Michael Wray won Hell’s Kitchen Season 1: Where is he now?

Every winner of Hell’s Kitchen gets the chance to start their career in ways that other up-and-coming chefs can only dream of. Was that the case for Season 1 winner, Michael Wray?

The first-ever season of Hell’s Kitchen premiered in 2005. Several years have passed since the cooking competition became such a reality TV show, but it all had to start somewhere.

Michael Wray is the talented contestant who came out on top at the end of Season 1. He was only 27 years old at the time.

He stepped up to the plate to prove himself as a worthy chef from Fort Collins, Colorado. What’s he up to now ever since winning the show?

Here’s what Michael Wray is doing now

When Michael first found out he won Hell’s Kitchen, he initially agreed to work with Gordon Ramsay in London. Shortly after, he changed his mind and decided to go in a different direction.

Taking a position as a head chef at The Standard Hotel in Los Angeles was something that made a little more sense to him. The Standard Hotel is considered one of the more exclusive and upscale destinations in Southern California.

After that, he relocated to Arizona to start running a knife company called Skull & Cleavers. In conjunction with that, he also serves as a cooking class instructor.

According to his Instagram, food is still super important to Michael. He posts a lot of food-related content including fresh-cut onions, rotisserie chickens, raw beef he’s getting ready to cook up, and more.

Based on his social media presence, being a chef is something he still deeply resonates with beyond his time on Hell’s Kitchen.

He describes himself in his Instagram bio as a “professional badass chef.” One of his posts from April 17, 2020, shows off the tattoo he has on his fingers that spells out the word “CHEF“ in capital letters.

One of the unfortunate realities of Michael’s life is that he faced a years-long battle with addiction, but the good news is that he is currently in recovery.