Houstonian Wins Hell's Kitchen

A Houstonian chef Ja'Nel Witt won Hell's Kitchen Season 11 with a unique menu that reflects the taste of her hometown, Houston Culturemap reports. Although the other finalist, Mary Poehnelt was the generally more likeable of the two contestants, Witt's confidence ended up helping her to win the title.

The not so humble winner will now be the head chef at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas with a salary of $250,000. Witt originally planned to have a career in optometry after graduating from the University of Houston, but decided to follow her passion for cooking and enrolled at the Art Institute of Houston.

Witt's final menu on the show reflects the diversity of the culinary scene in Houston. She prepared a deconstructed BLT (which consisted of fried green tomatoes with prosciutto, arugula, and gorgonzola), slow-braised veal cheek with potatoes, and chai crème brûlée. Her unique tastes on international cuisine beat out her competitor's more conservative pieces.

Witt hopes to one day host her own cooking show, and after this success, it seems that she may be on her way to accomplishing that goal.