Danny Veltri won Hell's Kitchen season 5 and was awarded a job at Fornelletto at the Borgata. Here's what the Floridian chef has been up to since.
It's been 12 years since Danny Veltri won Hell's Kitchen season 5, and fans are curious about what he's been up to. In addition to $250,000, the victorious chef was told he would win a head chef position at Fornelletto at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. It was the win of a lifetime, and Danny was ecstatic to be able to work at such an amazing hotel.
Entering the competition at 23 years old, many of Danny's competitors didn't see him as a real threat. Despite being younger than the other contestants, Danny had an arrogant air from the start. This confidence was eventually earned as he grew more and more skilled in the kitchen, thanks to his hard work and lots of constructive criticism from Gordon Ramsay, who had trouble with the law. In fact, at the end of the season, Gordon was quoted saying Danny won the competition because of how much he grew as a chef in such a short amount of time.
Danny Veltri's Life After Hells Kitchen
Originally from Edgewater, Florida, Danny relocated to Atlantic City, New Jersey, after winning Hell's Kitchen to work at Fornelletto at the Borgata. He was told he would be the Head Chef at the newly-opened restaurant. However, when he arrived, he was made a Sous Chef instead. Consequentially, Danny only stayed at Fornelletto for a few months before returning to his home in the Sunshine State. In a Reddit post shared by u/Chuck_E_Sleeze over 10 years, who claims to have worked with Danny in Florida before and after his time in Hell's Kitchen, said, "He came back kind of jaded." According to this source, Danny returned home to escape a less-than-ideal working situation.
Danny Started His Own Catering Company
Danny started his own business once he was back in Florida called, Back From Hell Catering. This name was a play on words, referencing his return from filming Hell's Kitchen. The company didn't last long, and he soon assisted in opening Gnarly Surf Bar & Grill, an upscale restaurant on the beach, where he served as General Manager. After that, Danny was offered an Executive Chef position at Vince Carter's Restaurant in Daytona Beach. In 2012, Danny was arrested for driving under the influence. According to TMZ, a witness saw him attempt to purchase alcohol at a gas station around 4 AM. After being refused, Danny,w ho was on Hell's Kitchen like Dave Levey, fell asleep in his vehicle in the driver's seat with the engine on. He was released on $500 bail.
As for Fornelletto, after Danny left the restaurant, it continued to operate within the Borgata until 2017, when it was replaced by several other fine dining options. Danny mostly posts on his Instagram about his daughter but sometimes shares photos of the meals he is making. Hell's Kitchen fans hope the chef is doing well.
More: Hell's Kitchen: What Happened To Season 3 Winner Rock Harper?
Sources: Chuck_E_Sleeze/Reddit, TMZ
-
Hell's Kitchen
- Release Date:
- 2005-05-30
- Cast:
- Gordon Ramsay, Jason Thompson, Roger Craig Smith
- Genres:
- Competition, Cooking, Reality
- Rating:
- TV-14
- Seasons:
- 21
- Network:
- FOX
- Franchise(s):
- Gordon Ramsay
- Directors:
- Mark W. Roden, Sharon Trojan Hollinger
- Showrunner:
- Kenny Rosen
