Season 12 - Episode Guide

Twenty aspiring restaurateurs hoping to impress Ramsay present their signature dishes; after the opening night dinner service, contestants face elimination.

Teamwork plays an important role during a relay race in which duos must accomplish basic culinary tasks; while challenge winners go to San Francisco, the losing team picks carrots at a farm; both teams disappoint during dinner service.

The contestants learn about teamwork during a challenge involving pigs and potatoes; while the winning team enjoys a day on a yacht, the losers bathe their new livestock friends; a disorganized dinner service leaves chef Ramsay disappointed.

The contestants take part in a team competition involving lobster ravioli.

The teams must pair side dishes with four different types of protein; while the losing team makes honey taffy from scratch, the winners spend a day at Laguna Beach; the teams prepare a breakfast reception for a wedding.

The teams must pick a team leader for the next dinner service; a chef serves an undercooked dish; a contestant is eliminated.

Contestants from each team must work in pairs and present a unique pizza dish to Ramsay; the losers clean up and prepare both kitchens for dinner service, while the winners go to a luxurious hotel; one team runs out of a crucial ingredient.

The team that prepares the most-impressive Southern-inspired menu for a sorority's anniversary party wins a trip to Las Vegas; both teams struggle with communication during dinner service.

The contestants are given 30 minutes to create an entree from surprise ingredients; Ramsay conducts one-on-one evaluations.

The contestants visit one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants; the teams prepare meals inspired by Ramsay's cuisine; the contestants face elimination.

A team competition tests the contestants' knowledge of pork, with the winners receiving an indoor sky-diving experience; during dinner service, both teams face struggles.

After Chef Ramsay reorganizes the members on the Red and Blue teams, contestants must learn to trust their senses - and each other - as he challenges contestants to a "dark grocery store" challenge. Each contestant blindly chooses his/her ingredients and must create a unique dish that uses all of them. The contestant with the best dish wins the challenge, as well as a day full of pampering at a Beverly Hills spa for his/her entire team, while the losing team unloads the dinner service deliveries. Later, Chef Ramsay announces that they will be serving a five-course meal to VIP attendees from UNICEF, including actress and UNICEF ambassador Angie Harmon ("Rizzoli & Isles"). Both teams struggle to deliver the dishes on time, and Chef Ramsay asks for both teams to present contestants for elimination. Find out which contestant leaves the kitchen for good.

The red team and the blue team each create their own menus, from which guests can order during dinner service; the team that impresses diners with its food and service wins the challenge; contestants face elimination.

The remaining contestants face the blind taste test, with the winning team getting an ice skating lesson with figure skater Rachael Flatt; the contestants struggle to stay organized during the dinner service.

Ramsay challenges the teams with creating entrees with the highest dollar values with ingredients purchased on a small budget; three previous winners judge individual contestant's entrees.

After spending time with three former HELL'S KITCHEN contestants, this season's remaining seven contestants prepare for a dinner service with special guests from Oxfam America, including Academy Award nominee and Oxfam America ambassador, Minnie Driver ("Good Will Hunting"). Later, during the dinner service, two contestants struggle with their stations, leading to an early elimination in the middle of the dinner service. Find out which contestant can't take the heat and who earns their black jackets.

The six remaining chefs receive their black jackets and prepare tailgate food for football fans; tempers flare during dinner service.

The remaining contestants use leftovers to create a dish; Better Homes & Gardens Editor Laurie Buckle chooses which dish will be featured in the magazine; the contestants face elimination.

The remaining four chefs sample one of Ramsay's complex entrees and then must re-create it correctly; two of the chefs face elimination.

The final two contestants must prepare five unique dishes, to be judged by renowned Los Angeles chefs; former contestants help with the final dinner service; a winner is chosen.