Aspiring young chefs are put to the ultimate challenge in Hell's Kitchen, a reality television competition starring world renowned chef Gordon Ramsay. Each of these chefs dreams of fame and fortune, but many soon find their dreams becoming nightmares. Chef Ramsay demands quality and the intensity of the challenges is beyond anything the contestants can ever imagine. Split into two teams, they must compete against each other to provide their very best in the kitchen. If they do, they are lavishly rewarded with everything from extravagant trips to a ride on Ramsay's personal yacht. Those that fail are forced to suffer humiliating punishment. At the end of each episode, the chef who provided the best performance in Ramsay's opinion on the losing team is chosen to select two chefs from their own team for elimination. They must then give their reasons for their selection. Though one of these two chefs may be eliminated, Ramsay is under no obligation to choose either, and the final decision as to who is sent home is made solely by him. From Waffle House chefs to executive chefs, the competitors are tested in every way possible, from leadership skills to culinary skills. Traditional challenges include a taste-test of everyone's palette and special events such as birthdays and weddings. The chefs, however, must always be on their toes, as they never know when surprises may be coming. Hell's Kitchen recently finished airing its fourth season on FOX. Normally, seasons begin closer to the start of summer, however, the premiere was accelerated due to the film and television writers' strike.