'Hell's Kitchen' contestant dies at the age of 34
Jessica Vogel, a former contestant on Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen, has passed away after a fierce battle with inflammatory bowel disease colitis.
Vogel was 34 years old and drew her last breath on Monday, July 30, 2018, at the hospital, surrounded by her loved ones, including her fiancé, John Michael Keyser.
According to her obituary, Vogel was a woman who refused to back down and tried her very best every single time, especially when it came to her passion: food.
Vogel went to culinary school in Denver, Colorado, and decided to audition for Hell's Kitchen, where she was picked to work under Gordon Ramsay in front of the cameras.
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At the time, she worked at a creperie and bakery in California but started her career at Kevin's Thyme, in the Ho-Ho-Kus neighborhood of New Jersey. Later on, she worked as a pastry chef at Grange under Chef Christine Nunn and as an executive Chef at Black Rebel Burger.
In her obituary, Vogel was described as a 'local legend for foodies in Bergen County,' and that she found it very interesting how one could pick different ingredients and combine them to create a unique culinary experience.
Aside from mentioning her participation in Hell's Kitchen and Cutthroat Kitchen, which aired on Food Network, the obituary also mentioned Vogel's struggle with alcohol and drug abuse.
It was revealed that, although she was committed to living a better life, she developed an addiction to illegal substances due to the pressure of standing out from the rest of the world.
Vogel decided to turn her life around and graduated from an inpatient rehabilitation program with hopes of regaining control of her life, but all the damage done by the drugs and alcohol took a toll on her body.
The late 34-year-old wanted people to appreciate their talents and always work hard to improve. Aside from her fiancé, she is survived by her mother, Donna Bruchmann, her father, Mark Vogel, and her sister, Caitlin Johnstone.