Nobody went home on Hell's Kitchen Season 25 Episode 1 — the premiere ended on a cliffhanger instead, with Gordon Ramsay calling the two lowest scorers of the Signature Dish Challenge forward and holding their fate for next week. The episode, titled "25th Premiere Party," introduced the season's all-under-25 cast, ran the traditional signature dish challenge, and split the 18 chefs into a men's Blue Team and a women's Red Team. Here is the full recap of the September 24, 2026 episode: the challenge, the scores, the reward and punishment, and where the two teams stand now.
New here? The Hell's Kitchen Season 25 guide has the premiere date, the all-under-25 cast, and the Foxwoods prize.
Who Went Home on Hell's Kitchen Season 25 Episode 1?
No one was eliminated in Episode 1. After the Signature Dish Challenge, Ramsay called the two lowest scorers of the night, Valentín Royo and Sandra LeClerc, down to the kitchen that evening and left their fate unresolved as the episode ended. Whether one, both, or neither of them goes home is set to be revealed in Episode 2 on October 1, 2026.
"I'm going to do something I've never done before."
Gordon Ramsay, to the cast before sending Royo and LeClerc off without a verdict, via Yahoo Entertainment's premiere recap
The Challenge: Signature Dish Challenge
Each of the 18 chefs cooked one dish to introduce themselves to Ramsay, and per Gold Derby's premiere recap, the scores ran hot: six chefs earned a perfect 5, including Aiden Ricklef, Diego, Joy, Miguel, Mya, and Jonathan "Jonny G." Ricklef's gamble of a pork chop with strawberry compote scored the final point that clinched it, and the Blue Team (the nine men) edged the Red Team (the nine women) 36 points to 34. At the bottom, Valentín Royo's handmade gnocchi came back dense and under-seasoned, and Sandra LeClerc's Moroccan-spiced lamb was let down by mushy couscous, both dishes scoring a 2, the lowest of the night.
Dinner Service
Episode 1 didn't run a dinner service; the premiere's runtime went to the Signature Dish Challenge, the reward and punishment, and the closing cliffhanger. Per TV Insider's sneak peek, the Red and Blue teams cook their first real service in Episode 2, "A Tale of Two Kitchens," for a dining room reportedly filled with influencers.
Where the Teams Stand
All 18 chefs, the season's full all-under-25 cast, are still in the competition after Episode 1, since no one was sent home. The Blue Team's win earned the men a hangout with past Hell's Kitchen winners, Ellie Parker (Season 24), Kyle Timpson (Season 23), Nona Sivley (Season 8), Paul Niedermann (Season 9), and Rahman "Rock" Harper (Season 3), followed by dinner with Ramsay. The Red Team's punishment was prepping homemade jam for the show's gift baskets.
| Team | Chefs remaining after Episode 1 |
|---|---|
| Blue Team (Men) | Aiden Ricklef, Diego, Dylan, Gabriel, Jonathan "Jonny G," Michael, Miguel, Miles, Valentín Royo |
| Red Team (Women) | Georgiana, Haley, Jeyda, Joy, Kylie, Mya, Nadia, Reni, Sandra LeClerc |
| Eliminated | None yet — Valentín Royo and Sandra LeClerc's fate is a cliffhanger going into Episode 2 |
This Week's Standout Dish: Pork Chop with Strawberry Compote
The dish of the night belonged to Aiden Ricklef, whose pork chop with strawberry compote was a genuine gamble, pairing a savory sear with a fruit component, and it paid off with a perfect score of 5 that helped the Blue Team win the challenge. Want to cook a version at home? Our Gordon Ramsay pan-seared pork chop recipe covers the same sear-and-baste technique; add a quick pan-reduced strawberry compote alongside it for the same sweet-savory pairing that scored Ricklef a perfect 5.
Cook the Episode 1 Dishes at Home
Sandra LeClerc's low score came from her couscous, not her protein, and her instinct toward Moroccan-spiced lamb is a solid one: our herb-crusted rack of lamb and Gordon Ramsay lamb sauce are both a better home template for that flavor combination than under-cooked couscous. If you're building out a whole Hell's Kitchen-inspired menu, the show's signature Beef Wellington is the classic centerpiece, and our best Hell's Kitchen recipes roundup has more of the dishes the show is known for.
What to Expect Next Week
Episode 2, "A Tale of Two Kitchens," airs Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 8/7c on FOX (streaming on Hulu the next day). The preview points to a three-round challenge followed by the Red and Blue teams' first real dinner service, for a dining room reportedly filled with influencers, and the resolution of the Valentín-and-Sandra cliffhanger from this week. Update: it aired, and our Episode 2 recap has who went home and how the cliffhanger played out.
Hell's Kitchen Season 25 Episode 1 FAQs
The questions that come up most: who went home, what happened, who won the challenge, who is still in the competition, and when the next episode airs.
Who went home on Hell's Kitchen Season 25 Episode 1?
No one. The premiere ended on a cliffhanger: Ramsay called the two lowest scorers, Valentín Royo and Sandra LeClerc, forward and held their fate for Episode 2 on October 1, 2026.
What happened on Hell's Kitchen Season 25 Episode 1?
The 18 all-under-25 chefs cooked the Signature Dish Challenge, split into a men's Blue Team and a women's Red Team. The Blue Team won 36-34 on Aiden Ricklef's perfect-scoring pork chop with strawberry compote. Valentín Royo and Sandra LeClerc scored the lowest with a dense gnocchi and a mushy couscous, and Ramsay left their fate on a cliffhanger rather than eliminating anyone.
Who won the challenge on Episode 1?
The Blue Team (the nine men) beat the Red Team (the nine women) 36 points to 34 in the Signature Dish Challenge, earning a hangout with past Hell's Kitchen winners and dinner with Ramsay.
Who is still on Hell's Kitchen Season 25 after Episode 1?
All 18 chefs remain, since no one was eliminated in the premiere. Valentín Royo and Sandra LeClerc are the two chefs whose status is unresolved going into Episode 2.
When is the next episode of Hell's Kitchen Season 25?
Episode 2, "A Tale of Two Kitchens," airs Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 8/7c on FOX, streaming on Hulu the following day.
About the Author
John Siracusa is the founder of Hell’s Kitchen Recipes. He focuses on technique-first, reproducible home cooking and researches recipes & kitchen equipment from published food science and professional chef methods since 2016.