Kristen Kish Dishes On Filming The Second Season Of Fast Foodies - Exclusive
It's been a busy summer for Kristen Kish. Between running her popular Austin restaurant Arlo Grey and her recent wedding to wife Bianca Dusic, the "Top Chef: Seattle" winner found the time to film the second season of TruTV's "Fast Foodies." The breakout cooking competition show pits Kish against fellow "Top Chef" alums Jeremy Ford and Justin Sutherland who are tasked to recreate a signature fast food item and then reinvent it with a remix dish. Each episode is judged by a celebrity guest who bestows on the victor the show's coveted "Chompionship Trophy."
"I think some really crazy food is in store," Kish said during an exclusive interview with Mashed. "I think some even more weird remixed versions getting into our chef brains. I feel like there's more entertainment in what hopefully Season 2 is going to bring." She noted that production went more smoothly than Season 1 — no surprise for a show's sophomore effort — and the chefs benefited from being allotted time to prep before filming.
Though Kish is bound to secrecy when it comes to revealing which celebrities will be appearing on Season 2, she dropped a hint that the roster will be more eclectic this time around. "It's not just comics," she said. "There's other people that do different things, which is really kind of cool. So we broadened our horizons a little bit."
Reflecting on who her favorite guests were from the first season, Kish responded diplomatically, "I'm going to give you the cheesy answer of everyone, because everyone is different and they all bring a different perspective and personality and value to each episode." Eventually, she did single out "great friend" Joel McHale and comic Fortune Feimster who came armed with Panda Express orange chicken.
Kristen Kish's favorite fast food off-screen
When asked about her favorite fast food chain, Kish didn't hesitate to come up with an answer. "My favorite fast food always is Arby's," she said. "Chicken fingers and curly fries are by far the greatest fast food I think that is out there." While Kish also has plenty of love for the house of meats' signature sandwich, acknowledging, "I can get down with a beef and cheddar for sure on the onion roll," she made clear that poultry will always win out. "For me, it's just chicken fingers all day, every day, no matter what fast food place I go to," she said. "I always gravitate towards the fried chicken of some kind."
Generally, however, Kish tends to opt for the higher end of the chain spectrum. "If I'm on a road trip and I'm driving down the street and there's a McDonald's or Shake Shack, I'm going to go to Shake Shack," she explained. "If I'm driving down and there's a McDonald's and Cracker Barrel, I might go to the Cracker Barrel because it's a little bit more elevated."
But ultimately for Kish, it all comes down to the type of mood she's in and what's on her plate before making that all-important dining decision. "If I'm not prepared to feel wonderful then I will dive headfirst into a McDonald's, five breakfast sandwiches and three hash browns, and call it a day," she said. "But I'm going to need a nap afterwards. So I think it all really depends on the productivity of what has to happen after I eat."
Catch up on the first season of "Fast Foodies" currently streaming on TruTV.com. And for a taste of Kristen Kish's brilliant culinary creations, head to Arlo Grey at The LINE hotel in Austin.