Kristen Kish. Gilbert Flores/PictureGroup for National Geographic/Shutterstock
Top Chef has found its new host — former champion Kristen Kish — after Padma Lakshmi exited the series after 20 seasons.
“Top Chef is where I started my journey — first as a competing chef, then a guest judge and now as host, I have the honor of helping to continue to build this brand,” Kish, 39, said in a press release on Tuesday, July 11. “I’m thrilled to sit alongside Gail [Simmons] and Tom [Colicchio] as we get to know new incredible chefs and see what they cook up. It feels like coming home.”
Kish has come a long way since she got her start in the culinary world, keep reading for everything you need to know:
What Did Kristen Kish Do Before Becoming a Chef?
The South Korea native was adopted by her family in Michigan when she was 4 months old. Before finding her passion for cooking, Kish worked as a model while she was a teenager.
Where Did Kristen Kish Learn How to Cook?
Once Kish discovered her love of preparing food, she enrolled in Chicago’s Le Cordon Bleu and earned her A.A. in culinary arts. After gaining experience in the field, Kish became an instructor at a culinary demonstration kitchen called Stir in Boston. She later was promoted to chef de cuisine by Stir’s owner Barbara Lynch.
When Did Kristen Kish Compete on ‘Top Chef’?
While working at Stir, Kish decided to audition for the Bravo competition series in 2012 alongside her former classmate Stephanie Cmar for season 10. In the qualifying round, Kish created a signature soup that earned her a spot on the show.
She won four challenges but was eliminated in the 11th episode. However, she ended up coming back into the competition after earning five consecutive victories in the “Last Chance Kitchen.” Following her redemption, Kish found herself in the finale and beat out Brooke Williamson to be crowned the winner. Kish made history as the second female winner in Top Chef history.
Has Kristen Kish Hosted Any Other Shows?
After her appearance on the cooking show, Kish went on to host several other food-related shows, including Travel Channel’s 36 Hours, TruTV’s Fast Foodies, Netflix’s Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend and National Geographic’s Restaurants at the End of the World.
Is Kristen Kish Married?
In 2014, Kish publicly came out as a lesbian. In September 2019, she announced she was engaged to Bianca Dusic — who is VP of Food & Beverage for Standard Hotels. The couple tied the knot in April 2021.
