrée) (Episode 20)

• Season 15
• Season 16
• Season 19

Scott in Season 15

Scott and Christina in Season 16

Scott seated at the VIP table

Scott watching the blue team getting kicked out

External links

• Scott Commings on Instagram
• Scott Commings on Twitter