The Most Overrated Hell's Kitchen Contestant, According To Reddit

The "Hell's Kitchen" audience is known for becoming extremely invested in the show and its participants. And it's hard not to when you witness what they endure. If they're not ducking verbal daggers being hurled their way by Gordon Ramsay or the other contestants, they're trying to create masterful dishes under stressful conditions with little sleep. Yes, it's hard not to root for your favorite with vim and vigor, especially when it appears that a less-skillful chef is outshining them.

So who were some of these "overrated chefs" that many felt were less deserving of their successes than others? While there is no way to measure the subjective trait of "overrated-ness," there are several sites that share their opinions. The "Hell's Kitchen" Fandom wiki seems to point largely to Christina Wilson, referring to the fact that while some say she is the best winner, "she wasn't even the best chef of Season 10." Screen Rant, however, contends that fans were unhappy when the overrated Nona and Russell made the finale instead of Jillian Flathers as she had shown marked improvement and great leadership skills. Gold Derby lists Season 9's Paul Niedermann as the "Hell's Kitchen" winner that fans thought was the least deserving. And Ranker listed Nona Sivley, Season 8's winner, as the lowest ranked, clearly showing that many think she was overrated. 

The folks at Reddit, however, also possess some strong opinions — and some of their comments may surprise you. 

When Reddit u/BigManToasty asked r/HellsKitchen who the show's most overrated chefs (based on skills, not personality) were, the responses came in fast and furious. The post originator said that Dana Cohen's performance in "Hell's Kitchen" Season 10 was overrated as she "bombed her last two services" and possessed "downright bad consistency." 

Another commenter replied that Gordon Ramsay let Season 12's Gabriel stay too long. And a third fan contended that Michael from Season 11 "did not do well at much" and bemoaned the fact that some "include him with Jon and Anthony" as among the season's best chefs. Several also pointed to Curtis from Season 8, wondering why people screamed that he was robbed when he couldn't even make sushi. Finally, one Redditor nominated Season 5's Ji, saying, "the hype from the viewers and commentators made me question if we were watching the same season."

With so many differing opinions, it's impossible to pinpoint one distinctly overrated "Hell's Kitchen" chef. (There would likely be equally hot debate over the most underrated chef as well.) After all, viewers each have their own favorites and view the other contestants accordingly. Thankfully, Gordon Ramsay is there to make the tough decisions, whether fans agree with them or not.