The Truth About Brittani Ratcliff From Hell's Kitchen Season 19

Brittani Ratcliff went through rounds of interviews before being selected as a Hell's Kitchen season 19 contestant. "It's kinda crazy to see reality television behind the scenes," she reflected to a local news station, WSAZ 3, letting on that the she didn't actually meet her fellow contestants until the first day of filming. That's changed. Ratcliff and other season 19 personalities now have tentative plans for a summer 2021 reunion to "cook and hang out." 

Ratcliff, who is a Kentucky-based chef, is currently working as a sous chef at Morehead State University, Aramark, as per her Linkedin. And while she swears she's not a fan of baking, it's clear she knows a thing or two about the sweet side of the kitchen. How did it go for Ratcliff on the show?  The Sullivan University grad gushed to WSAZ 3 that while she was "absolutely terrified" to be on set with Gordon Ramsay, he turned out to be "easily one of the best chefs that I've ever worked for."

Ratcliff is not afraid to tell the world proudly who she is: a strong, kick-ass, lesbian chef, who makes a mean macaroni and cheese (think smoked cheddar with slow-braised cilantro and lime-pulled chicken). "I'm sure my story echoes those of so many around me," she reflected on National Coming Out Day, 2020, "I lost people who called themselves my friend. I lost family that I never dreamed of losing. And nothing about those situations were easy." Her own father did not accept Ratcliff after she came out of the closet, but she's since found family in the community around her.

Did we mention that the Hell's Kitchen contestant makes brandy spiced sweet potato tarts topped with maple marshmallow buttercream maple cream cookies for the fall holiday season? Or that she tops her corn on the cob with Cheeto dust and pairs it with bourbon and brown sugar soaked grilled pineapple? Excuse us for a second while we all move into her fan club.