Ryan O’Sullivan, a 31-year-old with an impressive CV, triumphed in the 22nd series of Gordon Ramsay’s American TV show, Hell’s Kitchen. Originally from Gurranabraher in Cork, he moved to Douglas in his teenage years before making the decision to relocate to Palm Beach, Florida in 2017.
His culinary interest was kindled growing up in a family of chefs. Ryan’s initial introduction to food involved fishing trips with his father at the young age of seven or eight. Such experiences, including choreographing the cooking procedure of a garlic-grilled trout, ignited a passion in him.
O’Sullivan further honed his culinary skills at Munster Technological University. Inspired by a summer spent in San Francisco during his second year of study, Ryan resolved to return to America to carve out his chef career. About two years later, a chance opportunity appeared when he was contacted via Indeed by a recruiter who proposed a chef role in a Florida country club. Initially sceptical, believing it might be a scam, he nonetheless pursued various chef opportunities in America, leading him on a plane to Florida a few weeks later. With his travel and housing expenses covered by the recruiter, his only task was to reach the plane. His subsequent departure in October 2017 was initially intended to end in May of the following year, but seven years later, he still resides in Palm Beach with his wife, whom he met locally.
Ryan’s American journey began with a job preparing omelettes in a country club from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fortunately, this role led to a job offer from a regular customer for a position at Martha’s Vineyard on Massachusetts’ Nantucket Island, upon completion of his Florida season. Accepting the offer, he ventured to Nantucket Island in May 2018. Ryan’s experiences there, albeit filled with long work hours, proved invaluable, allowing him to learn about himself, the culinary world, and people in general.
Nantucket Island has been characterised by him as a fusion of various nationalities, and it watchs an explosion of occupants from 15,000 to a whopping 150,000 during the summer’s peak season.
A recruitment message received in October 2020 was the starting point of his journey to the popular television show, Hell’s Kitchen. After getting through three rounds of cross-examinations, he was on a flight to Los Angeles to participate in the 22nd season of the show during the mainstream pandemic.
Although the situation was close to normal in Florida due to the brief week-long lockdown, the cultural transition struck him quite hard once he had landed in Los Angeles. Two weeks of isolation, which he likened to imprisonment, were required of the participants before the commencement of the shoot.
The season’s theme was ‘The American Dream’, asking contestants to reflect their backgrounds in their culinary creations. He attempted to procure spiced beef, a common ingredient at his hometown, Cork, to incorporate a bit of his homeland into his dishes.
According to O’Sullivan, the ticket to his victory was the dishes he had been accustomed to from childhood, such as the vol-au-vent starter he used in the grand finale. Further, he opined that several participants misinterpreted the essence of the competition and overlooked the importance of incorporating themselves and their roots into their offerings.
The champion of the competition is rewarded with $250,000 and a yearlong position as the executive chef in the renowned Ceasars Palace, Las Vegas. Despite such an exciting opportunity, O’Sullivan, prioritising his settled family in Florida, decided not to accept the position. However, he spent three enriching weeks in one of the upscale restaurants owned by Chef Ramsey in London, later in the same year.
Despite the successes, O’Sullivan does admit to the sacrifices related to living away from home and missing his friends and family. With a full-time job at a country club and upcoming commitments including the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show and the World Food Competition in Indianapolis, O’Sullivan continues to make the balance work.
O’Sullivan suggests that one must learn to be at ease in uneasy circumstances when considering relocating to another country for their career. He likens this situation to a miniature plant confined to a correspondingly small pot. It can only expand so much in the given space. However, if the same plant is transfered to a larger pot, it would have the freedom to grow in abundance.