St Vincent chef Gabe Cerease brings Caribbean roots to Hell’s Kitchen Season 25

Chef Gabe Cerease, whose family has roots in St Vincent and the wider Caribbean, is competing on Hell’s Kitchen Season 25, where all 18 contestants are aged 25 or younger.

6th of October 2026

St Vincent and the Grenadines: Chef Gabe Cerease is representing his Caribbean culture by appearing on one of American television's biggest cooking shows, as he competes in the 25th season of Hell’s Kitchen.

The 25-year-old chef from Lake Worth, Florida, is part of the 18 chefs competing in the milestone season of Gordon Ramsay's FOX cooking show. He is on the Blue team and has managed to survive through the first two episodes of Hell’s Kitchen.

For Cerease, his appearance is more than another career opportunity. His culinary identity has been deeply connected to his family’s Caribbean heritage, which includes roots from Bequia in St Vincent and the Grenadines. His experience as a chef has been shaped by this cultural background and its influence on his relationship with food.

Cerease started his career in South Florida after graduating from Lake Worth High School. He later attended Johnson & Wales University where he studied Culinary Arts and Food Service Management and graduated in 2021.

His restaurant career began in 2019 when he worked as a line cook lead at International Smoke restaurant. He later moved through the ranks to become a sous-chef and an executive sous-chef before taking on executive chef responsibilities. His experience includes work with Groot Hospitality and the Miami restaurant.

During the premier of Season 25, he referred to himself as a fan that has been watching the show since childhood. “A surreal moment. I grew up watching the show, so I didn’t think it was possible, and then I got the call. I was stuck for a while processing, and then once I got there, it was just another day in the office, in my opinion,” he said.

The 25th season is centered around a whole new generation of chefs. All 18 participants in the show are 25 years old or younger, putting Cerease among a group competing at an early stage of their careers. The winner of the competition will receive a $250,000 cash prize and recognition within the culinary world.