Scott Commings passed through the gates of Hell’s Kitchen and came out victorious. As the season 12 winner of chef Gordon Ramsay’s hit reality show, Commings cooked his way through the competition to claim the $250,000 prize and head chef position at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill at Caesars Palace. As Commings began his new role, Las Vegas Magazine’s Kiko Miyasato checked in with Vegas’ newest chef.

What was your first reaction when you won?

I was in shock and awe. I couldn’t believe that chef chose me to win the season. It’s still unbelievable.

You were dubbed the “biggest comeback chef in the history of Hell’s Kitchen.” Explain that.

Chef always had a saying throughout every show: “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” I definitely had some rough times going through the first half of the season. I was up for elimination a lot. But I was able to pour it on in the end and build more confidence as the shows went on. So much of what you do in the kitchen is about your own confidence and what you bring to the table. I think that’s not just in the kitchen, either. If you’re a confident individual and you believe in yourself, it ends up showing, and you perform better in whatever you’re doing.

Did you ever imagine yourself running a restaurant in Las Vegas?

Las Vegas was never a goal of mine... I had never even been out here... But now that we’re out here among all the restaurants and incredible talent, it’s really an incredible experience.

Now that you’re head chef, what do you want guests to know about eating at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill?

We’re all about the Gordon Ramsay standards. Through the show you got to see his level of commitment and standards to food. That’s what his name represents, a standard. So I’m keeping those standards high, and details on every entrée, and that’s what we’re always going to continue to do.

What’s your go-to meal at home?

Normally we buy some type of seafood, shrimp or scallops. My kids are really great eaters right now. They love shrimp. We try to always have fresh vegetables and fresh fruits.

What kind of kitchen do you run?

It’s a team environment. There isn’t any individual. Everyone is working as hard as possible to create the dishes going out to patrons everyday. It’s all about working together as a team and building on that.