'Hell's Kitchen' finalist Rock Harper of Spotsylvania autographs an apron for a fan, Doreen Washington of Bowie, Md., during the finale party for the reality cooking show last night in Washington, D.C. Harper won the competition. ROBERT A. MARTIN/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Rock Harper of Spotsylvania is the center of attention last night after being named the winner of the 'Hell's Kitchen' cooking show. Harper joined family and friends at a finale viewing party at B. Smith's Restaurant in Washington. ROBERT A. MARTIN/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Spotsylvania chef wins Hell's Kitchen competition

By DAN TELVOCK

Date published: 8/14/2007

WASHINGTON--Rock Harper comes from a family of good cooks, so when he was a teenager and told his mother he wanted to be a chef, she wasn't surprised.

"As a single mother, if he wanted to eat, he was going to have to learn how to cook because I was working," said Harper's mother, Carole.

Harper, 30, of Spotsylvania County, went from cooking scrambled eggs and toast for his mother to winning the "Hell's Kitchen" reality television contest last night. He defeated Bonnie Muirhead, a 26-year-old nanny and personal chef in California.

For the top prize, he became the executive chef of the restaurant in Green Valley Ranch and Resort in Las Vegas. He signs a year contract with the resort for a salary of $250,000 and will start work no later than Sept. 10.

The shows were taped and Harper knew in February that he won. All 12 contestants promised to keep quiet until the final episode.

"Quarter of a million, baby!" he yelled to a crowd of 150 of his closest friends and family that gathered in a sweltering room at B. Smith's in Washington's Union Station. "We are going to Las Vegas!"

The third oldest of four siblings, Harper was born in San Diego and moved with his mother to Tappahannock when he was 8 months old. He would later attend T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, where he met his mentor, Chef John Dorney. Harper got his first real flavor of cooking when he took home economics. It wasn't long after that when he told his mother he was going to become a chef.

"He was real instrumental in everything I did," Harper said of Dorney.

Carole Harper said her son always had the drive and determination that millions of people saw on television every Monday for last three months. "You kind of know your son is serious when he decides to take home ec," Carole Harper said. "It was just a progression after that."

A father of two young children, Harper moved to Spotsylvania County two years ago. He commutes on Interstate 95 to B. Smith's almost every day. He said he's excited to move from Spotsylvania County to the City of Sin.

"I'm ready," he said. "I don't think people understand how hard I'm going to [work] Vegas. I'm going to be the baddest Italian chef in Nevada. I'm going to be the only black Italian chef."

Harper said that during the show when the final cooking service was finished, he wasn't positive he won it. On the show, Harper turns to Muirhead and told her: "I think you won."

He said he wasn't playing head games with her.

"It was very emotional," he said. "I really thought I could have lost to Bonnie. She was very strong."

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Date published: 8/14/2007

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