Erika Youngblood

* First

**Erika Youngblood** was a contestant competing on season 22 of Hell's Kitchen, she ranked in 16th place.

## Personality

Erika came into Hell's Kitchen having only been out of culinary school for 2 months. As a result she was generally a poor performer in both challenges and dinner services. She was able to skirt by the first dinner service due to the red team having a chef even weaker than she was. But by the second service her lack of experience came full circle leading to her early elimination.

## Season 22

### Episode 1

Erika arrived at Hell's Kitchen along with the other 18 chefs, while the chefs were making their signature dishes she revealed she'd only graduated from culinary school 2 months ago, but she wasn't going to let her lack of experience get in the way.

During the signature dish challenge she was part of the sixth pairing and went against Emil, she served crab cakes in a lemon grass and thyme sauce. They were deemed an embarrassment by Chef Ramsay and scored just 1 point. The red team won the challenge.

### Episode 2

What Erika made during the tapas challenge is unknown as it wasn't picked as either one of the top 3 or bottom 2 dishes.

During dinner service she was on the garnish station with Olivia. She was not seen much throughout service since she didn't make any mistakes, although the latter did most of the work. The red team won the service.

### Episode 3

At the beginning of the episode many chefs from the red team talked to her about her lack of experience and how much of a non-factor she was in their success. Tori asked her if she honestly thinks she's ready to run a restaurant being out of culinary school for just 2 months. She told her team while she may have the least experience she feels she has the most fight in her.

During the omelette grand prix her first attempt was rejected for being grainy. Luckily her second attempt was perfect and the red team won the challenge.

During dinner service, she was on the fish station with Jane. Through out the night she called Rupinder "Roo" which would eventually get on the latter's nerves. Her first attempt at scallops were rejected for being rubbery and on her second attempt they were scorched. This lead Jane to stand next to her and help her cook the scallops. Ramsay stepped in and told her to let Erika cook the scallops on her own. She eventually just stopped cooking altogether leaving Jane doing all the cooking on the station. Ramsay urged her to get involved, she then ran around the kitchen from station to station asking if anyone needed help. Ramsay asked her why she was running around like a headless chicken and sent her out of the kitchen to jog around the dining room while Marino watches. When she returned she served halibut that was like sushi, after this the red team were kicked out after numerous mistakes. Losing the service as a result.

During elimination, she was the red team's first nominee with Olivia as the second and Heather as the third. Before her plea Ramsay reminded her that she left the kitchen to jog around the dining room, he asked her how it was to which she replied "it was horrible". He then asked her why she's even here, she answered that she was here to cook, learn and grow and her experience doesn't reflect her skill level. When asked why there were so many screw ups she answered that communication went to hell in a handbasket.

In the end she was eliminated. Ramsay told her it was way to early in her career for this and she needed more time to grow

## Trivia

She is the show's first contestant who worked as a commis chef.

## Post Hell's Kitchen

After her appearance on the show, Erika is currently a chef de partie at The Skull and Crossbones seafood restaurant in Fort Worth.

## Quotes

*(After elimination):* "Coming into this competition with only 2 months of experience, I knew the odds were stacked against me. Going home this early sucks, but I know it's no reflection on me. I still have my whole career in front of me, and who knows, maybe after I've got more experience I'll be able to come back to Hell's Kitchen one day."