Chef Alex Belew’s inventive cooking, proactive approach and culinary skills garnered many admirers in the first few episodes of Hell’s Kitchen season 21. His experience on the program was filled with highs and lows, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. From achieving an impeccable score from celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay to becoming one of the frontrunners in the competition, Belew has positioned itself for several wins on the program.
Alex Belew spoke about the unique obstacles, victories and defeats, and his friendship with other cast members in Hell’s Kitchen: Battle of the Ages in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.
Contents
Chef Alex Belew discusses his time in Hell’s Kitchen season 21.
This season of Hell’s Kitchen had more heat and drama than previous seasons. Many candidates failed to produce acceptable meals on service jobs and were kicked out of the kitchen by Gordon Ramsay. It’s normal for teams to feel overwhelmed as the stakes increase with each episode.
Chef Alex Belew spoke about handling pressure in Hell’s Kitchen and meeting the high expectations of Ramsay and the customers. The chef admitted he often had crises in the kitchen, but added that he relied on his culinary skills to get through difficult situations.
Belew went on to say:
“When this happens, you have to rely on instinct and nutritional knowledge. What flavors go together, how should certain foods be prepared, and hoping for the best? I got 30 minutes into a 40 minute challenge before I realized what I was doing.
He continued:
“During those 30 minutes all I did was cook and assemble things I knew worked. Knowledge and inventiveness are essential. True innovation just doesn’t expose your resources!!
While others delivered substandard meals (including boxed spaghetti) during the first show, Alex Belew got a perfect grade from Gordon Ramsay for his seafood platter. However, the squad nearly missed the win by an inch before descending into chaotic retaliation.
The chef was one of the few people who deserved a perfect score. In the same context, Belew stressed the value of optimism, saying:
“That was one of the most memorable events of my career. Unfortunately it barely lasted about 3 minutes as it was overshadowed by boxed spaghetti. How bizarre to prepare for Chef. Of course I was annoyed, but I did my very best to maintain a cheerful demeanor. Day one is way too early to go crazy and blow up a gasket.”
Alex Belew doesn’t like the format of Hell’s Kitchen season 21.
The chef also got one of the first penalty passes of the season, which he described as “consolation, blessing and possibly a weapon!!” Season 21 of Hell’s Kitchen had the contestants divided into two teams depending on their age. The blue team consisted of chefs in their 40s, while the red team consisted of chefs in their twenties. Belew, on the other hand, was not a fan of the format this season.
He said, “
“To be honest, when he announced this year’s theme, I was one of the last to applaud. It didn’t move me at all. I knew the 1920s were just beginning, and most people my age are in management positions. That’s exactly what I thought!!”
Chef Belew, on the other hand, insisted he had a great relationship with his crew members. He said he met some of his greatest friends on the program and they are still in touch, showing that aside from the turmoil, the actors really cared about each other. In terms of cooks in their twenties, Belew described them as “a truly remarkable group of adults” and said he had a lot of respect for them. He claimed:
“I can’t wait to see where their career takes them. I can honestly say that I have an excellent relationship with them and that I could use them at any moment to work for me!”
When asked if he had any team favorites, Alex Belew said:
“In terms of favorites, I can’t say I only have one. There are way too many, that means a lot to me. I know it seems like I’m avoiding the subject, but I really care about those kids.”
Chef Alex Belew was fascinated by food from an early age, starting with cooking with his grandmother and progressing to a significant amount of culinary expertise. To put himself to the test, he has used all his expertise, skills and perseverance for the culinary challenge. Will he succeed? Only time will tell. Viewers can learn more about Chef Alex Belew by visiting his website and following his winning dish recipes online. Hell’s Kitchen airs every Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
Janice has been with businesskinda for 5 years, writing copy for client websites, blog posts, EDMs and other mediums to engage readers and encourage action. By collaborating with clients, our SEO manager and the wider businesskinda team, Janice seeks to understand an audience before creating memorable, persuasive copy.