When Korean-American chef Kristen Kish first appeared on the 10th season of Bravo's famous cooking show; best chefback in 2012, she was not only confident that she would be the winner of season 10; best chef Frequent Guest Judge in Summer 2023 best chef Since winning in 2012, Kish has also hosted and appeared on several different cooking shows, including one on Netflix. Iron Chef: In Search of Iron Legends.
Kish made her best chef Earlier this year, Season 21 was set to premiere in March 2024, marking his hosting debut. best chef To the contestants best chef The host was totally unpredictable. Kish also recently teamed up with Nutella for her biscuits, and we were lucky enough to sit down with Kish to discuss her career, must-have kitchen tools (which, we promise, aren't what you're expecting) ), my wife Bianca was able to talk about her summer plans with Dusic. And of course, the delicious Nutella biscuits.
Related article
The best online cooking classes for aspiring chefs of all levels
This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
SheKnows: Can you tell us a little about your journey from Top Chef winner to host? What was that experience like?
Kristen Kish: “When I look back and think about who I was 10 years ago to where I am now, I think that, as you know, taking on a new role means that I have to do a lot of things in my life to prepare for it. But I also don't think what I learned had anything to do with what I knew about food or how to talk about food or preparation. It was actually just a way to get comfortable in front of the camera. Tom: I think there are more similarities between being a contestant and being a host than you think. [Colicchio] He said, “Kristen, best chef We do this every day, giving feedback, talking to the restaurant team, filtering through the dishes, some great and some not so great. This is what you do. And I think once I realized that and settled into that idea, I thought, I don't need to be a host. best chef. I already am. I'm already there. I'm filming, so I just need to take her with me. ”
SK: As summer approaches and everyone wants to avoid the hot kitchen, what are some no-cook meals you recommend?
KK: “Seasons and crops and availability vary in every region of the country and world, but if you live on the East Coast, where there are four seasons, as the summer season deepens, corn, tomatoes, , peaches, stone fruits, and even peas and asparagus in the spring. You don't have to manipulate it to make it delicious. Spring and summer vegetables are delicious without cooking. There's a lot of stuff. I'm guilty of growing up in Michigan and being a kid peeling corn off the cob and eating it just by nibbling it off the cob. It's sweet. Maybe a quick boil with a little butter and a little salt would make it a little better. But anyway, you don't have to cook it if you don't want to. My wife and I used to live in New York City where we didn't have any outdoor space to cook, so once we moved and had a little more space and our own backyard, we definitely got a grill and a pizza oven. I got some of the benefits of outdoor cooking.
SK: Are there any food trends you like right now? Are there any you dislike?
KK: “You know, trends are a funny thing. They suddenly appear in front of our eyes, people consume them, literally and figuratively, and then everyone gets fed up with them, and we… Move on to the next thing. It's the instant gratification that everyone jumps into, but then it's overdone and I don't like them. I think that shapes creativity. They bring new ideas to the table. Sure, some are a little unpleasant, but they can excite others. So let's just say this trend is terrible. For me, if there's a trend to follow, it's really the right thing to do. When I say this, I might be talking about professional chefs, but it's just cooking. There's no need to try to make it trendy or something you don't want to be. Great food is great food, and that's all I need.”
Related article
The best online cooking classes for aspiring chefs of all levels
SK: Do you have any controversial food opinions?
KK: “There are things I don't like. I don't think it's controversial enough, but I'd like to share it with you. It might be an unpopular opinion, but I don't really like smoked salmon. I want to like it because it's good, but I can't. I love cooking lamb. I love cooking lamb, butchering it, and making dishes with lamb, but I don't think that's the taste I grew up with, and because of that, I don't really develop a taste for lamb. did.”
SK: What kitchen tool can you not live without?
KK: “So there's the clichéd answer: a great cutting board and well, well, well. I'm a big fan of the potato masher. I use it to mash things I make, like meat sauces, to get a finer texture. As you know, when you cook ground meat, it cooks and curdles a little bit. The masher is very efficient at creating a nice, fine texture.”
SK: What's the strangest ingredient you've found in your pantry?
KK: “Seasonings that have expired. Or rice that probably expired a year ago, but I also think, “It's okay because it hasn't expired.'' Unusual, I don't know if there's something unusual about the way I look at food. There is something exciting, but you won't find anything exotic, unusual or strange.
SK: What’s your go-to snack on the run?
KK: “Nutella biscuits. They disappeared quickly within days. Delicious. I love shortbread and anything with that shortbread cookie texture. We have a lot of sweets in our house. We have lots of sweets and chips from different countries because one of our favorite things to do is walk around to new places, new cities, or things nearby and discover new chips and sweet treats. Because it's about searching for.
SK: Do you and Bianca have any fun, exciting, or food plans for the summer?
KK: “Well, the 'Top Chef' movie is coming out in the summer, so there's going to be a lot of stuff like that. We're in our second year of having our own garden and planting our own crops, so we have tomatoes, zucchini, We have beans, peas, lettuce, carrots and potatoes, all of which we just planted and are looking forward to harvesting once the weather warms up.”
Before you go, check out our roundup of summer cocktails below.
