What did Tara Ciannella say about her "terrifying" experience of being on Gordon Ramsay-led Hell's Kitchen Season 21?

Chef Tara Ciannella, one of the 18 contestants of Hell's Kitchen Season 21, which premiered on September 29, recalled her days on the show and said that she had a 'terrifying' experience performing in front of Gordon Ramsay.

Talking to Rockland County Times, Tara opened up about her nerve-wracking experience of working under Ramsay as she knew that she was competing against some of the most experienced chef contestants. However, she also felt proud of herself because she could make it to Hell's Kitchen even without much experience.

"This show is mentally draining on you, it definitely messed with your psyche. They wanted to make sure that you could go into this, the late hours of filming, the early hours waking up, and being yelled at by Gordon Ramsay."

Season 21 of Hell's Kitchen will feature contestants performing mind-boggling culinary tasks to win a dream job at Gordon Ramsay's chain of restaurants.

The official synopsis of the show reads,

"The competition is bound to be fierce, as each team is put through rigorous culinary challenges, featuring high-stakes rewards and punishments, all with age-defying bragging rights on the line. But only those who possess the right combination of ingredients will continue in the competition until one is named the winner."

The synopsis further reads,

"At stake is a life-changing grand prize, including a Head Chef position, a cash prize of $250,000 and the coveted title of HELL’S KITCHEN winner."

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Tara Ciannella from Hell's Kitchen suffered a brain injury

Tara's journey as a chef has been full of ups and downs. Before joining the culinary industry, she worked in the field of fashion in Philadelphia.

However, in 2006, she suffered a brain injury that affected her memory. After the incident, Tara realized she had lost half her memory and did not connect with her previous career.

At that point, the mother-of-one realized her passion for cooking and shifted career paths. Before starting her own catering business in 2010, she went to cut her teeth at Axia Taverna in Tenafly, New Jersey.

This led her to open Tara's Italian Cucina, which has grown over the past years despite starting as a catering business. Tara's Italian Cucina is the culmination of the chef's years of training. Her family also has a background in farming and Mediterranean culture. She previously stated that her favorite dishes to cook are halibut and filet mignon steak.

During the interview with Rockland County Times, Tara expressed her attachment to cooking. She stated:

"The only place I felt comfortable was the kitchen. I lost a lot of memory, lost a lot of knowledge. Being in the kitchen helped me come back to who I was.”

Although she is a confident culinary master now, she initially started as a sous chef and, after years of grind, became an executive chef and a consulting chef at other restaurants. In her culinary journey, Chef Tara also competed on Chopped and appeared on Good Day NY.

During the interview, Tara shared that a representative from the Gordon Ramsay show reached out to her on Instagram. She applied for a slot on Hell's Kitchen in September and finally heard back during Christmas.

Also, after the show, Tara feels that she has found a culinary family in Hell's Kitchen, something she never had before.

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