▁last ▁season ▁featured ▁an ▁odd ▁number ▁of ▁contest ants ▁to ▁date . ▁This ▁season ▁also ▁the ▁last ▁to ▁featured ▁the ▁normal ▁single ▁elim ination ▁before ▁final s , ▁as ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁seasons ▁brings ▁the ▁tradition ▁double ▁elim ination ▁before ▁final s , ▁until ▁it ▁was ▁returned ▁again ▁in ▁season ▁ 1 5 ▁to ▁ 1 7 . ▁ ▁Format ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁each ▁episode ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁team ▁challenge , ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁winning ▁side ▁gets ▁a ▁reward ▁of ▁some ▁sort ▁of ▁le is ure ▁activity , ▁while ▁the ▁losing ▁side ▁has ▁to ▁clean ▁up ▁and ▁prepare ▁both ▁k itch ens , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁some ▁activity ▁that ▁is ▁not ▁so ▁pleasant . ▁After wards , ▁the ▁teams ▁comp ete ▁in ▁executing ▁a ▁dinner ▁service , ▁during ▁which ▁R ams ay ▁can ▁imp ose ▁additional ▁pun ish ments ▁or ▁kick ▁che fs ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁kitchen . ▁The ▁losing ▁team ( s ) ▁nomin ates ▁che fs ▁to ▁be ▁considered ▁for ▁elim ination . ▁R ams ay ▁can ▁also ▁nomin ate ▁che fs , ▁and ▁ultimately ▁sends ▁a ▁chef ▁home . ▁At ▁six ▁che fs ▁left , ▁the ▁teams ▁merge ▁to ▁one , ▁and ▁the ▁che fs ▁comp ete ▁as ▁individuals . ▁ ▁Staff ▁Gordon ▁R ams ay ▁returned ▁as ▁the ▁head ▁chef , ▁blue ▁team ▁sous ▁chef ▁Scott ▁Le ib fried , ▁and ▁Ma ître ▁d ' ▁Jean - Ph ili ppe ▁Sus il ov ic ▁as ▁well . ▁He ather ▁West , ▁the ▁winner ▁of ▁Season ▁