Downtown Las Vegas chef wins Season 24 of ‘Hell’s Kitchen’
Ellie Parker capped off “the journey of a lifetime” this week by winning Season 24 of the cooking competition series “Hell’s Kitchen.”
The 26-year-old executive chef at Main St. Provisions in downtown Las Vegas bested Florida chef Jada Vidal in Thursday night’s finale on Fox.
In Season 24, dubbed “Battle of the States,” Parker represented Nevada in famed chef, restaurateur and host Gordon Ramsay’s quest for America’s next great chef.
For her win, Parker prepared show-stopping dishes including scallop ceviche, beef tartare, seafood bisque, sweet pea capellini, steamed mussels, pan-seared ribeye, airline chicken breast, roast duck breast, crispy skin salmon and pan-seared branzino.
Parker’s door was the only one to open at the end, and she immediately burst into tears while her friends and family celebrated.
“This has been the journey of a lifetime,” she told a crowd that included her father, boyfriend and best friend. “This has been the hardest and most joyful thing I have ever done.
“I don’t think anything is ever going to amount to the way that I feel right now,” she later said. “To a young girl who is unsure of her place in this industry: Chase your dreams. It will all pay off, every second of it will.”
Parker earned a cash prize of $250,000 and a job as head chef of Hell’s Kitchen at Foxwoods casino in Ledyard, Connecticut.
It’s been a big week for the young chef. She was also named a semifinalist in the James Beard Awards’ Emerging Chef category. The awards will be announced June 15.
“Cooking has always been my passion, but now I get the chance to showcase my skills on a national stage. Representing Las Vegas, Nevada and the incredible team at Main St. Provisions makes this journey even more special,” Parker, who has lived in Las Vegas since age 7, said ahead of Season 24’s premiere.
At 12 years old, she applied to the culinary program at Northwest Career and Technical Academy, beginning her culinary journey at 13. Parker graduated top of her class in 2017 with three degrees: culinary arts, baking and pastry. She continued her education at UNLV while working at several Las Vegas restaurants, including Culinary Dropout, MB Steak, La Cave, and The Bedford by Martha Stewart.
Her goal was to become an executive chef by age 26, and she achieved it a year early.
Main St. Provisions owner Kim Owens said that since Parker joined their team three years ago, she’s risen from line cook to executive chef. To celebrate, the restaurant has featured a rotating menu of dishes inspired by the show’s challenges and dishes.
The season is now streaming on Hulu, Fox.com and Tubi.
