Bergen Chef Is 'Hell's Kitchen' Season 15 Winner

A country club chef from Hackensack is the winner of season 15 of “Hell’s Kitchen,” the Fox cooking competition show starring Gordon Ramsey.

For winning the competition, Ariel Malone earned a head chef position at BLT Steak at Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, a prize value of $250,000.

“I’m living proof that hard work and believing in yourself can make dreams come true,” Malone said on FOX.com following the win. “Winning ‘Hell’s Kitchen is an unbelievable honor and I’m happy that I get to make a living doing what I love. With this opportunity, I’m excited to create a better life for my present and future family.”

Malone went head to head with Kristin Barone, a line cook from Chicago, in Friday’s season finale.

“Throughout the competition, Ariel demonstrated that she was a both a leader and a true powerhouse in the kitchen,” said Ramsey. “She exemplified impressive culinary skills and proved to be creative, ambitious, and quick on her feet no matter what was thrown her way.”

For the final challenge, Malone and Barone created their own menus and lead a team of their previous competitors.

Malone’s menu included:

Appetizers

• Charred octopus with manchego croquettes, radish, red onion salad, tomato jam, and chorizo aioli
• Red romaine salad with candied walnuts, dried cranberries, herbs, blue cheese, grilled asparagus, wild mushrooms, basil, and white balsamic vinaigrette
• Maine lobster with white and green asparagus, poached crones, roasted romanesco, and lemon vinaigrette
• Cheesecake with wild mushrooms, truffle soy vinaigrette, trumpet mushrooms, and pickled radishes

Entrees

• Grilled hanger steak with garlic, rosemary, roasted cipollini onions, fingerling potatoes, and red wine sauce
• Herb garden chicken with carrot puree, English peas, mint, and chicken jus
• Pan-seared sea bass with bacon-braised beet greens, roasted red beets, shaved fennel, and beet salad with Tabasco lemon vinaigrette
• Pan-roasted pork chop with potato caramelized onion gratin, roasted apples, black pepper, and coriander glaze.

Desserts

• Espresso panna cotta with lemon zest, micro mint, and vanilla bean ice cream
• Pistachio sponge cake with currant rum caramel and rum raisin ice cream

Photos by FOX