If you watch Hell's Kitchen, you already know that Christina Machamer overcame exceptional odds to win of the fourth season of the notorious show, becoming the executive sous chef at at the London West Hollywood Hotel. Check in each week as Christina "dishes up" her insights on Hell's Kitchen's fifth season, her notorious new boss, and life after reality TV stardom.

By Christina Machamer

So, the secret is out, and at the end of the month, Danny Veltri will take his position as sous-chef at the Fornelletto restaurant. For Danny, this will be a big step, coming out of a small New Smyrna Beach restaurant to join ranks of the Atlantic City brigade. Danny himself has said he is excited about moving into a corporate environment where the rules are clearly defined, but this won't be his only challenge.


Relocating anywhere is tough, not to mention expensive. Adding to that is walking into a restaurant and being "handed" a position. There are many who feel that Gordon's choice means nothing, and that the winner is just some "commis chef from TV." It will be up to Danny to earn his place and the respect of his coworkers. This can be the hardest challenge to surmount. Danny is fortunate to start before the restaurant opens, where every person must find their place. This puts them on equal footing.

Danny's second challenge will be finding his balance. For any cook, it is excruciating to juggle work life with home life. Sometimes you don't have enough time to take care of yourself, let alone make time for your friends and family. This is what "normal" chefs face, but Danny's position is far more unique. Many will come to the restaurant to share their congratulations with him, and to find out how life is after the show. In my case, I was not allowed on the dining room floor, but instead fans came to see me in the kitchen. It was interesting merging my job with my publicity. Most cooks never bring their home life into the kitchen, so it feels odd to have two aspects of your life colliding amidst a barrage of flashbulbs. On a Saturday night in the middle of the dinner rush it can be overwhelming trying to expedite and run a station, plate the dishes, all while being gracious to your supporters.

The final bit of advice I can give to Danny is that fame is fleeting. I was at the Borgata this week, for their finale party, and met up with Robert after an interview. We took a stroll around the casino floor, where so many came up to congratulate him. One person in particular, mistaking me for Robert's wife, let me know how good of a man I had found. I thanked him, and we all had a good laugh. There is so much hype for this show, and after the finale, the winner is taken on a whirlwind publicity tour where it will seem, for that week, that the world revolves around Danny. Opportunities for appearances, demonstrations and endorsements will fly at him. It is important to remain grounded, discover what he wants for himself and his future, then make that happen, because the opportunity may not be there tomorrow.

So to Danny, the newest chef in the Hell's Kitchen winner's circle, I wish you good luck. I know you will be great. Just make sure you take a nap before you reach Atlantic City. It may be your last. And while Danny embraces his future at the Borgata, we fans will wait for July 21, when the doors to Hell's Kitchen reopen for a sixth season. Till then, eat well and be well.

After graduating at the top of her class from The Culinary Institute of America and putting in decades of work in some of the country's top kitchens, Christina Machamer's hard work has been rewarded with a Hell's Kitchen triumph. Now settled into her new West Hollywood digs, she and her partner Cory Lemieux venture into the artisan spice trade with their online company bcbcblends.com. Look for Christina, as she travels the country, seeking out food shows, farmer's markets, and a possible location for her next culinary adventure.

Read more by Christina:
Hell's Kitchen Insider: Paula Versus Danny
Hell's Kitchen Insider: Hanging with the Blues Brothers
Hell's Kitchen Insider: Consistency
Hell's Kitchen Insider: Teamwork and Leadership the Keys to Winning
Hell's Kitchen Insider: The King of All Challenges
Hell's Kitchen Insider: Good Riddance to the Anti-Cooks
Hell's Kitchen Insider: Final Four Predictions
Hell's Kitchen Insider: A Bar Mitzvah To Remember
Hell's Kitchen Insider: V-C-I-T-O-R-Y?
Hell's Kitchen Insider: The Pressure Cooker
Hell's Kitchen Insider: Another One Gigabytes the Dust!
Hell's Kitchen Insider: Chef Ramsay Loves a Fighter
Hell's Kitchen Insider: First Impression