New Season Of 'Hell's Kitchen' Starts With Last Season's Winner From Loganville Still Out West

At 8 a.m. tonight, the ninth season of “Hell’s Kitchen” will premier on Fox, only this time there won’t be any local contestant to support. Last season’s winner, Nona Sivley, of Loganville, is happily serving out her winning gig as head chef of LA Market at LA Live's JW Marriott in Los Angeles, Calif.

In fact, there are no Georgia contestants in the new season of “Hell’s Kitchen.” There are, however, several from the New York and New Jersey area, which is just as well since the winner will earn a head chef position at BLT Steak in New York city. Local supporters of Sivley might want to stay tuned though – it’s possible they could get a glimpse of the former Loganville sous chef if they do.

“I can’t confirm or deny whether I make an appearance on the upcoming show,” Sivley said when contacted in LA Monday, adding she will, however, definitely be back in the Atlanta area later this week to visit with family.

Sivley said things have been going pretty well for her since winning Season 8 of “Hell’s Kitchen” and heading west in January for the $250,000 job as head chef at LA Market Live.

“I love LA. I didn’t think I would like it because I’m such a southern girl at heart, but I really do,” she said, adding, “But I do miss Georgia a lot.”

Sivley said winning the Fox reality cooking show was the best thing that could have happened for her culinary career.

“Every single day I learn something new. It’s pretty fantastic,” she said. “Having this opportunity and gaining the knowledge and experience that I have – you just can’t beat it – just the smallest little details to some of the biggest. I’m learning so much every day.”

Sivley said she’s not yet sure what’s going to happen when the year is up, but there is a possibility her contract could be extended.

“I not sure what the options are yet,” she said.

In the meantime, the new season of Hell’s Kitchen premiers tonight on Fox. This season’s 18 contestants will battle challenges that reportedly range from “the cute and cuddly as the chefs cook a Mommy and me meal for a room full of moms and toddler to the sublime as the chefs are challenged to cook using different types of beer as the basis for their recipes.”