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With three older brothers and a successful basketball background, Christina Wilson has often eagerly displayed her competitive instincts.
The 33-year-old relied on her drive to impress noted chef Gordon Ramsay, who named her the 10th-season winner of Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” Sept. 10. Her victory endows her with a head chef position at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel’s Gordon Ramsay Steak and a $250,000 salary.
To earn her new Nevada address, the Phillipsburg, N.J. native, who moved to the 1600 block of South Carlisle Street in December 2010, overcame numerous culinary challenges to defeat 17 competitors, capping her experience by winning a two-chef final for which she prepared four appetizers and entrées and three desserts. As Ramsay, with a reputation for chiding inconsistency and malaise, dwindled the field, Wilson upped her gumption.
“I had to find my footing early on, but my confidence picked up quickly,” she said Monday of handling tasks and her fellow entrants’ often cantankerous attitudes.
Wilson, who in November ’10 made good on a New York City-based colleague’s suggestion to try out for a reality television cooking show by auditioning in Center City, noted the season’s third episode marked a turning point. In it, she perfectly prepared beef sliders for a U.S. citizenship ceremony, establishing herself as a Red Team stalwart. She exercised so much dedication and professionalism that she accepted a plethora of praise from Ramsay with each chore and avoided receiving even one elimination vote from her mates in advancing to the championship. Having become a fan of the series two seasons ago, Wilson, whose résumé includes stints at Center City’s Lolita and Mercato, knew her humility and nutritional know-how, the latter a gift from grandmother Ruth Flynn, would sustain her focus and appeal to the brash Brit’s palate.
“I’m going to chalk it up to the kid-sister syndrome,” she said of her desire to achieve. “I’m always hungry for more.”
While Wilson yearns to increase her figurative appetite, she helped Ramsay to sate his literal cravings to best Lyndhurst, N.J.’s Justin Antiorio in the finale, which attracted more than six million viewers. The victor, who actually completed filming in Los Angeles and Las Vegas in June ’11 and needed to keep news of her triumph quiet for 15 months, watched the premiere in Culver City, Calif., gaining knowledge of something she had never envisioned acquiring, instant celebrity.
“I’m grateful for everything and really want to reward chef Ramsay for putting such faith in me,” she said of the restauranteur, who opened her place of employment in May.
“We had some great talent in the kitchen on Season 10, but throughout this competition Christina stood out and prover herself as both a skilled chef and a leader in the kitchen,” Ramsay said in a statement of Wilson, who also developed her communication skills and dexterity as a hoopster for Temple and West Chester universities.
Eschewing any cockiness, Wilson realizes her new title will not exclude her from accepting ample advice. Only two days after the airing, she adorned herself in her pristine uniform with a desire to make each day she dons it a reflection of her tenacity.
“Thousands of people wanted to work for Gordon,” she said. “As the lucky one who will, I’m all about learning and evolving.”
Wilson, whose first significant kitchen position as the West Chester Country Club spurred her nourishment knowledge, has yet to work in a local establishment, but South Philly has proven helpful in building her culinary IQ.
“South Philly has such a neighborhood feel,” the Garden State transplant said of her favorite city expanse. “It has so much culture that, especially from my perspective, can lead to so many creative ideas.”
The Point Breeze inhabitant has fallen for the Ninth Street Italian Market and East Passyunk Avenue, acknowledging their “great caliber” spots as indicators of a mini-nutritional revolution where variety will win. She has often purchased goods from the former for use in her dishes and hails the latter as a haven for dining diversity.
“South Philly is filled with skilled professionals,” she said. “Though I’m not a native, I want to continue their track record of being accomplished chefs who value their opportunities to satisfy someone’s appetite.”
Choosing from a selection of eliminated contestants to form her team for the championship broadcast, Wilson gave the nation a taste of how successful she might be in crafting a divine reputation in Sin City, with preparation of filet mignon, halibut, pork tenderloin and tiramisu, among others, wowing diners. Her discipline should serve her well, as she readies herself to oversee a 10-person squad that will help to fill 500 daily covers.
“I’ve had an unforgiving schedule, but the education has been so engrossing,” Wilson said.
Her tutelage will take off Sept. 27 when she begins a six-week training session through which executive chef Kevin Hee will grill her and assist with her mastery of offerings. Before she embarks on that odyssey, she will return to South Philly today to finish packing and to spend time with her acquaintances, including girlfriend Sara Kelly and mother Colleen Laros, who were present as Wilson accepted the first round of kudos from Ramsay.
“I really admire that he felt I had grown during the show,” she said of the figure, whom she said commended her most on her plating prowess. “When you’re receiving compliments from a Michelin-starred chef, you can’t help but feel proud.”
Now Wilson, who years ago shunned advice to try out for any such show because she felt her skills needed honing, will go down as a winner, not bad considering she debated with herself the day of her audition.
“It’s funny how things work,” she said, with a laugh, adding that nothing will guide her more than her desire to thrive.
Though she will complete her departure from South Philly next week, she is thinking of buying her aforementioned residence, with her Nevada experience destined to prove her chops.
“I will be in Vegas for a least a year, hopefully more,” she said. “It should be a great ride.”
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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