March 03, 2015
File Art /Fox
Josh Trovato and Christine Hazel will compete on this season of Hell's Kitchen.
Two contestants from the Philadelphia area showcased their culinary skills on Hell’s Kitchen when its 14th season debuts Tuesday night [8 ET] on FOX.
Levittown native Christine Hazel is the chef advisor at all of Chickie and Pete’s locations. Josh Trovato, a native of Audubon, New Jersey, is kitchen manager at the University of Southern California.
Trovato describes appearing on the show as, “a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”
“It’s the beginning of something amazing,” the 24-year-old chef said. “To have the honor of being able to work with Chef Gordon Ramsey and FOX is remarkable.”
Likewise, his counterpart wanted to test her skills and see how she stacks up to other chefs in the competition-based reality show.
“I figured what better way to jump-start my career than by going on a national television cooking show and gaining skills from the chefs,” Hazel said.
Viewers will get to see the duo’s skills in the kitchen and experience their Philadelphia flare. The two speak very highly of the influences the city has had on them.
“The food scene has exploded [in Philadelphia],” said Trovato, whose grandfather ran Angelo’s Cold Cuts in the city. “Everybody wants to be in Philly. It started as Philly cheesesteak wars and now you have French cuisine wars.”
“The food scene has
exploded [in Philadelphia],” said Trovato, whose grandfather ran Angelo’s Cold
Cuts in the city. “Everybody wants to be in Philly. It started as Philly
cheesesteak wars and now you have French cuisine wars.”
Hazel sees the city as a melting pot of cuisine. Before serving as chef advisor for all of Chickie’s and Pete’s locations, she spent time at the Kimmel Center after attending culinary school at the Philadelphia Art Institute.
Yet, cooking wasn’t her first choice. Growing up, Hazel had her sights set on becoming a doctor. She went to St. Joseph’s University where she was a premed and biology major. As time passed, she just didn’t have the drive to continue. Following a two-year stint as a life insurance agent, she went back to school -- this time for cooking -- and found her true love.
“I realized I always loved cooking for others and doing events and catering,” Hazel said. “I thought maybe this is what I’m supposed to do.”
Eventually, her moment came in the form of golf’s biggest stage. This past year, Hazel had the opportunity to work in Augusta, Georgia, for the Master’s, where she learned from the cooks there and realized that this is exactly where she wants to be.
All of her experiences led her to where she is now, with an opportunity to showcase her skills on a national level in front of one of the premier chefs in the world.
“I know this is my lifelong goal, to be a chef, and I want to test it [on Hell’s Kitchen],” Hazel said.
On the other side of the country is where Hazel’s competitor can be found. Trovato, who describes himself as a diehard Philadelphia sports fan, moved to Los Angeles.
This experience is just one of a dozen for Trovato, who has been all over the world learning the art of cooking.
“Every year I’ve been blessed to have experienced something awesome,” Trovato said.
These stops have included New York City, Greece (where he studied abroad), Australia and mission trips to Peru, New Mexico and Arizona, where he built a kitchen and cooked for Navajo Indians. Ever since he graduated from Johnson and Wales, Trovato has worked his way up the ladder to get where he is now.
Cooking, though, isn’t necessarily where he wants to exercise all of his skills. Trovato wants to be a “superhero.” He wants to accomplish that in two ways: to inspire people and to help others. To reach that goal, he plans to hone his skills in front of the camera.
“I hope to end up in entertainment,” Trovato said. “[I enjoy] teaching people how to cook and eat, but I also want to enter the entertainment value. I want to get people to believe they can do anything because I’m proof."
In high school, Trovato was picked on and bullied, which he explained “was really hard” for him back then. That’s where cooking came into play. Food became his outlet and allowed him to express himself. He wants to combine that with his love for acting and being on stage.
“In school plays, I wanted to be the center of attention and to take the spotlight,” Trovato said. “I enjoy being able to have that effect on people. I don’t know what the future holds, but I hope it’s something magical.”
