Warren, Vt. - A Vermont chef ditches the countryside for California, appearing in a popular TV cooking competition that premieres Monday.
Chef Tiffany Johnson prepared a cool steak tartar in a quaint Vermont home, Monday. She's far away from the smoldering set of Hell's Kitchen.
"Actually, funny, I used to hate the TV show, um, a lot. And I was like, Gordon Ramsey, he's such a jerk. You know, I'm like who wants to be screamed and yelled at like that you know?" Johnson said.
But the Chef from Warren, Vermont had a change of heart last year. She opted to compete against thousands of other chefs across the country for a spot on the fiery TV series.
To her surprise, Johnson was chosen to be one of 18 contestants for season ten.
"I was nervous but I was so excited at the same time because I was like this is the chance of a lifetime," Johnson said.
Johnson flew to California and plunged right into production, experiencing the wrath of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay on the first day.
"You're in the kitchen and all the sudden he's just behind me."
And drama between contestants.. Johnson says it is real.
"There's one part where I got really mad at this girl and I was like, I'm going to choke you out," Johnson said.
But Johnson says, it was all worth it to work with Ramsay.
"He definitely puts you through a lot and it's very stressful but at the same time it's all for better," Johnson said.
