Heather Oakes

* First

**Heather Oakes** was a contestant competing on season 22 of Hell's Kitchen, she ranked in 12th place.

## Personality

Heather had a likeable, yet quiet personality throughout her time on the show. Tending to stay out of any drama that arose and keeping her head down, focusing on the tasks at hand. In the kitchen however, she gave very mixed performances in both challenges and dinner services. Having a combination of both strong services and complete meltdowns, her disastrous performance on meat in her final service led to her elimination.

She got along with most of the chefs on her team, but had a dislike towards Jane due to her toxic attitude towards the team and inability to be responsible for her actions.

## Season 22

### Episode 1/2

During the signature dish challenge, she was part of the second pairing and went against Stephen. She made seared halibut with a citrus risotto, it was deemed tasty but a little on the simple side, scoring 3 points. The red team won the challenge.

During the tapas challenge her dish was selected as one of the bottom 2 along with Alice's dish. She made a scallop and chorizo dish, it was described as not just overcooked, but completely scorched and was bland from the lack of seasoning. She would survive elimination as Alice's dish was worse than hers.

During dinner service she was on the meat station with Sandra at one point she sent up a chicken that was so raw Chef Ramsay said it was still clucking. She would do this for a second time which would get her kicked out of the kitchen. The red team won the service.

### Episode 3

During the omelette grand prix, her first attempt would be rejected due to the lack of seasoning. However her second attempt would be accepted and the red team would win the challenge.

During dinner service she was on the appetiser station with Rupinder. Her service got off to a shaky start as she was seen struggling to cook a flatbread. Her first attempt had raw dough and the second attempt was scorched. She would not recover from this and eventually 3 of the red team chefs had to step in to help her, leading Ramsay to berate her calling her fucking useless. The red team lost the service.

She was one of the three red team members nominated for elimination along with Erika and Olivia. Ramsay reminded her this was her second time on the chopping block and asked her if she had anything left. During her plea she stated that she's so much better than she's shown so far and will fight to the death to prove herself.

She survived elimination.

### Episode 4

At the beginning of the episode, Heather was shown talking to Tori, expressing her concern that one more bad service could be the end of her. The latter told her not to give up and that she has her back.

During the soup challenge, she made a creamy bacon and mushroom soup. Guest judge Picabo Street said it looked very plain; however, it tasted much better than it looked, scoring her 7 out of 9 points. The red team won the challenge.

During dinner service she was on the fish station with Olivia. She wasn't seen much as she didn't make any mistakes, however she received high praise from Serena William's husband for her perfectly cooked halibut. The red team won the service.

### Episode 5

During the army breakfast challenge, she was on the fruit salad station. She was not seen at all during the service and the red team would lose the challenge.

During dinner service she was on the appetiser station with Olivia. Again she wouldn't be seen much, apart from at the beginning when she sent up a perfectly cooked carbonara. Both teams would lose the service.

She was not nominated for elimination.

### Episode 6

During the exotic meat challenge she went against Marcus in the battle of the elk dish, she expressed excitement about reliving the friendly rivalry with her former co worker. She made an elk rump roast with chipotle butter, it was slightly undercooked but the seasoning was on point. Marcus would win the point.

During dinner service, she was on the meat station with Jane. Her first wellington had completely raw pastry, which Chef Ramsay compared to snot. She put the undercooked wellington in the bin which led Ramsay to ask her why she trashed it when all she had to do was put it back in the oven. She expressed her embarrassment at making such a basic mistake. Jane would then continue to argue with her about the wellington incident and would miss Rupinder asking her for a time on the meat. She then sent up a completely raw duck, Jane said she'd be going home because of her and called her a conniving little bitch. The red team lost the service.

She was one of the red team two nominees along with Jane. During her plea she she said she stated that she knew tonight was a shit show but she feels she's been improving little by little as the days go by and she's going to keep moving forward. In the end she was eliminated for never really hitting her stride and being too inconsistent.

## Nomination History

 Week 3
 Week 4
 Week 5
 Week 6

## Trivia

She and Marcus are the second pair of contestants who were former co workers prior to Hell's Kitchen. The first being Gizzy and Scotley (Season 18)

## Post Hell's Kitchen

After her appearance on the show Heather returned to her previous job as line cook at Hemmingway's Restaurant. However she left just a month later due to her frustration with her lack of career progress.

She then reunited with Marcus in Tampa and became his Sous Chef at The Courtyard Bistro, where he is the Executive Chef.

## Quotes

*(After being eliminated):* "I wish I could have stayed longer since I was just starting to build momentum, but just as I was one more bad service sent it all crashing down. On the plus side at least I don't have to hear Jane being a little bitch whining and complaining all the time anymore."