Withdrawal is a certain form of leaving the competition in Hell's Kitchen.
Overview[]
In some cases, there are times when the chefs leave the competition without Ramsay eliminating them. These range from either Quitting the competition or Medical Exits.
Quitting the competition is when a chef decides to leave on their own volition whether because they do not want to compete anymore, or because of certain events they want to take care of.
Medical Exits are when a chef has been injured or hospitalized, and are deemed unable to continue in the competition either by Ramsay himself or the medical crew.
History[]
Quitters[]
| Season | Chef Count | Chef | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | Ten Chefs: Five on both teams |
Jeff | During dinner service, Jeff struggled and kept arguing with his teammates and Ramsay by claiming he had no experience on the line. When Ramsay discredited his position as a chef, Jeff called him an asshole under his breath, only for Sous Chef Mary Ann to hear it and demand he say it to Ramsay’s face. Finally fed up with being talked down to, Jeff called Ramsay an asshole to his face and left the kitchen after taking his jacket off. Later that night, Ramsay confirmed to the red team that Jeff was not coming back.[1] |
| Season 4 | Eleven Chefs: Six on the Red Team and Five on the Blue Team |
Vanessa | Vanessa accidentally burned her hand during the Family Night dinner service after putting out a fire Shayna caused. She left service to go to the hospital, but while she came back, she revealed that she suffered from second-degree burns. After debating her position, Vanessa told Ramsay before the fifth dinner service that she wanted to leave the competition and seek proper medical treatment for her burn, as she did not want it to affect her team’s performance. Ramsay granted her request, and Vanessa said goodbye to her teammates before leaving.[2] |
| Season 5 | Fifteen Chefs: Eight on the Red Team and Seven on the Blue Team |
Ji | During prep, Ji slipped on an oil spot and twisted her ankle but reassured Ramsay and her team that she could continue with service. However, being on her feet all night exasperated the pain. At the end of service, Ji was in a wheelchair to keep the pain off her ankle. Despite not being nominated for elimination, Ji told Ramsay that she wanted to leave the competition as she feared her injury would hinder the red team. Although Ji’s teammates did not want her to leave, Ramsay honored her request as he felt it would not be fair to have her compete while in pain.[3] |
| Season 6 | Joseph | At elimination, Ramsay asked Joseph who the men’s nominees were, but the latter did not give a proper answer as he said that the nominees could speak for themselves. An annoyed Ramsay asked Joseph the same question again, but the latter continued to explain improperly, further frustrating Ramsay. After a shouting match that included some of the chefs chewing out Joseph for not showing Ramsay respect, Joseph took off his jacket and went to Ramsay with the intent of a physical confrontation. However, the production crew came between the two men, and Ramsay sternly told Joseph to leave as it was clear the latter had no respect for authority.[4][5] | |
| Season 7 | Fifteen Chefs: Eight on the Blue Team and Seven on the Red Team |
Andrew | Andrew sent up liquid mashed potatoes during dinner service but further angered Ramsay when he decided to mix them with a fresh batch. After a brief argument, Ramsay kicked Andrew out of service and called him a joke to the cooking industry. Either believing he was eliminated or feeling insulted by Ramsay’s comment, Andrew decided to leave the restaurant through the front entrance despite Jean-Philippe trying to convince him not to.[6] |
| Season 11 | Nineteen Chefs: Ten on the Red Team and Nine on the Blue Team |
Gina | After opening night, Gina and Nedra had a fierce argument that led to the former leaving the room. The next day, after getting a brutal wakeup call from US army men, Gina decided she had enough. She told Ramsay that she wanted to leave the competition right before the next team challenge began, claiming it was due to personal issues.[7] |
| Season 12 | Eighteen Chefs: Nine on both teams |
Simone | Ramsay called Simone, DeMarco, and Mike from the six nominees to take off their jackets and plead their case during the elimination ceremony. However, before Ramsay could announce who was going home that night, Simone spoke up and revealed that she wanted to leave. Although that took everybody aback, Ramsay granted her request.[8] |
| Five Chefs | Joy | Joy made a rare mistake when she walked up the halibut before Rochelle or Jason were ready on their respective dishes. When Joy did it again, Ramsay pulled her aside to try and explain to her that he needed the garnish first before the fish. However, Joy showed an attitude towards him and walked back to her station mid-lecture, leading Ramsay to tell her not to take her poor attitude out on his food. That caused Joy to snap and declare she was done with the competition, much to everybody’s shock. Joy would then take her jacket off and head back to the dorms to pack up, but while doing so, Sous Chef Andi came up and tried to talk sense into her. Although Joy felt remorseful over her actions, she decided against apologizing to Ramsay and asking for another chance, feeling it was too late.[9] | |
| Season 13 | Nine Chefs: Five on the Blue Team and Four on the Red Team |
Aaron | During elimination, the blue team nominated Aaron and Bryant. However, when it was the former’s time to plead his case, Aaron announced that he no longer wished to compete as he felt Hell’s Kitchen would not further his career. Everybody was shocked and a little angry by Aaron’s comment, and a disappointed Ramsay allowed him to leave.[10] |
| Season 18 | Thirteen Chefs: Seven on the Blue Team and Six on the Red Team |
Chris | After returning from a reward, Chris started to experience emotional turmoil as he feared the dark memories of an accident he had nine months prior were coming back. It got to the point where Chris told Sous Chef Christina that he feels the need to leave the competition and seek the proper help. Sous Chef Christina told Ramsay about this before service began, allowing Chris to leave as his mental health was more important.[11] |
| Four Chefs | Motto | After dinner service, Ramsay asked the final four to name one person who did not deserve to be in the finale. During deliberation, Motto shocked everybody by announcing his intent to leave. He explained that he did not want to leave Baton Rouge yet, and hoped to use what he learned in Hell’s Kitchen to help the culinary community there. Everybody respected his selfless decision, and Ramsay even offered Motto a job when he eventually completed his goal.[12] | |
| Season 22 | Fourteen Chefs: Seven on both teams |
Brad | Before the fifth dinner service, Brad started feeling the after effects from the blue team's reward and revealed to his teammates that he was still recovering from a surgery he had six weeks ago. Although Brad would make through service, he told Ramsay about his condition during the post-mortem and decided to leave to let his body recover. Believing Brad's claim, Ramsay allowed the former to leave.[13] |
Medical Exit[]
| Season | Chef Count | Chef | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 2 | Eleven Chefs: Six on the Blue Team and Five on the Red Team |
Larry | One night, Larry felt ill and had trouble breathing and called the medics. He was sent to the hospital overnight, and the morning after, Larry called the dorms and told the chefs he was not coming back.[14] |
| Season 3 | Ten Chefs: Five on both teams |
Aaron | Aaron, already struggling with health problems, lost consciousness and collapsed during a punishment, forcing the men to call the medics. Aaron got sent to the hospital, and the following morning, Ramsay called him from the hospital, telling him he would no longer compete based on his poor health.[15] |
| Season 5 | Five Chefs | Robert | At one point, the final five went to the Borgata Hotel to look at where the prized restaurant would be, but during dinner with Ron Ross, Robert excused himself. Robert was having chest pains unknown to the others, and the paramedic sent him to the hospital. Robert did not return with the other chefs to Hell’s Kitchen, but he returned with bad news days later. Robert was diagnosed with pericarditis, and based on the doctor’s suggestion, he was not coming back to compete.[16] |
| Season 8 | Sixteen Chefs: Eight on both teams |
Antonia | While prepping for the opening night, Antonia started to experience head pains, and when she was about to leave the confessional area, she collapsed. Antonia said she was having a bad migraine, and with her body shaking, the medical crew sent her to the hospital. Antonia did not compete in that night’s service, and before the elimination ceremony, Ramsay revealed that he got a call from the hospital confirming she was not coming back.[17] |
| Season 9 | Eighteen Chefs: Nine on both teams |
Jason | While prepping for opening night, Jason was having trouble breathing and was feeling dizzy. After an hour of breathing in a mask provided by the medical crew, Jason got sent to the hospital. Before service began, Ramsay announced that Jason was on bed rest for a few days and would not continue in the competition.[18] |
| Season 13 | Eleven Chefs: Six on the Blue Team and Five on the Red Team |
Steve | The morning after the blue team’s delivery day punishment, Steve had knee problems and could not straighten his right leg. He got sent to the hospital for x-rays, and when he came back, he had worn a leg brace. Ramsay checked on Steve before service began, and the latter revealed he had a swollen knee. Sadly, Ramsay told Steve he could not continue in the competition as he was not comfortable having him move around with one leg.[19] |
| Season 14 | Bret | During prep, Bret went to the bathroom but started experiencing back pains, revealing he had a slipped disc years ago. Milly and Josh took Bret back to the dorms to lie down, and later, Ramsay came to check on him. After Bret revealed that he was suffering from a pinched sciatic nerve, Ramsay told Bret he was not comfortable letting him continue as he did not want to risk the former getting his back permanently damaged.[20] | |
| Season 19 | Fifteen Chefs: Eight on the Red Team and Seven on the Blue Team |
Drew | After service, Drew was visibly in pain while sitting down, revealing that he has been getting cramps all over his body for the last few days. Feeling that the pain is too much for him to handle, Drew went to the medic and explained that he has been experiencing full-body cramps, experiencing headaches, and revealed that he nearly passed out earlier that day. The medic decided to take him to the hospital for a more proper diagnosis. After a few days gone from the competition, Ramsay revealed to the chefs that he would not be coming back.[21] |
Trivia[]
- Jeff (Season 1) is the first chef that has ever withdrawn from the competition, the first to quit, and the first to quit in the middle of dinner service.[1]
- Larry (Season 2) is the first chef that was medically evacuated.[14]
- Vanessa (Season 4) is the first female chef that quit and the first that did so before dinner service.[2]
- Robert (Season 5) is the first, and to date only, male chef that was medically evacuated before a challenge.[17]
- Antonia (Season 8) is the first, and to date only, female chef that was medically evacuated. She is also the first chef that was medically evacuated before the opening night.[17]
- Jason (Season 9) is the first male chef that was medically evacuated before opening night.[18]
- Gina (Season 11) is the first, and to date only, chef that quit before a challenge began.[7]
- Simone (Season 12) is the first chef that quit during elimination while nominated.[8] Aaron (Season 13) is the first male chef who did so.[10]
- Joy (Season 12) is the first, and to date only, female chef that quit in the middle of dinner service. She is also the first, and to date only, black jacket to quit.[9]
- Chris (Season 18) is the first male chef that quit before dinner service.[12]
- Ji (Season 5) is the first chef to keep her jacket after withdrawing.[3] Motto (Season 18) is the first male chef to keep his jacket after withdrawing.[12]
- Motto (Season 18) is the first, and to date only, chef that returned for the final dinner service despite quitting.
- Of the chefs that withdrew from the competition, Robert (Season 5), Jason (Season 9), and Bret (Season 14) are the only chefs that returned for a future season. Coincidentally, all three of them left due to Medical Exits.
- Seasons 10, 15, 16, 17, 20, and 21 are the only seasons to not have withdrawals.
References[]
| Hell's Kitchen |
|---|
| Chefs (Returning Chefs) • Challenges • Deleted Scenes • DVDs • Elimination Ceremony (Withdrawal) • Episodes • Guest Judges • Punishments • Seasons • Service (Final Service) • Staff • Team • Video Game |