New Jersey lost one of its own recently, as Jessica Vogel, who appeared on season 12 of Hell’s Kitchen in 2014, passed away on July 30, according to NorthJersey.com. The woman who proudly proclaimed herself a “Jersey Girl” was battling colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, when she died. Her fiancé, John Michael Keyser, said that she was being treated for the disease at a hospital in southern New Jersey when “her heart gave out.” Sadly, John said that he and his fiancée were planning on opening a restaurant together. “My heart is breaking.”
Most will remember her from her appearance on Hell’s Kitchen, where she managed to impress Gordon Ramsay, 51, with her cooking – a feat that doesn’t happen often! It was her rosemary-crusted venison loin with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts that earned her high praise from the iconic chef. Venison is one of the most difficult proteins to cook and you absolutely nailed it,” he told Jessica, according to NJ.com.
Jessica attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales in Denver. When she was on the show in 2014, she was working at a creperie and bakery in California. She began her career working at Kevin’s Thyme in Ho-Ho-Kus. She would go on to work for chef Christine Nunn as a pastry chef at Grange in Westwood. From there, she would work at Nunn’s Ridgewood restaurant, Picnic on the Square. She was the executive chef of Black Rebel Burger in Hackensack from March 2016 to early last year, when the restaurant shut its doors. “She knew more about the Bergen County dining scene than just about anyone,” Nunn said. “She was really a talented chef who never reached her potential. It’s a shame.”
Prior to her death, Jessica reportedly posted on medium.com, indicating she may have been struggling with a drinking problem. ” …when my sister says start a blog, the narcissistic alcoholic in me thinks me and I. Perfect. I’m f****d up. Truly. Sure. I was on Hells kitchen with Chef Ramsay and Cutthroat Kitchen on Food Network. I went to culinary school in Denver, grew up at the Jersey shore was raised by Mormon nannies in a mansion, dated a coastie and had a stint of living near strippers in St. Pete, Fl”
“I’m weeks away from 34 years old and got told I drink too much and have cirrhosis. Did it stop me from pouring shots of alcohol? Nope. Did my lifestyle of sex, drugs and foie gras come to a born again Christian revelation? F**k that noise… I don’t know if you want an adventure tale, but I’m here and ready to tell. My name is Jess and I’ve lived to tell about it. To be continued… ” The post has since been deleted.