Hell's Kitchen season 23 episode 11 recap: Top 8 chefs take on international cuisine and charity dinner service

Hell's Kitchen episode 11, titled A Soap Opera in Hell, aired on January 2, 2025. The latest episode of season 23 featured the top eight chefs competing in an International Cuisine Challenge and participating in a dinner service. The evening was dedicated to Charity Night, honoring the American Heart Association and the Connecticut Chapter of the Special Olympics.

Special guests, including Daytime Emmy winner Susan Lucci, attended the event. The episode began with the International Cuisine Challenge, where chefs were tasked with creating dishes inspired by different global cuisines.

Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna judged the competition, evaluating the participants’ ability to capture flavors and create visually appealing plates. Afterward, the chefs prepared for a dinner service, aiming to impress the evening’s guests.

Some contestants excelled in leadership and execution, while others faced difficulties under pressure. By the end of the episode, Ann Marie and Joe were eliminated after falling short of Gordon Ramsay’s standards. The preview for the next episode hinted at the start of the black jacket phase, promising tougher competition as the chefs edge closer to the title of head chef.

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International cuisine challenge in Hell's Kitchen

The episode’s first challenge pushed the chefs to explore international cuisines, and each one of them was randomly assigned a country to inspire their dishes. In this task, Kyle competed against Whit, both preparing Chinese cuisine. Meanwhile, Brandon was set against Hannah for cooking French dishes and Joe was competing against Amanda to prepare Greek dishes. Lastly, Egypt was paired against Ann Marie and they had to cook Mexican-inspired recipes.

Chef Ramsay talked about the challenge, saying:

“International cuisine is not just about taste—it’s about transporting diners to another place.”

The chefs were given 45 minutes to create their dishes. Chef Vikas Khanna judged this task on Hell's Kitchen, evaluating each plate on taste, execution, and how well it represented the assigned cuisine.

The challenge ended in a tie between the Red and Blue Teams, but Egypt’s standout dish, praised for its bold flavors and technique, earned the Blue Team the overall win. As a reward, the Blue Team enjoyed a private tour of the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and a Native American lunch.

In contrast, the Red Team was assigned the task of baking cupcakes for the evening’s charity dinner service. The additional workload created early frustrations within the team, hinting at the pressures that would carry into the dinner service later that night.

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Charity night dinner service in season 23 of Hell's Kitchen

The charity dinner service was a pivotal moment for the top eight chefs, with the Red Team cooking for the American Heart Association and the Blue Team serving the Connecticut Chapter of the Special Olympics.

Egypt struggled to take charge of the Blue Team, leading to moments of disorganization and confusion. Meanwhile, the Red Team dealt with Whit’s lack of focus and Ann Marie’s overcooked scallops. Ann Marie’s response to Chef Gordon Ramsay’s critique, questioning his assessment, escalated tensions.

“Burnt scallops are not negotiable,” Ramsay stated.

Kyle and Hannah maintained control of their teams during the dinner service, managing to keep tasks on track and meet expectations. Gordon Ramsay acknowledged their ability to fulfill the evening’s requirements.

At the end of the service in Hell's Kitchen, both teams were asked to nominate two members for elimination. Kyle selected Egypt and Joe from the Blue Team, while Hannah nominated Amanda and Ann Marie from the Red Team. After listening to the nominees, Gordon decided that Joe and Ann Marie would leave the competition due to their repeated issues with the fish station.

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Watch new episodes of Hell's Kitchen airing every Thursday at 8 pm ET on Fox.