Hell's Kitchen: What Do The Contestants Do All Day?

"Hell's Kitchen" is arguably the most intense cooking show devised. Gordon Ramsay is already a hothead, but players have to engage in numerous challenges and actual dinner services for a chance to win a cash prize and an incredible career opportunity of working at one of Ramsay's restaurants. From prep to cooking to clean-up, there's a lot the contestants have to do in a given day, which may have some viewers wondering what kind of downtime the chefs get.

Throughout the series, there have been numerous scenes of the players gathered in the dorm. There's a common area where everyone can hang out and decompress, as well as bedrooms where participants share a space with several other chefs. According to Delish, cameras are all over the dormitory to catch any potential juicy moments.

As far as downtime, it doesn't sound as though contestants have a ton of time to unwind. A standard day sees the chefs compete in an initial challenge. The winning team gets to go on a fun excursion, which can actually be detrimental, while the losing team does chores. After that, they have to quickly prep for dinner service, cook for an actual restaurant, face eliminations, and then clean up. Delish also mentions how players often wake up at 7:00 a.m. and go to bed maybe around 2 a.m., so at best, they're getting roughly five hours of sleep per night. That kind of sleep deprivation can definitely explain some of the mistakes contestants have made over the years. 

With so much to do, it doesn't sound like the "Hell's Kitchen" cast gets a ton of time to rest. And if they want to eat, they cook their own food after cooking for everyone else all day. Delish spoke with executive producer Arthur Smith on how contestants handle this, and he said they often take the easy way out. There's a stocked fridge, and many people tend to eat something quick and easy, opting for junk food. They might even be thankful when Gordon Ramsay asks them to taste their dish because they get a chance to eat something good. 

Due to busy days and constant beratement, it shouldn't come as a surprise to hear that many people struggle emotionally while on the show. A lot of self-doubt goes around, with some people suffering from breakdowns. But there's always an out, and if someone really wants to leave, the show would allow them to do so. Several people have quit over the years due to injury or feeling like their time on the show was done. Then, of course, there was controversial contestant Joseph Tinnelly who tried to fight Gordon Ramsay. 

Keeping all of this in mind, the contestants are kept plenty busy during the day. Even after dinner service, it sounds like they're still in charge of cleaning up the kitchen, which is why they don't get to bed until early in the morning to wake up maybe five hours later. More than likely, the only time the players get to have some real fun is if they win a challenge.