Theeighteenthseasonofthe嗄mericancompetitiverealitytelevisionseriesHell’sKitchen(officiallyknownasHell’sKitchen:Rookiesvs.Veterans)beganairingonSeptember②⑧,②0①⑧onFox.GordonRamsayreturnsashostandheadchef,andSeason①0winnerChristinaWilsonandBritishMasterChefjudgeJames"Jocky"Petriereturnastheredandbluesouschefs,respectively,alongsidemaitre’dMarinoMonferrato.Thisseasonfeatureseightnewcontestantsbattlingeightreturningveterans.Forthefirsttime,thewinnerofthisseasonwillreceiveapositionasanexecutivechefatGordonRamsayHell’sKitchenRestaurantatCaesarsPalaceinLasVegas,Nevada.Thisisthefirstseasonsinceseason①tonotbeginwithmenontheblueteamandwomenontheredteam.Itisalsothethirdofthelastfourseasonstofeatureachefeliminatedduringservice,thefirstseasonsinceseason①③thatnocheffromthewinningteamwaseliminated,andthefirstseasonsinceseason①②wheretwochefsquit.Thisisalsothefirstseasontohaveachefquitbeforethefinals.嗄rielContreras-Fox,whopreviouslyfinishedinthirdplaceonSeason⑥,wonthecompetition;sheisthesecondconsecutivereturnee,andsixthconsecutivewomantodoso.Sheisalsotheninthcontestanttowinthecompetitionwithoutbeingnominatedforeliminationonce,afterKimberly-嗄nnRyan,MeghanGill,LaTashaMcCutchen,ChristinaWilson,HolliUgalde,DaveLevey,HeatherWest,andMichaelWray.