‘Hell’s Kitchen’ stars say ‘everyone was scared’ of Gordon Ramsay

Gordon Ramsay scared everyone on the set of “Hell’s Kitchen,” say former contestants who have spoken out about the sharp-tongued chef’s aggressiveness on set.

Several ex-stars – including winners Michael Wray and Ariel Malone – talked about what it was like behind the scenes on the popular cooking competition show, about the intense kitchen environment on Vice TV’s “Dark Side of Reality TV.”

In an exclusive clip from the upcoming episode obtained by People magazine, journalist Ivy Knight compared Ramsay’s streak to “throwing babies into a lion’s mouth.”

Elsie Ramos – who took part in the first season and placed fourth in the series’ 2005 debut – claimed that “everyone was scared” on set.

“Let’s just put it this way. “Everyone was scared,” Ramos claimed.

Ramsay has made his bold and hot-headed personality in the kitchen his trademark for decades, even clashing with Lisa Vanderpump; However, Ramos told Vice TV that she “didn’t expect to see this fiery tyrant.”

Tek Moore, who finished 12th in Season 6, echoed Ramos’ claims.

“Chefs know how to verbally eviscerate people,” she shared.

But few took the British chef’s brash boldness to heart.

Wray won the first season of “Hell’s Kitchen,” taking home the $250,000 grand prize and addressing allegations against the chef-turned-TV host.

“Every one of these guys that was on the show and had never really worked in a kitchen before, they all took it the same way,” he shared. “They took it personally.”

The same cannot be said for Wray, who recalls: “Gordon, he told me, ‘You never tell your employees they’re doing a good job.’ As soon as you tell them, they stop trying.’”

Malone, who won Season 15, takes the same view.

“When you’re in karate class, is your sensei a bully or is he your teacher? It’s the same thing,” she shared.

“Hell’s Kitchen” has aired for 23 seasons since premiering in 2005. Ramsay has hosted the competition series – now on Fox – for the past 19 years. The show has spawned several eponymous restaurant franchises across the United States, including cities such as New York, Miami, Las Vegas, Washington, DC and Atlantic City.

The Post has reached out to Ramsay’s representative.

“Hell’s Kitchen” has received five Primetime Emmy nominations.

Ramsay previously opened up about his on-screen personality, revealing that he is very different at home than he is on TV. The Michelin-starred chef and his wife Tana, whom he married in 1996, have six children – Megan, 26, fraternal twins, Holly and Jack, 24, Matilda (aka Tilly), 22, Oscar, 5, and Jesse James, 11 months.

“I think everyone has a good side and a bad side to them,” he told People in 2023. “I’m just really good at highlighting the bad that has turned into something incredible.”

Ramsay credits his children with softening him up.

“The children brought out the most emotions in me,” he said. “It’s funny, isn’t it? Because everyone thinks, “God, you must be an absolute.” ass be at home.’ [But] Tana is super grim, a former Montessori school teacher. So I’m the softie.”

“The Dark Side of Reality TV” episode about Ramsay’s “Hell’s Kitchen” airs October 8th at 9pm EST on Vice TV.