Chef Poehnelt Praises Ramsey

By Stephanie De La Cruz 3-27-2013

Chef Mary Poehnelt slicing her roasted chicken. WEBN staff photo

Before Mary Poehnelt became a contestant in “Hell’s Kitchen,” she never knew the Fox television show existed.

She got interested in the culinary career after working in a number of cafes in Buffalo,N.Y. In 2010, she moved to New York City to attend culinary school. It was there that Phehnelt decided to audition for the 11th season of Hell’s Kitchen.

But when she auditioned, she had never even seen the show. So the 26-year-old decided to search the channels to see what it was all about.

“I am not going on that show, but the more I watched it made me realize there is a method to Chef Ramsay madness, and, of course, the support of my husband is what really motivated me to give the show a chance,” Poehnelt told WEBN Boston today.

So far, Poehnelt seems to be handling the heat. On the first episode the contestants were asked to cook their signature dish for Chef Ramsay.  Her season premiere dish was a pan-seared duck breast with a red-wine orange reduction. But for Ramsay the dish was nothing but butchered.

“It’s a hit you have to take, and an opportunity to get up and better yourself,” Poehnelt said.

But in the second episode she was one of the few contestants to stay in the kitchen through the end of the challenge, which led to winning awards.

So far, the women’s team has won each of the three challenges.

In the one episode, Ramsay saved Poehnelt after she was voted into the bottom two.

Chef Mary Poehnelt’s finished dish. WEBN staff photo

Although she was nervous, Poehnelt says she likes being yelled at by the chef.

“I appreciate his genuineness because he’s teaching me to strive for nothing but the absolute best,” Poehnelt said.

According to Poehnelt, “who he is on TV is who he is in real life.”

Poehnelt now lives in Belchertown, Mass.  For now she will get to remain cooking for at least another week, but who knows where Chef Ramsay’s knives will cut next?