On the Season 16 premiere of Hell's Kitchen, Chef Gordon Ramsay welcomes the newest crop of hopefuls on the grounds of a U.S. Army training facility. The 18 aspiring chefs will have to demonstrate they have the discipline to succeed in Hell's Kitchen, before proving their culinary skills in the kitchen. Once Ramsay is confident they have a chance to survive, they are then split up into two teams – men (blue) vs. women (red) – and greeted by the Signature Dish Challenge! The winning team will enjoy a special dinner hosted by Ramsay at Takami Restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the losing team will be tasked with cleaning both kitchens and preparing the dining room for the season's first dinner service. Later, during the dinner service, and joined by VIP guests actor Nolan Gould and actress Erica Ash, one team will deliver a fantastic service that impresses Chef Ramsay.

With tensions running high in the house, the chefs must set aside their feelings and prepare for their next challenge. This week, Gordon greets the chefs with a surprising selection of meat as each team will need to prepare eight unique dishes using a selection of ostrich cuts. The rest of their ingredients will be selected as the contestants take turns breaking through giant ostrich eggs to collect as many ingredients as they can in just four minutes. Gordon has recruited special guest judges, David McMillan and Frederic Morin, the chefs/owners of Joe Beef, to help critique this week's challenge. The winning team will be jetted off to Big Bear for a zip lining excursion in the mountains. Meanwhile, the losing team has no choice but to face the tedious job of plucking pine nuts out of pinecones and cleaning the kitchen. Later during the dinner service, find out which chefs can't handle the pressure.