Eighteen new aspiring chefs dare to brave the heat of competition when Chef Gordon Ramsay opens the doors to a new season of HELL'S KITCHEN. The chefs must prove they have the skill, passion and dedication as they compete for the grand prize of a Head Chef position at BLT Steak in New York City. In the first team challenge of the season, Chef Ramsay asks the contestants to prepare their signature dish and splits the chefs into two teams: men vs. women. The winning team gets a taste of the sweet life when they wine and dine with Season Eight winner Nona Sivley at L.A. Market, while the losing team is left behind to scrub down the kitchen in preparation for their first dinner service. Following a sobering announcement moments before the grand reopening of HELL'S KITCHEN, tempers flare when the teams struggle to communicate effectively and the slow service forces diners to walk out before their entrees are served.

With just 16 chefs remaining, the tension among the contestants becomes palpable as Chef Ramsay pits the red team against the blue team in another intense challenge. The winning team celebrates in high style while the losing team is left behind to fulfill drab duties. During dinner service, both teams struggle to cook their dishes properly and on time, and the contestants’ lack of cooperation and efficiency sends Chef Ramsay over the edge.

With just 15 chefs remaining, Chef Ramsay pits the red team against the blue team in another intense challenge. The winning team celebrates in high style while the losing team is left behind to fulfill drab duties. Tune in to see which contestants are on the chopping block

After the contestants get a brief night's sleep, sous chefs Scott and Andy show up with overalls and boots for the contestants to use in the next challenge. They all go downstairs, where Chef Ramsay explains today's test. Each team must create four chicken dishes, but before retreating to the kitchen they must determine what they will be working with. For every live chicken they catch and deposit into a cage, they can retrieve an ingredient from a list including such items as bleu cheese, pickles, and grits.

The remaining 13 chefs start a new day greeted by Chef Ramsay and the sight of a chemistry lab in the kitchen. Chef Ramsay introduces two guests who bring science and food together: Ben Roche and Homaro Cantu from Chicago's Moto Restaurant. In 45 seconds they make a dreamsicle sorbet using sound waves and liquid nitrogen.

With just 12 chefs remaining, Chef Ramsay pits the red team against the blue team in another intense challenge. The winning team celebrates in high style while the losing team is left behind to fulfill drab duties. Tune in to see which contestants are on the chopping block.

Following a difficult elimination in the previous episode, the teams return to the dormitories. The Blue Team is determined to win a service, having lost the last challenge. In the meantime, Krupa is celebrating the Red Team's win by relaxing with a few drinks. The next morning the chefs are up and ready to go, but Krupa is in a world of pain. All of the contestants then meet Chef Ramsay in the dining room. He asks them to create something delicious from a table of ingredients that includes grains, fruits, and oils. After hearing a few of the contestants' ideas, he introduces them to his guests, beer sommeliers Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune. The competitors are told to prepare individual dishes using one or more types of beer. Chef Ramsay has designed the challenge to test the chefs' creativity and their ability to make a well-balanced and delicious dish using a unique element. Krupa's night of celebration is catching up with her, and she's not performing at her best. Since the women have six chefs to the men's five, they are told to drop one dish, and they choose Krupa's rabbit.

Chef Ramsay asks the remaining 10 contestants to nominate one chef from each team who possesses the best leadership skills. The Blue Team decides on Will, while the Red Team struggles to make a selection. When they meet Chef Ramsay in the kitchen the following morning, the Red Team picks Jennifer as their strongest player. But in true "Hell's Kitchen" style, Chef Ramsay turns the tables on the contestants as he describes today's challenge. He asks the two strongest players to name their weakest teammates. Jennifer does not hesitate to say Carrie, and Will immediately calls out Tommy. For this challenge, Carrie and Will must lead their respective kitchens. They will start by creating a menu for their versions of five classic comfort foods: spaghetti and meatballs, pizza, burgers, Cobb salad, and chicken noodle soup. The Red Team, especially the outspoken Elise, disagrees with Carrie's game plan, but at least she has one. Tommy can't pull it together, and the Blue Team waits for his guidance. Jonathan creates a pizza following Tommy's recipe but struggles to get his leader to focus. Still, both disorganized teams manage to finish the dishes before time runs out.

With just nine chefs remaining, Chef Ramsay pits the red team against the blue team in another intense challenge. The winning team celebrates in high style while the losing team is left behind to fulfill drab duties.

Chef Ramsay pits the red team against the blue team in two intense challenges. The winning team celebrates in high style while the losing team is left behind to fulfill drab duties.

The 7 remaining chefs visit New York City, where they tour BLT Steak (the future home for the winner) and take bites of the Big Apple's cornucopia of ethnic foods. Their challenge when they return to Hell's Kitchen: prepare ethnic dishes themselves. For the winners it's a day at the beach, while the losers must prepare for dinner service, at which both teams have difficulty with sea bass. When it's over, Chef Ramsay cuts the field to six.

6 chefs remain. The team challenge: prepare three dishes in 30 minutes. The winners go shopping while the losers prep for the dinner service, a black-tie gala benefiting American Cancer Society and the American Humane Association.

The 5 remaining chefs trade in their red and blue-piped jackets for black ones and cook together in one kitchen. Four advance to the next round.

Five chefs compete (again).

Chefs Will Lustberg, Paul Niedermann, Tommy Stevens and Elise Wims compete, with two advancing to the final round and a shot at a chef-de-cuisine post at BLT Steak in New York City.

The two finalists compete in the Season 9 finale. The winner gets a chef-de-cuisine post at BLT Steak in New York City.