MEET THE WANNABE CHEFS WILLING TO TAKE THE HEAT WHEN "HELL'S KITCHEN" PREMIERES MONDAY, MAY 30, ON FOX

Mondays are going to be hell for the 12 terrified wannabe chefs and restaurateurs trying to impress head chef Gordon Ramsay in the unscripted series HELL'S KITCHEN premiering Monday, May 30 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

The volatile Ramsay, who is England's biggest celebrity chef, has crossed the Pond to open L.A.'s newest restaurant and discover � or create � the country's next culinary star. HELL'S KITCHEN will follow these 12 competing chefs 24/7, capturing the fiery drama, intrigue and high emotion as the restaurant's opening night approaches. These ambitious hopefuls believe they have the drive, talent and desire to run their own restaurant, and they will be tossed into the cauldron, working under Ramsay and fighting for survival.

The participants may have varying culinary experience, but one thing they all have in common is a passion for food. Each week, Ramsay will slice and dice the contestants, keeping those who possess the right combination of ingredients to ensure success. For him, failure is not an option, and nothing and no one will stand in his way. So for the trainees, this means one thing: if they can't stand the heat, they'll have to get out of HELL'S KITCHEN.

The 12 HELL'S KITCHEN contestants are:

Andrew, 24, an office assistant from Livingston, NJ
Carolann, 33, a server from Dallas, TX
Christopher, 35, a freelance executive chef from Yorktown Heights, NY
Elsie, 40, an executive assistant from Maywood, NJ
James, 25, a purchasing supervisor from Williston Park, NY
Jeff, 28, a finance manager from West Orange, NJ
Dewberry, 33, a baker from Stockbridge, GA
Wendy, 32, a marketing consultant from Millburn, NJ
Ralph, 36, a freelance chef from Livingston, NJ
Michael, 27, an executive chef from Fort Collins, CO
Mary Ellen, 27, a culinary student from Belmont, MA
Jessica, 26, an employment headhunter from Huntington, NY

HELL'S KITCHEN is produced by Granada Entertainment and A. Smith & Co. Paul Jackson, Arthur Smith and Kent Weed serve as executive producers.