In a tense battle over Mexican cuisine, chef Jon Boyd became the latest contestant sent home from Hell’s Kitchen Season 24. The Georgia native’s elimination came after a dinner service filled with raw proteins and garnish errors, leading Chef Gordon Ramsay to declare his performance was not up to the standard required for a head chef.
The High-Stakes Mexican Challenge
The seventh episode, titled “Guac a Mole,” tested the chefs with a demanding Mexican-themed challenge. Each contestant had to prepare an elevated Mexican entrée using one of six proteins: chicken thighs, flatiron steak, pork tenderloin, red prawns, red snapper, or skirt steak.
To select their ingredients, chefs played a “Guac-a-Mole” game, similar to whack-a-mole, where avocados popped out of holes. This decided the shared ingredients both competing chefs had to use in their dishes. Celebrity chef Gabriela Cámara, known for Mexico City’s Contramar and featured on Netflix’s “A Tale of Two Kitchens,” served as the guest judge alongside Gordon Ramsay.
The head-to-head matchups saw several chefs face off. In the key results:
- Jayden defeated Cydni on chicken thighs.
- Cara Marie and Anthony tied on flat iron steak.
- Jon defeated Ellie on pork tenderloin.
- Alexandra and Henry tied on red prawns.
- Anaiya defeated Chris on red snapper.
- Jada defeated Lisa on skirt steak.
After judging, the Blue Team won the challenge with a score of 5-3. Their reward was a Mexican fiesta at the Foxwoods Scorpion Bar, complete with pool time and spa treatments. The losing Red Team had to hand-make tortillas in preparation for the dinner service.
A Chaotic Dinner Service
The dinner service introduced a new Mexican menu alongside the regular offerings, and both kitchens quickly descended into chaos.
The Blue Team’s problems started early when Jayden served overcooked lobster. Ramsay criticized the dish, shouting, “It’s butter-poached, not hammered!” Later, Jon Boyd made a critical error by topping fries with the wrong type of cheese, using Mexican cheese instead of Parmesan. The mistakes continued when Henry sent a raw pork chop to the pass. Ramsay pointed out the lack of attention to detail, stating, “The tiniest of details, no one gives a f*** about.”
The Red Team’s service was equally troubled. Cydni served raw scallops, prompting Ramsay to question if the team was falling apart. After witnessing their continued struggles, Ramsay moved the strong-performing Jada from the Blue Team to the Red Team to help balance the performance. The situation did not improve, with the Red Team later serving raw chicken and undercooked salmon. Frustration boiled over, and Anaiya exclaimed, “I’m starting to get a little pissed off. This is f***ing embarrassing!” Ramsay eventually ejected the entire Red Team from the kitchen.
Although the Blue Team finished service, Ramsay was clear that neither team had delivered a winning performance.
The Elimination Decision
Facing elimination, both teams were required to nominate two chefs. The Red Team put forward Alexandra and Cydni, while the Blue Team nominated Jon and Henry.
After considering the nominations and the night’s errors, Gordon Ramsay eliminated Jon Boyd. In his final remarks, Ramsay connected Jon’s home state to his performance, saying:
“Jon may be from the Peach State, but there was nothing ‘peachy’ about his performance tonight.”
Ramsay noted that Jon’s repeated mistakes, particularly the garnish error, made it clear he was not ready to become the next head chef.
Contestants Still in the Running
Following Jon’s departure, the competition continues with these chefs:
Blue Team
- Anthony Leonard (Iowa)
- Chris Faison (New Jersey)
- Henry Johnson (Texas)
- Jayden Canady (Massachusetts)
- Jada Vidal (Florida)
Red Team
- Alexandra Jones (Oregon)
- Anaiya Lator (Delaware)
- Cara Marie Hall (Rhode Island)
- Cydni Stickney (North Carolina)
- Ellie Parker (Nevada)
- Lisa Rivera (California)
The remaining chefs must now regroup and improve their precision as the competition narrows. With the battle for the head chef position and a $250,000 prize intensifying, the pressure in Hell’s Kitchen is higher than ever.
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