The Hell's Kitchen Contestants Who Fans Are Constantly Shipping
Fans have been "shipping" their favorite movie, book, and television characters for as long as time. Psychology Today defines shipping as the desire by viewers to see two characters in a story have a romantic relationship. Consider shows like "Friends," which frequently involved putting characters into semi-romantic scenarios merely to build romantic tension. Even more serious dramas like "The X-Files" had a certain amount of shipping going on, with the audience invested in the relationship of Mulder and Scully, wishing those two would find a way to see that the love they want is right before their eyes.
While shipping is often reserved for scripted dramas, and even in romantic reality shows such as "The Bachelorette," it's less common in cooking competition shows. The point of cooking competitions isn't generally to see love blossom, but rather to see someone make a devilish chocolate mousse. Because the nature of these competitions is so fraught with tension, romance usually doesn't enter into the equation. However, when it does occur, it can be even more engaging than seeing it in a scripted series, where romance is to be expected.
"Hell's Kitchen" isn't the place where anyone would anticipate seeing any kind of courtship occur, as the chefs are under strain from the grueling competition, and from dealing with the ever volatile Gordon Ramsay. Yet, a pair of contestants seemed to bond deeply as the show progressed, leading many fans to start wishing for a romance to ignite.
Mary Lou and Cody, sitting in a cooking competition show, not k-i-s-s-i-n-g
Though Season 19 of "Hell's Kitchen" is well in the past, the public fascination with two contestants and their possible romantic involvement lives on. Cody Candelario was described by Screen Rant as "arrogant" when he first came on the show. He's been cooking since he was 8 eight years old, rising in the culinary ranks despite a sickness that damaged his senses of taste and smell. Mary Lou Davis, meanwhile, is a purple-haired, Disney-loving YouTuber who proved herself a very worthy competitor, taking the place of runner-up that season.
What was truly interesting about this pair was watching their relationship grow. One fan put together a YouTube montage of all the funny, tender, supportive moments that Candelario and Davis shared. Even after the show ended, fans were clamoring for more information. One Reddit thread actually pointed to an Instagram post wherein Davis denied any involvement with Candelario. "Unfortunately they never got together after the show," said one lovelorn commenter. "Mary Lou confirmed it on Instagram." While this is the heartbreak of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy all over again, sans the loving conclusion, it seems that both cooks are still doing well pursuing their passions, albeit separately: Davis consistently updates her Instagram with new cooking tips, and Candelario has gone on to promote mental health and his new show.