By Ari’ Browley
What started as a joke among Grand Rapids Community College culinary students eventually landed one GRCC alum the career-changing opportunity to showcase his skills in front of one of the most famous chefs in the world.
At just 24 years old, Chef Jonathan “Jonny” Gudino, also known as the “Haitian Sensation,” went from joking around with his culinary peers about Hell’s Kitchen to standing face-to-face with Gordon Ramsay and earning a perfect score from him.
The 25th season, called “The Next Generation,” limits the competition to contestants from ages 18 to 25. Gudino is one of 18 young chefs competing for the grand prize of $250,000 and the position as head chef of Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen at Foxwoods Resort.
As of today, Gudino is still in the race, along with 16 other contestants battling for the grand prize. Chef Gudino is a member of the Blue Team, working with his teammates to outshine the Red Team in the kitchen and impress Gordon Ramsay.
Watch the chef’s appearance on Hell’s Kitchen continue on Thursday, Oct. 8, when episode 3, “Sliding Into Hell,” will be aired on FOX.
Gudino is not only representing GRCC’s Secchia Institute for Culinary Education program on the national stage, but he is also representing Haiti and Michigan as a whole, and he brings all three identities to the table during his appearance on Hell’s Kitchen.
Chef Gudino was born in Kenscoff, Haiti, and then moved to Michigan when he was adopted at the age of 5 by his mother.
Gudino’s mother inspired his love for cooking at a young age, with Thanksgiving being his first memory of falling in love with the craft.
“Thanksgiving was a huge thing for our family,” Gudino said. “So, when I was about 7, 8, my mom just had me in the kitchen the whole time during her prep, and I just fell in love with how long it took…. The hours of cooking and just the process of it, I fell in love with at a young age.”
Gudino didn’t begin to formally study culinary arts at GRCC until after his first year of playing baseball at Albion College, where he suffered a rotator cuff injury. Once he enrolled in the program, he dived into the history and science behind the study.
“… That’s when I dived into the study of it and the history and the science behind it all,” Gudino said. “My first few years there were different because I didn’t know culinary school was a thing, and so it was hard doing something I loved but then also trying to learn. But then I fell in love with it… I fell in love with just the study of culinary.”
During his second year of culinary school, Gudino discovered that there were more opportunities to work independently in the world of culinary.
“… So then I was like, ‘shoot’, I am just going to start owning my own business, and then after I graduated I was like, ‘let me just do that.’”
Gudino went with his plan and established his business, called Meals by Jon.
Gudino’s time at GRCC was memorable, with him staying connected to many of his mentors, including Chef Robert Schultz.
“Jonny stood out as a student because of his passion, grit, and genuine desire to continually improve his craft,” Chef Schultz said. “As he progressed through my class, it was clear that he wanted to learn, grow, and challenge himself. He was also an outstanding classmate, never afraid to step up, help others and support his fellow students whenever needed.”
Schultz highlighted how Gudino’s success is not only due to his skills as a chef, but also his resilience and determination to grow in the craft.
“Seeing Jonny continue to grow professionally and have the opportunity to now compete on Hell’s Kitchen is exciting and well deserved. Experiences like this are a reflection of not only his talent, but also his determination, work ethic, and willingness to keep learning,” Schultz said. “I saw those qualities in Jonny as a student and am very proud of what he has accomplished. Not only has he made GRCC proud, but he inspires current culinary students.”
However, GRCC is not only the place where Gudino started studying culinary arts. It’s also where his journey to one of the hottest kitchens would unexpectedly begin.
“So it was actually such a unique opportunity,” Gudino explained.
“… A lot of the kids made jokes about going to Hell’s Kitchen and, like, meeting Gordon Ramsey and being him. So I was like, ‘shoot’, I’ll just sign up for Hell’s Kitchen and see what happens.”
The joke became a reality for Gudino when a few years later, in October 2025, he heard back from the show.
“…Fast forward three years later, they reached out through an email. And so it was just wild to see that joke that happened three years ago turned into an actual dream.”
The opportunity left Gudino stunned. After growing up watching Ramsay on television, the reality that he would soon share a kitchen with him was hard to comprehend.
“I was star-struck,” Gudino said. “I think for me it was just like, I watched this dude growing up since I was a young kid, and now I am about to cook in front of him. I was like, ‘This is not even real, like, this is a dream, somebody wake me up.’”
For a while, the moment still didn’t feel real. But after hitting the stage and receiving five stars from Ramsay on the first episode, he gained more confidence in his position.
“It gave me a big confidence boost because going into the show, a lot of competition was, I felt, better than me,” Gudino said. “And so to be on the first episode, you have him tell me I had a five was… They just gave me a huge confidence boost. Let me know that I was here for a reason.”
Gudino stuck to what he knew during the show, blending both his Haitian and American cultural influences into the dishes he presented.
The young chef is proud to represent GRCC, Haiti, and Michigan, especially because he struggled to fit into one identity growing up.
“I think for me, it’s huge because there’s three different backgrounds that I can represent, and as a kid, I always struggled with trying to figure out which one I represented. And so now it’s like, I can represent all three and be confident in it. And so, it’s huge for me,” Gudino said.
Gudino is also known as the “Haitian Sensation,” a nickname popularized through the show, but it actually stemmed from his childhood—his mother specifically.
“… It was kind of cool to see them call me that on the show, and so then it just fit in perfectly, and so I just ran with it,” Gudino said.
When he’s away from the lights and cameras, a typical day for Gudino happens right in Grand Rapids, where he works as a banquet chef at Resurrection Life Church.
His days can start as early as 4 a.m., with things like coffee brewing, food prep, cooking, and more on his schedule.
Outside of his work as a church banquet chef, Gudino manages his own business, Meals By Jon, where he offers bookings for private dinners, meal-preps, and other events, as well as a view of his menus and cooking lessons.
“… In the summer, I do weddings, and then in the wintertime, in fall, I do dinner parties, and I plan to start doing pop-ups,” Gudino said.
Many dishes Gudino cooked on Hell’s Kitchen are from his menu.
“In Hell’s Kitchen, I stuck to what I knew, so a lot of my dishes were things from my small dinner parties.”
Gudino’s set menu at his dinner parties is called “The Haitian Taste.” It contains the Haitian jerk-spiced hanger served with pikliz and fried plantains, a dish that received five stars from Gordon Ramsay.
“For people that I’ve cooked for, they are probably going to see a lot of things that they have actually eaten,” Gudino said.
Chef Gudino is keeping up with the show alongside his family and friends, reliving the stress of the competition.
“It’s different watching myself on TV, because I’m like, ‘that’s me, that’s wild’” Gudino said.
For Gudino’s next chapter, the focus will be on the growth of his business and continuing to make connections with other chefs. He also had plans to start a merchandise store with “Team Jonny” t-shirts, hats, and more.
“Working with other chefs and getting your name out there is huge in this industry,” Gudino said. “So the more people I know, that’s the more my business can grow.”
Chef Gudino gives advice to aspiring chefs who may not know where to start their journey.
“I would say, for people that don’t know where to get started, just take that leap, you know,” Gudino said. “You never know where it’ll take you, like, when I started culinary school, I had no idea I wanted to be a personal chef, and it was scary, but it’s like, you just gotta take the leap, and once you do, a lot of times, if your really true about it, you’ll end up where you want to go,” Gudino said. “So you just got to be determined, and it’s not where you start, it’s where you finish.”
Gudino explains that he hasn’t had an easy journey, but it’s opened more doors for him to find success.
“… I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in this journey, and at this stage of my life has realized that those ups and downs form you, and they don’t break you down,” Gudino said. “And so for anybody that has gone through a lot, just know that actually can build you up and make you stronger, and so to look at the positive and not the negative.”
What started as a joke between GRCC culinary students gave Gudino the opportunity of a lifetime to showcase his talent, heritage, and community that helped shape him on a national level.
And for the “Haitian Sensation,” this is only the beginning.
Keep up with Chef Gudino’s journey by watching episode 3, “Sliding Into Hell,” of Hell’s Kitchen premiere on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 8 p.m. on FOX. Supporters can also follow Gudino on his main social media accounts (Instagram and Facebook), his business’s Instagram, and visit his website.
Collegiate Reporter Kole Meschke contributed to this story.
