The Untold Truth Of Kristen Kish

Kristen Kish rose to fame during her tenure on the popular Bravo network cooking competition, "Top Chef." Kish competed in the series' 10th season, which premiered in 2012 and concluded in 2013. The journey to the finale was not easy, though. Kish was very nearly eliminated from the show entirely in its "Restaurant Wars" week, as per Eater. After the team Kish had captained lost shortly thereafter, she took the heat and got out of the kitchen. The elimination shocked and somewhat angered fans, but all was not lost.

Kish fought her way through the show's web series, "Last Chance Kitchen," where eliminated contestants faced each other one on one in a weekly showdown. The loser was eliminated from the competition and the series winner returned to the show for the finale. Kish cooked her way through the competition and so earned her place in the finale, where she swept the floor with the competition, winning three of the four finale rounds (via Los Angeles Times). The win garnered Kish multiple magazine features and a grand prize of $125,000. The win also marked Kish as the first woman of color to win "Top Chef," according to Yahoo.

Kristen Kish did not immediately jump back into the restaurant world after winning "Top Chef." She initially worked for chef Barbara Lynch, honing her skills at Lynch's establishments, as per the New York Times. It was Lynch who encouraged Kish to apply for "Top Chef." 

After winning, Kish took a break from restaurant work altogether. Kish told Cherry Bombe that there was fear that if she opened her restaurant immediately, people would only come because of the competition. Plus, she was so busy during those first few years post-Top Chef that it was not the right time.

Finally, after receiving an offer from the LINE Hotel in Austin, Kish packed her bags and opened Arlo Grey. Kish describes the restaurant as a "love letter to myself" (via Cherry Bombe). For Kish, this move was a way for her to reintroduce herself to the restaurant world and share her love of cooking with others. The name Arlo Grey, Kish revealed, is what she would have named her first child.

Breaking into the culinary world, so often dominated by men, is not always easy for women. Such a task can be even harder for women of color.

Early in her career, Kish worked for a number of high-profile restaurants, all of which were led by men (via TODAY). Such a state of affairs is all too common as, according to Zippia, 74.8% of chefs in the United States are male. It wasn't until Kish began working for chef and author Barbara Lynch that she first found what working for other women in the culinary world could be like. Lynch, who has faced her own struggles with being the only woman in the kitchen, as per the New York Times, was Kish's mentor. Lynch helped Kish find her place in the industry, both in and out of the restaurant world.

Mindful of her past, Kish continues to fight for equality in the food world. To that end, she was included as part of a Hulu and KitchenAid short documentary, "A Woman's Place," which highlights the adversity female chefs often face in the male-dominated industry.

Kristen Kish has always taken opportunities to express her love for her family. She has talked about her supportive parents and the love she felt growing up to great length, but there is one person in particular with whom Kish is close: her older brother, Jon.

In an Instagram post, Kish reminisced about childhood nicknames granted to the two siblings, with hers being "doll face" and his the less cutesy "pumpkin head." Yet, Kish playfully joked that Jon had the better nickname. She also recalled a four-day hiking trip the two took together to the Rocky Mountains. Of course, four days of hiking with anyone would be a difficult test, not least of which because Kish had to filter her own water and eat freeze-dried foods, a significant shift from her food-centric life. Yet, Kish has nothing but good things to say about the time with her brother and credits him for making the trip enjoyable.

Kish has had a wide and varied career path. Among her many accomplishments is that of being an author. Kish's first book, "Kristen Kish Cooking: Recipes and Techniques," was published in 2017. Celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern raved about the book calling it "nothing short of superb." Meanwhile, chef David Chang was likewise effusive in his praise for both Kish and her book, calling her "one of the most talented chefs around" in his blurb for the cookbook.

In 2021, Kish and co-author Tomishia Booker penned "It's All in the Sauce: Bringing Your Uniqueness to the Table." Using the format of a boy's journal with recipes, it encourages children to work through thought exercises and be themselves. Young narrator Arlo invites his readers along on the journey of self-discovery and acceptance. 

A portion of the net proceeds from the book's sales are donated to What's in the Mirror, an organization focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention in communities of color.

Kish is incredibly excited to join "Iron Chef: Quest for the Iron Legend." Kish, already a fan of the series, now gets to co-host it in its new iteration along with Alton Brown. Brown left the Food Network after 20 years to join Kish as co-host of the show. In an exclusive interview with Mashed, Kish revealed that she and Brown worked together well. "I get to hang out with a great guy and have awesome conversations. If that's my job, then it's pretty awesome."

For those disappointed that Kish is not competing, don't worry. On Instagram, Kish noted that she's glad to step out of a cooking role and highlight the skills and abilities of others. Similarly, as she told Mashed, since she has experience being on the other side of the kitchen, Kish knows how hard it can be and so was excited to help challengers.

Just because you are a famous chef known for your high-end cuisine does not mean you can't enjoy fast food once in a while. As Kish revealed, no matter how classy you are, you don't have to pass on some fast food classics.

For Kish, it's all about the chicken nuggets. Speaking with Mashed, she said, "it's just chicken fingers all day, every day, no matter what fast food place I go to, I always gravitate towards the fried chicken of some kind." This love is not wholly surprising, as Kish has referred to her diet as "crispy and fried" in an interview with Cherry Bombe. Kish is not above ordering chicken tenders at a restaurant either, though she admits to feeling a bit bad ordering from the children's menu.

As chicken tenders go, though, her favorite place to order is none other than Arby's. When asked if we would be seeing her favorites on the series Fast Foodies, the chef admitted that, "Arby's seasoned curly fries are everything to me. There's no way in hell I can make that better."

Kristen Kish is an incredibly busy woman. With her TV appearances, books, and a whole restaurant to run, she does not have the luxury of an involved skin care regime. In an interview with Allure, Kish revealed her very simple skincare routine. Surprisingly, she bases it all on a bar of Dove soap, using it on her face, body, and occasionally even her hair. Kish admits that she recently upped her skincare regime slightly by adding a pH-balanced soap for her face.

Kish then applies an unnamed lotion from a two-ounce bottle that costs $45. Kish says this too was an upgrade, as she used to use a cheap tub of lotion from the CVS. Kish confesses she regularly only moisturizes and does not add make-up, as it is not uncommon for the heat of the kitchen to cause makeup to run. Kish notes that, when she is on camera, she will put on some eyeshadow and mascara. That's it for this celebrity chef!