Battle of the States

For the first time in Hell's Kitchen history, every chef will be from and represent a different place. The Top 20 chefs will set out to impress Chef Ramsay in the Signature Dish Challenge before embarking on their first dinner service.

There is something fishy going on in the kitchen! When the chefs are challenged with shucking and preparing the perfect scallop dish for Chef Ramsay, there is zero margin for error and not everyone can come out on top.

Kitchen To test the chef's teamwork, Chef Ramsay has the remaining chefs compete in a speed breakfast challenge for local Connecticut Police Officers! Then, in the most dramatic dinner service yet, both the Red and Blue teams melt under pressure at the fish and meat stations and must face Chef Ramsay's wrath.

This week, the chefs visit Stonington, Connecticut to compete in a very fishy relay race! Then, during dinner service both teams step up their game but will it be enough to keep them in the competition come the end of the night?

The chefs are challenged to blend two distinct state delicacies into one cohesive dish. During dinner service, the teams must come together to serve a dining room packed with VIPs, including a bachelor party and UCONN Basketball legends. There may be too many cooks in the kitchen as the chefs battle for authority and respect.

The chefs face their toughest critic yet when they are challenged to elevate a classic Southern specialty. Lack of communication among the teams slows down the dinner service, displeasing Chef Ramsey. Simple mistakes like cooking temperature slip ups and timing coordination between stations could lead to the end of one chef's journey.

The chefs are challenged to prepare an elevated Mexican dish; celebrity chef Gabriela Camara guest judges; at dinner service, the teams struggle with pork chops and garnishes which could send chefs packing.

For the team challenge, the chefs compete in a "State To Plate" challenge and must decode ingredients spelled in the style of license plates. Then, they must integrate these contrasting ingredients into one cohesive dish to impress Chef Ramsey. In lieu of a traditional dinner service, the lowest scoring chefs face off in order to secure their spot in the kitchen.

The Red and Blue Team put their classic culinary technique to the test and compete to earn their dish a spot on the tasting menu of a VIP Johnson and Wales 50th Anniversary Dinner honoring the legendary culinary school. During the dinner, the chefs must balance the expectations of a flawless service with keeping tensions and toxicity in the kitchen in check. Team drama and secrets are revealed to Chef Ramsay.

It's time for the annual Blind Taste Test! Can the chefs trust their instincts or will their expertise lead to overcomplication? During service, the competitors need to trust themselves and each other. The teams must push aside tensions to come out on top with a perfect dinner service.

The team's ability to work together is put to the test when they are challenged with making Chinese dishes in a tag team fashion. Everyone in the kitchen has the chance to lead a course during the VIP-packed Charity Night dinner service for organizations, Feeding America & Stand Up To Cancer, but the battle for power causes trouble.

The last 7 chefs go head to head while fighting for one of the 5 coveted black jackets needed to advance in the competition. Three WWE champions give the chefs their first task of the day of creating a dish that best represents their home state. Those who do not advance will put their own twist on pizza while the last 3 chefs are tasked with a challenge that taps into their imagination.

The final four chefs are given only 10 minutes and $25 to grocery shop for their first challenge's dish. However, they were met with a surprise that they were actually picking out ingredients for each other, not themselves. During dinner service, Gordon Ramsay is paying very close attention to which chefs rise up to the occasion, and which chef's poor communication skills send them home.

Things heat up in the kitchen when the chefs are tasked with making an aesthetically pleasing dish for Gordon Ramsay's 100 Million social media followers who will help decide which chefs survive the challenge. Later, tensions in the kitchen make it nearly impossible for the chefs to decide which two of them deserve to be on the chopping block.

Chef Ramsay surprises the three finalists with bringing their families to the Foxwoods Resort and Casino for a special visit and to offer some final words of encouragement heading into the finale. The finalists are then pampered with a day of hair, makeup and styling before they are faced with a major surprise challenge! The fate of the chefs is in the hands of a panel of celebrity judges and only two chefs can advance to the season finale.

The final two must overcome shortcomings and take control of their respective teams to come out on top and prove to chef Ramsay they have what it takes to win; in the end, the door can only open for one chef.