There’s very little downtime when it comes to being on “Hell’s Kitchen.” Contestants are doing a challenge, out on an excursion, or prepping for dinner service. They have a lot on their plate (no pun intended), and Chef Christina Wilson went on to say how they’ll work with chefs lacking the proper techniques to make them perform better. She continued, “People don’t know very basic knife cuts or butchery techniques. If they’re taught wrong and that’s what they use as their foundation to build on, they’re already going to be shaky. We try to take some time in the first week of the season and undo some of those things that we spot and see.”
Naturally, “Hell’s Kitchen” provides the contestants with the best knives available. However, a good knife will only get someone so far if they don’t know how to cut something properly. Proper hand placement and grip are essential not only for getting the best cut out of a piece of food but also ensuring the chef doesn’t injure themself.
Still, even with experience and extra training, mistakes happen. In Season 12, Rochelle sliced off a part of her thumb while cutting food. Amazingly, she kept a sunny disposition in the immediate aftermath, but it goes to show how even professionals can make some major errors in the kitchen.