What Hell's Kitchen Winner Danny Veltri Is Doing Now
Gordon Ramsey's hit Fox show "Hell's Kitchen" gives viewers a glimpse into the literal blood, sweat, and tears that go into becoming a legendary chef like himself. Ramsey pins chefs against each other to compete for a coveted position at one of his eateries — head chef. Chefs cook their hearts out in various challenges, says Fox, all with Ramsey reminding them of the high stakes at his signature decibel. Danny Veltri, the lucky winner from Season 5, experienced Ramsey's wrath up close and personal.
Veltri was only 23 when he landed a spot on Ramsey's heated show back in 2009, according to Screen Rant. He said goodbye to his hometown of Edgewater, Florida, and headed to Atlantic City with hopes of gaining a head chef position. The youthful chef conquered the competition, taking home not only the winning title but also being crowned the youngest winner on "Hell's Kitchen" in history, says Gold Derby. Veltri's age didn't work against him, rather his spunk and drive have fueled his career. Following his life-changing win, the chef got situated in Atlantic City with his $250,000 prize money and planned to start his promised job as Fornelletto's head chef at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.
Things didn't go exactly as planned, but Veltri kept his cooking dream alive
To Veltri's surprise, when he showed up at Fornelletto prepared for his new role as head chef, he was welcomed as the sous chef instead. Screen Rant describes his experience at the Atlantic City restaurant as "less-than-ideal," and he returned to Florida after a few months once he realized he wasn't cooking at the level he desired. Once he got back to the beach life, he went on to start a variety of cooking-related endeavors. He gave catering a whirl and opened Back From Hell Catering as a nod to his times on Ramsey's show. After a short life, the catering company shut down and Veltri moved on to become the general manager at a new swanky beach restaurant called Gnarly Surf Bar & Grill (via Screen Rant).
Once that stint ended, the "Hell's Kitchen" winner accepted an executive chef role at a lively Daytona Beach watering hole and eatery co-owned by athlete Vince Carter. The restaurant, named after the basketball star himself, Vince Carter's, dubs itself a sports entertainment venue with "a wide variety of chef-created recipes" thanks to Danny Veltri's time there. The chef's heyday has certainly faded, but Parade reports that Veltri is now whipping up unique dishes inspired by Hawaiian and Costa Rican flavors as head chef at Salt Life Food Shack.