TheeighteenthseasonoftheAmericancompetitiverealitytelevisionseriesHell'sKitchen(officiallyknownasHell'sKitchen:Rookiesvs.Veterans)beganairingonSeptember28,2018onFox.GordonRamsayreturnsashostandheadchef,andSeason10winnerChristinaWilsonandBritishMasterChefjudgeJames"Jocky"Petriereturnastheredandbluesouschefs,respectively,alongsidemaitre'dMarinoMonferrato.Thisseasonfeatureseightnewcontestantsbattlingeightreturningveterans.Forthefirsttime,thewinnerofthisseasonwillreceiveapositionasanexecutivechefatGordonRamsayHell'sKitchenRestaurantatCaesarsPalaceinLasVegas,Nevada. Thisisthefirstseasonsinceseason1tonotbeginwithmenontheblueteamandwomenontheredteam.Itisalsothethirdofthelastfourseasonstofeatureachefeliminatedduringservice,thefirstseasonsinceseason13thatnocheffromthewinningteamwaseliminated,andthefirstseasonsinceseason12wheretwochefsquit.Thisisalsothefirstseasontohaveachefquitbeforethefinals.ArielContreras-Fox,whopreviouslyfinishedinthirdplaceonSeason6,wonthecompetition;sheisthesecondconsecutivereturnee,andsixthconsecutivewomantodoso.Sheisalsotheninthcontestanttowinthecompetitionwithoutbeingnominatedforeliminationonce,afterKimberly-AnnRyan,MeghanGill,LaTashaMcCutchen,ChristinaWilson,HolliUgalde,DaveLevey,HeatherWest,andMichaelWray.
