MEET THE WANNABE CHEFS WILLING TO TAKE THE HEAT WHEN "HELL'S KITCHEN" PREMIERES MONDAY, JUNE 12, ON FOX

Mondays are going to be hell for the 12 terrified wannabe chefs and restaurateurs trying to impress head chef Gordon Ramsay � and to add fuel to the fire, it's the men versus the women in the second serving of the sizzling unscripted series HELL'S KITCHEN premiering Monday, June 12 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

A former pro-soccer-player-turned-Michelin-starred-chef, Ramsay has conquered London's haute cuisine scene. Now he's crossing the Pond again, to discover � or create � America's next culinary star.

The heat is on and the "steaks" are high as the contestants endure Ramsay's hellishly intense culinary boot camp for a chance to win the ultimate prize � the coveted title of Executive Chef of a luxurious fine-dining restaurant at the brand-new Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas. In addition, the winner will be eligible to receive a financial interest in the restaurant and assist in its design.

Each week Ramsay will grill the ambitious hopefuls as they attempt to prove they have what it takes to run their own restaurant. He will slice and dice the contestants, keeping only those who possess the right combination of ingredients to ensure success. The contestants' inexperience, combined with the perfectionist Ramsay's acid tongue, may be a recipe for disaster, but for one aspiring restaurateur it's the chance of a lifetime. In this pressure-cooker environment, only one thing is certain: if the contestants can't stand the heat, they'll have to get out of HELL'S KITCHEN.

The 12 HELL'S KITCHEN contestants are:

Gabe, 27, a marketing executive from Chicago, IL
Garrett, 27, a former prisoner/chef from Cedar Park, TX
Giacomo, a pizza maker from Euless, TX
Keith, 28, a chef/bartender from South Hampton, NY
Larry, 38, a fishmonger from Arlington, TX
Tom, 43, a former stockbroker from Belleville, NJ
Heather, 25, a sous chef from Port Jefferson, NY
Maribel, 31, a cafeteria chef from Brooklyn, NY
Polly, 43, a caterer from Ben Franklin, TX
Rachel, 39, a personal chef from Dallas, TX
Sara, 31, a deli manager from Dallas, TX
Virginia, 25, a salad chef from New York, NY

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