
Kevin Cottle, a chef and contestant from Season 6, has answered some of the most burning questions from curious "Hell's Kitchen" fans on Reddit. He busted some misconceptions — for instance, none of the challenges on the show are rigged — and shared some insider info. For instance, there's a "back-up cooking crew" that helps out during those times when the contestants get tossed out because they aren't performing to Ramsay's liking. And those customers who frequent the restaurant are actually friends and family of the production crew. As you might expect, the show is heavily edited to create a more dramatic storyline: "It was definitely designed to make us look a certain way or to make other chefs look worse than they were," Cottle said.
And while it may seem that the contestants spend most of their time fighting and backstabbing, that too may be exaggerated. According to Cottle, a lot of heat is generated away from the stoves. Asked to divulge some "weird secrets," he replied, "Not weird, but contestants have sex on the show all the time." He's not one to kiss and tell, however: "What happens in Hell's Kitchen stays in Hell's Kitchen."
Cottle also explained the secret to cooking scallops to Chef Ramsay's specifications: Slice them in half and cook them with just a little bit of oil in a very hot pan for 60 to 90 seconds on each side. Voilà!
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEpaCsrF6YvK57k21nb25hZMGpsYybnKGhnpl6tbTEZqqcnZ6awG60xKWjrGWbnsGktMSnZKydk6eytXnToZitZaCnvKXBwp6prGWUnrGvwIywmKesXa68tnnTqGSkpp%2BsfA%3D%3D