Who Won Hell's Kitchen Season 24? Ellie Parker and the $250,000
Ellie Parker won Hell's Kitchen season 24. The Las Vegas sous-chef took the $250,000 and the head chef job at Hell's Kitchen inside Foxwoods Resort Casino in the finale that aired Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026 on FOX. Jada Vidal of Tampa finished second.
| Season 24 at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Season theme | Battle of the States |
| Field | 20 chefs, one from each of 20 states |
| Winner | Ellie Parker, sous-chef, Las Vegas, Nev. |
| Runner-up | Jada Vidal, sous-chef, Tampa, Fla. |
| Prize | $250,000 and head chef at Hell's Kitchen, Foxwoods Resort Casino (Mashantucket, Conn.) |
| Finale | Jan. 22, 2026, FOX |
| Sous chefs | Michelle Tribble (red team), James Avery (blue team) |
What happened to Ellie Parker after the win?
She had been sitting on it for about 19 months. Parker told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that season 24 filmed in June 2024, so she went back to work in Las Vegas and said nothing until the finale aired. She was executive chef at Main St. Provisions downtown at the time of that interview, and the plan she described was to stay through the spring and start at Foxwoods in June. Her cooking career started in Las Vegas at 15, as a prep cook in the north end of the valley, and moved through kitchens on the Strip before the show.
FAQ
Is season 25 on now?
Yes. The 25th season starts Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. Episode titles, the premiere length and the weekly slot are in our season 25 guide, and the is it on tonight page carries the current week's table.
Does every winner get a head chef job?
The job attached to the title changes by season. Season 24's was the Foxwoods room. The prize money has sat at $250,000 for several seasons. For the other FOX kitchen competition, see who won MasterChef season 16.
Sources
- Winner, prize and the Foxwoods post: News 3 Las Vegas.
- Filming date, the 19-month wait, her Las Vegas record and the Foxwoods start month: Las Vegas Review-Journal. Runner-up, the 20-state format, sous chefs and the Jan. 22, 2026 finale date cross-checked against the season 24 results record and TVmaze's episode list.