While several chefs eliminated before the top ten are often forgotten, there are some that do gain a pretty large fanbase in spite of this.
Season 2
- Ewan almost instantly became a fan-favorite due to his hilarious and goofy personality, his skill in the kitchen, and being an incredibly solid leader, which resulted in Craig and Danny being able to work out their issues and get much further in the competition. His popularity resulted in him becoming a Breakout Character, and being brought back for All-Stars, where he placed third.
- Despite not being around for too long, Mehgan became incredibly popular for being one of the most sane chefs on the red team when it came to dealing with Smelly, as well as her endearing friendships with Danny and Ewan.
- Despite being a Hate Sink and being the first boot, Smelly became quite popular for how over the top he was as a Jerkass and being downright hilarious.
- Out of all the replacements to the staff this season, Toasty was the most well-received, due to him being seen as a strict but fair chef who wasn't overexaggerated, unlike Kazuki.
Season 4 (All-Stars)
- In complete contrast to his rough start in Season 2, Hunter proved to be a particularly popular early boot due to his snarky attitude and early strong showing. It's even to the extent that fans wished he made the black jackets instead of Dee or Kelly.
- Also in complete contrast to his original version, Zach is pretty universally agreed to the be best of the adapted chefs. While several of his traits are still there such as his communication issues and loud voice, he also managed to come off as far more pleasant and likable compared to the real life counterpart.
Season 6 (Rough Road To Victory)
- Brad, for being a Nice Guy who looked out for his team. There were definitely a few people who were not only shocked, but bummed out by his early elimination.
- Surprisingly enough, Mac as well. Despite his jerkish attitude, fans praised how strong of a villain he was overall, and it's not uncommon for fans to say he should've gone further in the competition.
Season 7
- Despite being eliminated early on and being a Bitch in Sheep's Clothing, Harper proved to be a well-liked competitor, due to her strategy of trying to hide who she really is, on top of foreshadowing the turn the season would take.
Season 8
- Season 8 had both Kylian and Toby, for being some of the few early boots that were considered memorable for mostly good reasons. The former was a solid antagonistic force for the brief time he was around, and the latter was considered to have been done particularly well compared to the rest of the early boots.
Hell's Kitchen: Amateurs (Season 1)
- Despite being the first boot of the season, Pani was pretty well-liked for her interactions with Olivia, and her Ship Tease with Heather. It's not uncommon that some people wish she got further, especially compared to chefs like Mary and especially Samantha.
