Jayden Canady was sent home from Hell’s Kitchen during the December 11, 2025 episode, a difficult exit that came on his 26th birthday. His elimination followed a challenging dinner service where his team, the Blue Team, consistently fell behind the Red Team.
The episode, titled “Charity Dinner From Hell,” featured a high-stakes meal for VIP guests supporting two major charities. After the Blue Team lost the service, chef Henry Johnson was given the difficult task of nominating two of his three remaining teammates for elimination. He chose Jayden and Anthony Leonard. Chef Gordon Ramsay ultimately decided to remove Jayden from the competition.
What Happened in the Episode 11 Challenges?
The episode began with a high-pressure team challenge. Ramsay tasked the chefs with creating a four-dish Chinese menu—including dumplings, stir fry, sweet and sour, and noodles—in just 45 minutes. The twist was a tag-team format. Only two chefs from each team started cooking; when Ramsay yelled “Switch,” their two other teammates had to jump in and continue the work with only 10 seconds to communicate.
Guest judge Buddha Lo assisted Ramsay in tasting the dishes. The competition was tight, with points awarded dish by dish. The final score was 3-2, with the Red Team securing the victory. For their win, the Red Team enjoyed a private museum tour and received a surprise set of HexClad pans in their dorm. The losing Blue Team’s punishment was to work on composting duty, which contestant Jada Vidal described as smelling “like throw-up”.
Why the Blue Team Lost the Charity Dinner Service
The main event of the night was a charity dinner service for a dining room packed with VIPs, including JoJo Siwa. The Red Team cooked to raise money for Feeding America, while the Blue Team’s service supported Stand Up To Cancer. In a unique test of leadership, each chef was responsible for leading the kitchen through one of the five courses.
The Red Team operated smoothly, sending out all their courses on time and without major issues. The Blue Team, however, struggled with coordination and timing from the start. They fell behind during the second course (capellini) and faced a critical error when an entire dish for a 10-person table was discovered missing. Although they eventually completed all courses, they lagged behind the Red Team throughout the entire service.
At the service’s conclusion, Ramsay named the Red Team the clear winners. He noted that on the Blue Team, only Henry‘s scallop dish met the standard, describing it as the only dish that was a “mirror” of the Red Team’s quality.
“Jayden was the first person in 24 seasons to drop a dish during a challenge. Then he dropped the ball during service, so I dropped him out of the competition.” – Gordon Ramsay
The Elimination Decision and Ramsay’s Reason
Because he was deemed the “Best of the Worst” on the losing team, Henry was given the power to choose which two chefs to nominate for elimination. With only three chefs left on the Blue Team—Henry, Anthony, and Jayden—it was a tough decision. After discussing it with his teammates, Henry nominated Anthony and Jayden.
When asked why he should stay, both nominated chefs pleaded their case to Ramsay. Ramsay’s decision to eliminate Jayden was based on accumulated mistakes. He pointed out that earlier in the season, Jayden was the first chef in the show’s 24-season history to drop a dish during a challenge. Ramsay stated that Jayden’s inconsistent performance during the critical charity dinner service was the final reason for his departure.
Who is Still Competing in Hell’s Kitchen?
With Jayden’s elimination, seven chefs remain in the competition for the $250,000 prize and the position of head chef at the Foxwoods Resort Casino.
The remaining contestants are:
- Anthony Leonard (Iowa) – Blue Team
- Henry Johnson (Texas) – Blue Team
- Anaiya Marie (Delaware) – Red Team
- Cydni Stickney (North Carolina) – Red Team
- Ellie Parker (Nevada) – Red Team
- Jada Vidal (Florida) – Red Team
- Lisa Rivera (California) – Red Team
Hell’s Kitchen airs on Fox. New episodes are released weekly.
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