Hell's Kitchen Season 25: Where Are the Chefs Today?

While Fox’s ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ has long represented the future of the culinary world and its aspiring chefs, season 25 took it one step further by having all the contestants be 25 and under. In other words, it put youngsters who have grown up watching the show into its high-pressure environment to ascertain whether they really have what it takes to succeed in the industry. It was obviously celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay who helmed it all again, especially as his infamous kitchen and reputation lay in the hands of the 18 contestants vying to prove their mettle.

Aiden Ricklef is a Man of Many Passions

Aiden Ricklef first came into the limelight through his TikTok account in the fall of 2019, posting short videos that went viral owing to his aesthetic, good lip-syncing, and versatility. The California native subsequently gained opportunities in the modeling world, resulting in him working with brands like The Lonely Avocado, Calvin Klein, and many more before he evolved further. He began dabbling in acting around 2021, which led him to pursue professional training and be signed by Gersh Agency for both theater and commercial work.

Therefore, Aiden has been a professional actor since 2022 – the same year he enrolled at California Lutheran University to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. He decided to take a break from his studies in 2024, turning his love for cooking into a second career by launching a pop-up restaurant called Sunshine and Semolina. He then established Two Top Productions as a Co-Owner in 2025, through which he has served as an Actor-Producer on two films as of writing, with many projects still in the works. As if that’s not enough, the 22-year-old actor, producer, entrepreneur, and restaurateur resumed his studies at California State University – Long Beach in January 2026. It was roughly two months later that the fitness and travel enthusiast also became Chef De Partie at Dudley Market Venice, a position he proudly juggles to this day.

Diego Sanchez Credits His Support System For All His Success

A native of Allen Park, Michigan, Diego Sanchez has reportedly been passionate about cooking and food for as long as he can remember, which has led to his dream of becoming a chef. He has never had any formal training, but he taught himself key skills and techniques before he even started working at local establishments/restaurants while still in high school. He graduated in 2023 before immediately jumping into the culinary world full-time to work hard and climb the professional ladder. In fact, today, the 21-year-old serves as a Line Cook at Grey Ghost, a cuts-and-cocktails restaurant at 47 East Watson Street in Detroit, Michigan.

Diego actually credits all his loved ones for all the opportunities he has managed to grasp to this day, whether it be his family, his girlfriend, or his co-workers at Grey Ghost. He is well aware of how lucky he is to have a family that not only supports his dream but is also ready to make sacrifices for it, understanding how all-consuming the industry can be. He is even more appreciative of his long-term girlfriend, Riley Vargas, for anchoring him, inspiring him, and standing by him every step of the way, no matter what. As for his colleagues at Grey Ghost, he gratefully admits that they helped him prepare for ‘Hell’s Kitchen,’ gave him leave to compete, and then welcomed him back with open arms.

Dylan Duffy is a Rising Star in Wisconsin’s Culinary Scene

Ever since Dylan Duffy was a young boy growing up in the vibrant, historic lakeside neighborhood of Bay View on the south side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he has loved food. He thus always wanted to pursue a career in the same field, driving him to enroll at Milwaukee Area Technical College to earn an Associate’s degree in Chef Training/Culinary Arts. He did so as soon as he graduated from Reagan College Preparatory High School in the summer of 2022, by which point he had already garnered some significant experience.

Dylan kick-started his journey in this industry as a part-time Shift Lead at Krieg’s Lakeside Bakery at the young age of 16 in June 2020, where he served for a year and a half. He then joined Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative as a Line Cook from November 2021 to March 2023 before becoming a Senior Line Cook at Lupi & Iris. The latter is a fine dining restaurant, and the now 22-year-old was working there when he earned his degree in 2024, applied for ‘Hell’s Kitchen,’ and competed. In fact, he continues to serve there to this day, all the while helping its owners shape another restaurant called Il Ponte, which soft-launched in early September 2026. We should also mention that the Senior Line Cook is a cat dad who loves traveling – most recently, in August 2026, he visited Norway and Iceland.

Gabriel “Gabe” Cerease’s Background Inspires His Journey in the Kitchen

Although Gabriel “Gabe” Cerease proudly hails from Lake Worth, Florida, he is also undeniably unabashed about his roots in Barbados, Jamaica, and Saint Vincent & the Grenadines. In fact, from what we can tell, his family’s cooking of cuisines from there and the complexities of the same likely sparked his passion for food, which continued to develop as the years passed. He hence decided to attend Johnson & Wales University for an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management as soon as he graduated from high school in 2018.

It was while Gabe was studying that he kick-started his career, landing his first job as a Lead Line Cook at International Smoke in May 2019. He worked there for almost a year before becoming Sous Chef at Victory Restaurant & Lounge from February 2020 to December 2020. The rising chef subsequently served as Executive Sous Chef at Groot Hospitality, only to then helm a variety of restaurant concepts as Executive Chef. Amongst them appears to be Gekkō, a high-end Japanese-inspired steakhouse by David Grutman and Bad Bunny in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood. However, today, at the age of 25, he is the Executive Chef at 1123 Miami, a Tobias Dorzon-helmed West African and Asian fusion steakhouse scheduled to open in November 2026.

Georgiana Pahon is Focusing on Her Dreams Despite All Odds

Georgiana Pahon admittedly grew up in an orphanage in Botoșani, Romania, but she always had ambitious, big dreams of becoming a world-renowned professional chef one day. Therefore, upon gaining a fair bit of experience in her homeland, she relocated to the US in the early 2020s to follow her heart, pursue her passion, and find her real calling in this world. From what we can tell, she almost immediately settled in Kansas City, Missouri, where she did apprenticeships to hone her knowledge, skills, and technique before climbing the ladder.

While Georgiana’s exact career trajectory is unknown owing to her preference for keeping her experiences private, we do know she is an incredibly authentic and natural chef. In fact, it appears as if she served at Rye Leawood for a while before winning the American Culinary Federation’s John Joyce Culinary Challenge on November 4, 2022. She then seemingly worked at The Saddle & Sirloin Club, a historic private country, social, and equine club at 14401 Holmes Road in Kansas City, Missouri. Now, though, at the age of 24, the adventure, music, and travel enthusiast appears to be helming private Wine-Dinners at a local establishment, which seems to be highly successful.

Haley Moss is Happily Juggling Her Personal and Professional Responsibilities

When Haley Moss applied for ‘Hell’s Kitchen,’ her primary aim was to prove to the world that she can look the way she does, love make-up, be a family woman, and still be a professional chef. She was tired of having stereotypes placed on her and the culinary industry being considered a man’s world, so she decided to not only prove her own mettle but also represent other women like her. She definitely achieved her goal regardless of the season’s outcome, enabling her to return to her real life, her family, and her self-established career with her head held high.

Haley has been a Personal/Private Chef since September 2023, turning her love languate of cooking for her friends or family and sharing food with them into a full-fledged career. The Orlando, Florida, native also earned an Associate’s degree in Culinary Management through Valencia College’s Culinary, Baking, and Pastry program in 2025. Since then, it appears as if the 26-year-old has not only expanded her reach as a Personal Chef but also evolved into a Culinary Connoisseur, Content Creator, and Recipe Developer/Tester. As if that’s not enough, she is also a proud family woman – she has been in a happy, healthy relationship with Chandler Ranonis since 2017, and they share a 6-year-old daughter named Elaina Sophia Ranonis. She is also a dog mom who loves spending downtime with friends whenever possible.

Jeyda Brooks Continues to Push Herself to The Best of Her Abilities

Jeyda Brooks of Houston, Texas, was admittedly the least experienced contestant in this historic installment of ‘Hell’s Kitchen,’ but she more than made up for it with her determination to learn. She might not have had the best timing or even the best pronunciation for some herbs, spices, or produce, but her efforts showed in the food she cooked as well as the skills she displayed. From what we can tell, she is self-taught in every way and seemingly hadn’t realized she wanted to pursue a career in the culinary industry until her passion became undeniable.

Hence, at the age of 24, Jeyda currently serves as a Line Cook at a local Houston restaurant, all the while also gradually building her portfolio online to showcase her abilities. She prefers to keep her personal life well away from the limelight, so there isn’t much information available on her on that front either, but we do know she is resolved to keep pushing herself. After all, her goal is to represent neuro-diverse individuals in the industry and keep learning to believe in herself, because there was a time when she saw no one like her in mainstream media.

Jonathan “Jonny” Gudino is Dedicated to His Career and His Family

Jonathan “Jonny” Gudino originally hails from Kenscoff, Haiti, from where he was adopted at a young age by a woman who gave him everything he could have asked for. According to his accounts, she is the one who taught him to cook at age 7 and inadvertently gave him his lifelong passion, so everything he does is inspired by her as well as his multi-cultural upbringing. Therefore, he enrolled in the Chef Training program offered by the Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) through the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education as soon as he could.

Jonny earned his Associate’s degree in 2024, after which he spread his wings to garner additional experience across various avenues and utilize the skills he learned firsthand. By this point, he had already challenged himself by launching Meals By John in 2022, his own business through which he offers Personal/Private Chef services to individuals and corporations alike. The 23-year-old devout Christian thus continues to own and operate his firm today, while also serving as a Banquet Chef at the ResLife Church near Wyoming, Michigan.

Joy Shi Continues to Break All Bounds to Lead a Life She is Proud Of

Since Joy Shi was raised in a Chinese-American household in Washington DC, her passion for cooking wasn’t really taken seriously or considered a viable career path by her parents. Despite their disapproval, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel, Restaurant, & Institutional Management with a minor in Event Management from the University of Delaware in 2022. It was during this period that she also kick-started her professional career, with her first job being at Snap Custom Pizza as a Pizza Artisan from February 2019 to June 2020.

Joy subsequently dabbled as a Leasing Consultant at Peak Campus, an Event Intern at Peninsula Golf & Country Club, and an Event Coordinator at Caffé Gelato. In 2023, she even returned to her hometown to work at a restaurant by the name of Little Pearl, but she has since moved on and relocated to Alexandria, Virginia. There, the now-26-year-old is a proud Private Chef, determined to thrive in the industry while also raising awareness of mental health and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. She doesn’t shy away from sharing her own struggles with the same, admitting that the support of her family, her boyfriend, and the people she works with has helped her along the way. As for her personal life, we should mention that she seems to share a particularly tight-knit bond with her siblings – 2 sisters and a brother – and is in a happy relationship with a man named Josh Dabek. Together with her boyfriend, she loves to attend sporting events, go on picnics, and travel the world – most recently, in September 2026, they visited Morocco.

Kylie Budich Remains Focused On The Path She Has Chosen For Herself

A native of Hopatcong, New Jersey, Kylie Budich developed a passion for cooking at a rather early age and decided then and there to pursue a career as a professional chef. Thus, she began specializing in the field as a teen, studying Baking and Pastry Art at Sussex County Technical School before enrolling at the Culinary Institute of America. She graduated from there with a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Food Studies in 2022, during which she also did an Internship as a Line Cook at Crown Shy. The latter is a fine-dining restaurant in New York.

Kylie subsequently landed a Dining Room Manager position at Charlie Palmer Collective from June 2022 to December 2022, after which she arguably secured her dream job. She served as Chef de Partie at the 2-Michelin-Star fine-dining restaurant SAGA New York from January 2023 to November 2023, before relocating to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The now-25-year-old worked as a Grill Cook at the MAASS Restaurant at Four Seasons from August 2024 to January 2025 before securing a new opportunity.

From what we can tell, she has since been serving at Pier Top, Calusso, and Sotogrande, the flagship culinary destinations inside the newly reimagined Pier Sixty-Six Resort. Coming to her personal life, Kylie hails from a tight-knit family, so she was shattered when her grandfather sadly passed away in August 2026. However, the family now seems to be trying their best to move forward in life, for which they even vacationed together in Avon, North Carolina, in September 2026.

Serenity “Reni” Lee is Proud to Be an Entrepreneur and a Working Mom

Serenity “Reni” Lee is just like her fellow contestants in the sense that her love for food dates back to her childhood, but her motivation to succeed is quite a bit different than theirs. After all, she already has a 4-year-old daughter, so she wants to make a name for herself in the culinary world not only for her own merit but also to ensure she can provide her little girl with everything. Moreover, according to her own accounts, she wants to show her baby that they can achieve anything in life if they just put their minds to it, because they will always have their parents’ support.

As for Reni’s professional standing, she is the proud Founder, Owner, and CEO of Chef Reni’s Cuisine LLC, through which she offers catering, menu curating, and private chef services. She established her business in Cincinnati, Ohio, more than a year ago, but she even takes clients from outside the city and the state, charging travel expenses to expand her scope. We should also mention that the 25-year-old recently completed formal training as a professional chef, during which she was even honored with the title of ACF Student Chef of the Year 2025. Moreover, she won the American Culinary Federation’s John Kinsella Classic Competition on November 6, 2025. Honestly, her career is only just beginning, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for her.

Valentin Royo Aims to Elevate the Dining Experience For All His Future Patrons

Originally from Mendoza, Argentina, Valentin Royo has long called the Lone Star State his home. He even earned his high school diploma from the elite Seven Lakes High School in Katy, Texas, following which he immediately began pursuing his dreams. He already knew he wanted to have a career where he could blend his love for cooking and the hospitality industry with his business aptitude. Therefore, he enrolled at the University of Houston to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, all the while also working in fine-dining restaurants to gain experience.

Valentin was a Store Assistant at Pizza Fino, a Line Cook at Ai Fiori, a Chef De Partie at Mastro’s Restaurants, a Chef De Partie at Fierro, and a Chef De Partie at The Bastion Collection. During this period, he even obtained a Diploma in Culinary Arts/Chef Training from the Culinary Institute LeNotre – he multitasked for a year and a half to earn it in December 2023. As for his current standing, having graduated from the University of Houston in May 2026, he is currently exploring all his options while serving as a Sous Chef at KatyRing. The 22-year-old travel enthusiast has reportedly held this position since May 2018.

Hell’s Kitchen Season 25: Where Are the Chefs Now?