Dahmere Merriweather

Dahmere Merriweather was a contestant on Season 22 of Hell's Kitchen. He ranked in 5th place.

Season 22[]

Episode 1/2[]

Main article: Episode 2201 - The Dream Begins

Main article: Episode 2202 - Tad Overwhelming

The eighteen new chefs arrived at Hell's Kitchen, where Marino awaited them. The chefs entered Hell's Kitchen and noticed the past winners from each season before entering the dining room. To give the chefs some inspiration, Ramsay decided to have them walk through the famous doors and have a taste of what it felt like to win. Afterwards, the chefs got to know each other before the Sous Chefs arrived, explaining how their time in the competition helped their careers. Afterwards, a guitar player appeared and played the national anthem as four other doors appeared behind the curtain, each figure explaining their journey for the American Dream. After Ramsay stepped out, he welcomed the chefs to the twenty-second season, where they were celebrating the American Dream. Ramsay said the three celebrities the chefs saw were proof of the American Dream and that Hell's Kitchen was part of the American Dream. Ramsay said the winner of that season would become his Head Chef at Hell's Kitchen in Caesars Las Vegas with a salary of $250,000. Then, Ramsay told the chefs that their Signature Dish Challenge was about to begin.

During the Signature Dish Challenge, Dahmere made coconut curry and grilled lobster cream linguini as it was his breakout post on social media. However, he decided to use boxed pasta as he thought forty-five minutes was not enough to make fresh pasta. He was the third person from the blue team to have his dish judged by Ramsay, and he went up against Carmen. Before having his dish judged, he said his dream was to get some security as his father was getting older. He presented grilled lobster and coconut curry linguini, but the use of boxed pasta immediately brought it down. That disappointed Devon as the former knew he could do better. Then, Ramsay said the lobster tasted bland and had Carmen taste it to confirm it. While Carmen said his dish was worthy of a two, Ramsay said she was generous and gave it a one instead. Afterwards, he regretted using boxed pasta. The blue team lost the challenge after a 29-point tie. They were punished by participating in delivery day and cleaning up both kitchens.^[1]

Dahmere lost the Creative Scallops Challenge as his dish did not make it to the top three. Back at the dorms, he did not want Jason's negative energy to drain his skills after hearing the latter trash talk the women.

During dinner service, Dahmere was at the garnish station. He was not seen all night, and both teams were named joint losers. They were asked to nominate two each.

He was not nominated for elimination.^[2]

Episode 3[]

Main article: Episode 2203 - Citizens of Hell's Kitchen

During the American Citizen Brunch Service Challenge, Dahmere was at the egg station with Brad. He was not seen during the challenge, and the blue team won. They were rewarded with a Los Angeles-styled pool party at the Godfrey Hotel with a lunch catered by Craig’s.

During dinner service, Dahmere was at the fish station with Ryan. He was not seen that night, and both teams were named joint losers. They were asked to nominate two each.

He was not nominated for elimination.^[3]

Episode 4[]

Main article: Episode 2204 - Gimme an H!

During the American Classics Challenge, Dahmere went up against Leigh, and their dish was macaroni & cheese after he picked an I. He was the fifth person from the blue team to have his dish judged by Ramsay, and he presented his farfalle pasta with tarragon cream sauce. It was deemed glamorous, and he tied that round with Leigh. The blue team won the challenge 7-6, and they were rewarded with a trip to Santa Barbara with parasailing and dinner at the Hotel Milo. During the reward, he commented that they got to where they were thanks to cooking as the blue team and Melissa relaxed by the pool. He said he grew up rough in North Philadelphia and was ready to relax with his feet up.

During dinner service, Dahmere served a French onion crostini in the dining room. He was not seen that night, and the blue team lost the service. They were asked to nominate two people for elimination.

He was not nominated for elimination.^[4]

Episode 5[]

Main article: Episode 2205 - Just Bring the DARN Fish!

When Ramsay pulled the map behind him away and revealed tables full of proteins, Dahmere realized their next challenge was the Protein Identification Challenge. Still, he was confident the men had it, as the women would not run to get the proteins. When the blue team went back to the dorms to await their turn, he cockily told Ramsay the men would see him and the women in the morning. He was paired with Devon, and they were the second pair from the blue team to compete. Their dish was crab and ostrich. He said he was determined to win due to his competitive nature, but their first attempt, langoustine and elk, was wrong. Still, they got the second attempt correct. During Brad and Jermaine's turn, he got frustrated by their performance. During Jason and Johnathan's turn, he screamed at them to bring a fish up.

The blue team won the challenge 6:39-13:14, and they were rewarded with an axe-throwing experience, with Ramsay joining them. During the reward, Dahmere proved to be the best axe thrower of the group, and Jermaine could see his athleticism shining. Before service began, Ramsay asked the men who had the best axe-throwing skills in the group. The men said he did, and Ramsay awarded him with a Vitamix blender. He was excited to have something new in his cooking collection and could not wait to try it.

During dinner service, Dahmere was at the appetizer station with Jason. He was not seen that night, and the blue team won the service.^[5]

Episode 6[]

Main article: Episode 2206 - Fusion Confusion

During the Fusion Cuisine Challenge, Dahmere went up against Sandra, and he hit Greek while the latter hit Italian. He was the second person from the blue team to have his dish judged and presented his pork chop livornese. It had a great sear, and he easily scored a point over Sandra. The blue team won the challenge 4-3, and they were rewarded with a day playing bubble soccer and brand-new Keurig sets. After seeing the sets, he thanked his dish for earning him coffee all day.

During dinner service, Dahmere was at the appetizer station with Ryan. He took the lead on appetizers in the blue kitchen and became vocal. Johnathan was impressed that he clicked it on that night, and the former was ready to run through a wall for him. Thanks to his leadership, the order was accepted, and Ramsay told him that his risotto was delicious. Sous Chef Jason urged him not to stop as the men pushed out the first wave of appetizers. When he saw Brad suffering in pain, he came to the former’s aid and calmed him down. After service, Ramsay praised him for his strongest service yet and for his on-point vocalness, making him feel good to hear from his idol. After Brad's exit, both teams were asked to nominate two each. During deliberation, he brought up how Jason got too far ahead that night and voted for the latter.

He was not nominated for elimination.^[6]

Episode 7[]

Main article: Episode 2207 - All Up in Your Grills

During the Grilling Challenge, Dahmere went up against Atoye, and their protein was chicken thighs. During the cooking, he and Johnathan casually talked about the Fourth of July. He was the second person from the blue team to have his dish judged, and he presented his smoky chipotle chicken thigh with chimichurri. It had great flavors and a balance of heat that Aaron Franklin liked. He scored over Atoye and said every day was another chance to show Ramsay he could run one of his establishments and make his American dream come true. The blue team lost the challenge 2-5, and they were punished by cleaning the grills, disassembling them, and packing them up for the women.

During the Steak Night dinner service, Dahmere was at the meat station with Devon. After seeing Jermaine in the weeds on garnish, he stepped up as the leader and got the former's refire accepted. Later, he was seen walking Devon's refired steak to the pass, which was accepted. After the blue team got kicked out of the kitchen, resulting in their defeat, Ramsay pulled him aside for a quick meeting in the pantry. Because he was the only one who had a voice and pride that night, Ramsay named him the "Best of the Worst" and tasked him to nominate two people for elimination. As he returned upstairs, he deemed that night unacceptable and knew the men must get it together.

Back at the dorms, Dahmere said they all knew how to cook but crumbled under pressure. He reminded the men that they were in Hell's Kitchen because they were great chefs, a notion everyone agreed with and did not understand why they got scared. Johnathan claimed he was not scared, but he said everyone needed to show it like he did because he always kept his composure. Afterwards, he told the men what Ramsay assigned him to do. Ryan left the room in response, but he asked what would happen down the line when the pressure built up. Then, he asked the men to plead their case to him.

Dahmere nominated Jermaine and Devon for elimination. While being dismissed, he felt exhausted nominating one of his teammates, but he had to do it and hoped the following day was better.^[7]

Episode 8[]

Main article: Episode 2208 - Cooking For Your Life

When Ramsay asked the chefs what the top five ethnic foods in America were, Dahmere said Greek, but it was not on the board. During the Last Chef Standing Challenge, he cooked the Chinese prawn fried rice, and he was the second chef to leave the blue kitchen. As he watched from the pass, he was impressed with how well Ryan handled all the dishes alone, including his chicken curry dish. He was the third chef from the blue team to have his dish judged by Ramsay and went up against Atoye. His dish was praised for beautifully cooked shrimp, and he scored that round over Atoye.

The blue team won the challenge 5-3, and they were rewarded with a wellness retreat, lunch from Crossroads Kitchen, and Hexclad cookware. After Dahmere heard the wellness part of the reward, he got excited as his body was aching. When the men received their Hexclad sets, he was blown away by the quality of the pans. Before leaving for the reward, he went to Atoye, who considered quitting out of frustration with the red team and told her not to leave as she had people leaning on her to do well. He encouraged Atoye not to leave and said he was there for her. Atoye was thankful that he was around and said that his presence helped her not give up.

Later that day, Ramsay held private interviews with the chefs. Dahmere was the ninth chef to have his interview, and Ramsay deemed him reliable and solid. He did not participate in the Cook For Your Life Challenge as he was not deemed one of the weakest chefs on the blue team.^[8]

Episode 9[]

Main article: Episode 2209 - More Bang For Your Buck

Before the Budget Challenge, Dahmere welcomed Atoye as a new teammate. During the cooking, he cooked a rainbow trout. Still, he admitted that it was his first time deboning a fish and knew he had to be careful in fileting it. After Atoye's turn, he was excited to have Atoye on the team and hoped the team switch was what she needed to boost her confidence. He was the fourth person from the blue team to have his dish judged and presented his rainbow trout dish. It had a perfect cook, but he scored $32. The blue team won the challenge $208-$207, and they were rewarded with an overnight trip to Hicksville Trailer Park in Joshua Tree. That made him excited to see what it was about.

During dinner service, Dahmere was at the garnish station. At one point, Johnathan coordinated with him on times, and he believed that Ramsay assigned him to garnish due to his voice. Then, he called out that he needed a bowl, only for Ramsay to lightly scold him for it. Still, Ryan handed him a bowl. When both teams were on their final orders, he got the blue team focused on the second to last ticket. The blue team won the service.^[9]

Episode 10[]

Main article: Episode 2210 - The Pastabilities Are Endless

The following day, Dahmere was amazed by Jordan Chile's gymnastic routine. During part one of the Creative Pasta Challenge, he barely made it across the balance beam without falling and said he was quick on his feet. The blue team won part one and received a five-minute head start. During the cooking, he and Atoye cooked the pappardelle as the blue team had an extra person. They were the third pair from the blue team to have their dishes judged, and they went up against Leigh. He made a veal and pancetta meatball pappardelle, but it looked underwhelming and had undercooked pasta. They lost that round to Leigh, and the blue team lost the challenge 1-3. They were punished by making 200 lbs. of fresh pasta for that night’s service.

During dinner service, Dahmere was at the appetizer station with Johnathan. On Kel Mitchell's order, he vocally got the blue team on track as Johnathan compared his voice to that of a lion’s and felt the energy from it. He kept the blue team on timings and asked Atoye for a time on the lobster tail refire. However, Atoye was too upset to speak up, so he asked Johnathan to watch appetizers alone while he went to the fish station to help the former. He tried to encourage Atoye, but the latter struggled to keep herself composed as this meant everything to her.

Both teams were named joint losers, but Ramsay named Dahmere the "Best of the Worst" for the blue team as he led that night. He was asked to nominate two people for elimination. During deliberation, he knew that making tough decisions was part of being a leader before congratulating Johnathan for doing well that night. Then, he reminded Jason about the raw Wellingtons he served and said he was going up for nomination. Jason was not happy with his decision and felt he was nominated for something he thought was minimal. Afterwards, he gave credit to Atoye for keeping her composure despite the mistakes she made that night and was proud of how far she had come. Lastly, Ryan told him he did not deserve to be nominated, but he told the former he did not need to tell him what to do. Afterwards, he questioned who to pick between his teammates.

Dahmere nominated Jason and Atoye for elimination.^[10]

Episode 11[]

Main article: Episode 2211 - A Hellish Food Fight

During the Blind Taste Test, Dahmere was the third person from the blue team to compete, and he went up against Leigh. He got cucumber and beef correct, resulting in Jason getting the milk dunk punishment. During Johnathan's turn, he got the milk dunk punishment. The blue team won the challenge 7-5, and they were rewarded with a $4,000 shopping spree at Sur la Table.

During the Charity Night dinner service, Dahmere was in charge of the Chilean sea bass. As he began his course, he got the men organized and delegated roles. He got his course out with no problems. Both teams were named joint losers, and they were asked to nominate one each. During deliberation, he nominated Jason.

He was not nominated for elimination.^[11]

Episode 12[]

Main article: Episode 2212 - A Hell's Kitchen Special Delivery

During the first Black Jackets Challenge, Dahmere rolled a B and picked broccoli. He was the first person to have his dish judged by Ramsay, and he presented his turnip scaled halibut with a miso butter toasted sesame spinach salad. While Ramsay liked the cook on the fish and the technical factor going on with the scales, the former thought the halibut was under-seasoned. He lost the challenge to Johnathan and Sammi, and he was forced to compete in the second challenge.

After Ramsay explained the rules for the second Black Jackets Challenge, Dahmere understood them and swore to get the first pick of the choices. As the challenge began, he forced his way past Leigh for the sea bass and wanted to continue the fish trend, hoping the following ingredients they got made sense for his sea bass. He was the third person to have his dish judged by Ramsay, and he presented his crispy skin sea bass with a citrus vinaigrette. He knew it was the most important piece of fish he had cooked in his career. The dish looked beautiful, and Ramsay liked the sea bass glistening from the cook as he said he took the former’s suggestions to heart about seasoning the fish. He won the third black jacket, making him speechless as it made everything he went through worth it. He raced back to the dorms and was greeted by Johnathan and Sammi. Soon afterwards, they welcomed Carmen. As the final six celebrated making it to the black jackets, he felt honored to be in the black jackets, knowing he was fighting for his family’s security and knew it was the push he needed.^[12]

Episode 13[]

Main article: Episode 2213 - HellishHangover

During the Presentation Challenge, Dahmere decided to nix his pineapple as it did not slice properly and chose to focus on his knife skills for his dish. He was the fifth person to have his dish judged, and he presented his Artic char sashimi. It tasted great despite Kevin Meehan feeling that it could have been on a different plate, and he scored seventeen points. His dish was ranked fifth on social media, and he scored an additional six points, ending up with twenty-three. He lost the challenge to Leigh, and he was punished by prepping 100 pounds of almonds for the lamb entrée at the following service.

During dinner service, Dahmere was at the fish station. He walked the lobster tails as he acknowledged the trickiness of an eight-top table. Sous Chef Christina and Ramsay scolded him for feeling the lobster tails at the pass, and the latter told him that two out of the three were undercooked. As Ramsay sent an incomplete order, Johnathan brought up the two remaining lobster tails. Later, Carmen did not communicate well with him as he felt the former was not talking with him, and he did not have his fish ready. Carmen served her lamb, but Ramsay said he was not slicing it until he had his fish up. As Carmen accused him of dropping the ball, Johnathan walked the halibut, but he did not have the salmon ready at the moment. When he did send it up, Ramsay discovered it was rare, along with the lamb. Ramsay showed the raw proteins and did not understand why the trio of himself, Leigh, and Carmen were not performing well. Then, he sent up one salmon when two were ordered, and the second was overcooked. Afterwards, he sent up a raw salmon, followed by a serving with burnt butter. After multiple failed attempts, he finally got a salmon accepted.

After service, Ramsay asked the final six to name two people for elimination. During deliberation, Dahmere admitted that he had a rocky night and knew he would be nominated. Still, he felt he did not deserve to go home after one poor night.

Dahmere was named the first nominee for elimination, with Leigh as the second. During his plea, he admitted that it was his first rough night in the competition, but he was not ready to leave as he felt he was Ramsay’s leader. After Leigh's elimination, Ramsay said he was not done and reminded him that he could have used Johnathan to help him with the fish. With that, Ramsay eliminated him for struggling with fish and not delegating responsibilities. Before leaving, Ramsay praised him for his energy and passion. During his exit interview, he received a retrospective montage of his time on the show.

Ramsay's comment: "Leigh needs more experience, and Dahmere needs more finesse, but they both will make great head chefs someday. It's just not today."^[13]

Episode 15/16[]

Main article: Episode 2215 - And Then There Were Two

Main article: Episode 2216 - One Hell of An American Dream

Dahmere was one of the seven chefs that returned for the final dinner service. He was Johnathan's first pick for his brigade, and was followed by Donya, Leigh, and Atoye. After being picked, he promised to do everything to win it for Johnathan.^[14] As Johnathan went over the menu, the former assigned him to meat. While he was concerned about Johnathan’s voice, he knew the latter could depend on himself and Donya to pick up the pace.

During dinner service, Dahmere was at the meat station. As he worked on the lamb, he promised to rock it out. However, Ramsay found the lamb to be raw, and Johnathan said it was not the night for stupid mistakes. Johnathan told him to refire the lamb, and he got it accepted. On entrées, he knew a lot was on the line for Johnathan and swore he would redeem his earlier mistake. However, Leigh got nervous as she noticed he was getting overwhelmed. He sent up ice-cold sauce for the steak, making Johnathan frustrated with him as the meat station was sinking. Worse, the steak was rare, and Ramsay warned Johnathan that they were in trouble. With no other options, Johnathan reassigned Donya to meat and him to garnish. As the chefs cleared down, he was ready to see Johnathan live out his American Dream as he felt the latter deserved to win the competition. Johnathan eventually lost the finale to Ryan.^[15]

Nomination History[]

Trivia[]

• He is the ninth contestant who used pre-made food for his signature dish, following Rock (Season 3), Salvatore (Season 7), Jonathon (Season 9), Mike (Season 12), Monique (Season 14), Kevin (Season 15), Kimberly (Season 16), and Nicole (Season 21). He is also the third contestant who made it to the black jackets who did, following Rock (Season 3) and Kimberly (Season 16). As of this date, he is the last contestant to do so.
• He is the fifth contestant who scored 1 out of 5 in the new format of the Signature Dish Challenge and made it to the black jackets afterwards, following La Tasha (Season 13), Kimberly (Season 16), Robyn (Season 17), and Sommer (Season 21). He is also the first male contestant to do so.
• He is the fourteenth contestant and seventh black jacket contestant to be eliminated on the first time being nominated, following Jimmy (Season 1), Garrett, Keith (Season 2), Giovanni (Season 5), Elizabeth (Season 9), Kimmie (Season 10), Michael, Anthony (both from Season 11), Alison (Season 14), Dana (Season 17), Adam (Season 19), Cheyenne (Season 21), and Leigh (also from Season 22).

Quotes[]

• (During the Protein Identification Challenge) "JUST BRING THE DAMN FISH!!"
• (After the blue team lost Steak Night) "We all know how to cook! That is simple, point-blank, period. But when it comes to pressure everybody crumbled!" "We are here in some fucking blue coats that say "Hell's Kitchen" because we are great chefs." "Right or wrong? Right or wrong, D?" (Devon: "Yes.") "Right or wrong, Jason?" (Jason: "Yes") "Right or wrong, Ryan?" (Ryan: "100%") "Right or wrong Jermaine?" (Jermaine: "Right") "Then I really don't understand when do grown men get scared?" "It's scary, yes." "It's fucking nerve-wracking!" (Johnathan: "I ain't scared of nothing, bro.") "Exactly!" "Stop telling me you're composed, and show me!" "Why am I able to receive the remarks that I do?" "Because I keep my composure." "Something don't work, we got to figure something else out." "Make it work." "Make it work."
• (After being eliminated) "For me, this was a life-changing experience. All the highs and lows, it was transformational. I was able to examine who Dahmere was. I stayed true to myself the entire competition. It showed me personally that I can compete with the best of them. You know, to take it as far as I did in this competition against so many talented chefs, by far not the end of my American dream. Just the beginning."

Gallery[]

• Chef
• Dishes

Dahmere in Blue Jacket

Dahmere's Confessional (Blue Jacket)

Dahmere in Blind Taste Test

Dahmere's Confessional (Black Jacket)

Dahmere in Black Jacket

Leigh and Dahmere Nominated

Dahmere Eliminated

Dahmere's Confessional (Returning Chef)

Dahmere as Returning Chef

Dahmere's Signature Dish (Episode 1)

Dahmere's American Classic Dish (Mac and Cheese) (Episode 4)

Dahmere's Fusion Dish (Greek-Italian) (Episode 6)

Dahmere's Grilled Dish (Chicken Thigh) (Episode 7)

Dahmere's Budget Dish (Rainbow Trout) (Episode 9)

Dahmere's Pasta Dish (Pappardelle) (Episode 10)

Dahmere's Black Jacket Dish (Round 1) (Episode 12)

Dahmere's Black Jacket Dish (Round 2) (Episode 12)

Dahmere's Presentation Dish (Episode 13)

External Link[]

• Dahmere Merriweather on Instagram
• Dahmere Merriweather aka Food Boy on YouTube

References[]