As a contestant on Season 11 of Hell's Kitchen on FOX-TV, Amanda Giblin was given the opportunity to test her skills and knowledge eager to earn the respect of acclaimed Chef Gordon Ramsay.A New Jersey native, Amanda grew up in an Italian-Irish household and that meant surrounded by plenty of good food. Her Italian Grandfather taught her that food and cooking is the heart and soul of many great memories. As a young girl, Amanda could often be found in the kitchen at home with her mother helping with dinner or whipping up something of her own.At 16, Amanda was hired as an ice cream scooper at Friendly's restaurant near her hometown of Bayville, NJ. While still in high school, Amanda excelled in her Home Ec. classes where her teacher encouraged her to consider pursuing a career in culinary arts.Amanda attended Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. in 2001. It was here that she was classically trained but in 2003 was given an opportunity to work at Martell's Waters Edge in Bayville, NJ and was mentored by her Chef. He really took the time to help develop her skill and cooking style, allowing her to experiment and explore her palate with seasonal fresh local ingredients, transforming them into simple flavorful yet artistic dishes. After three years, Amanda set out to conquer such a male dominated field. Working in various restaurants she gained the trust and respect from her Chefs, allowing her to push her way up through the ranks.In 2008, at the young age of 25, Amanda was given the chance to prove herself when she became Executive Chef of a restaurant in Suffern, NY. It was here that Amanda really learned to push herself outside of her comfort zone and perfect the skill of being a leader.Amanda has also worked as a Personal Chef in Connecticut, Sous Chef in Manhattan, NY; Executive Chef in Poughkeepsie, NY (where she received her first 4 star review in the Poughkeepsie Journal in June of 2012).Aside from her love of food, Amanda also enjoys playing piano, photography, hiking, swimming, and traveling Show less «