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Who Is Kristen Kish? All About Top Chef's New Host and Judge for Season 21
The new host is a familiar face to longtime fans, but catch up on her life since she won Season 10.
When the news broke that Kristen Kish would be taking the reins as the series' host — and would join head judge Tom Colicchio and judge Gail Simmons at the table — in Season 21 of Top Chef, long-time fans of the show felt assured that the show was in good hands.
After all, the Season 10 winner has returned to show multiple times since then, serving as a guest judge and battling another series winner in the franchise's Duels series.
But as for who Kristin Kish is outside of the Top Chef universe, she's also hosted a number of other culinary shows, written a cookbook, opened her own restaurant in Texas, and (in a little personal news) gotten married since first gracing our screens in 2013.
The fully supersized Season 21 premieres Wednesday, March 20 on Bravo at 9/8c, with episodes available the next day on Peacock. In the meanwhile, let's get to know our new host and judge a little better.
Kristen Kish is the new host and judge of Top Chef Season 21 following Padma Lakshmi's departure
It was announced in July 2023 that Kristen would be the new host and judge of Top Chef for Season 21, following the departure of longtime host Padma Lakshmi.
“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,” Kristen said at the time. “I’m thrilled to sit alongside Gail and Tom as we get to know new incredible chefs and see what they cook up. It feels like coming home.”
As a former cheftestant herself, Kristen is uniquely positioned to relate to this season's slate of competitors.
In an interview with BravoTV.com, Gail summed it up as such: "There is something very valuable to having Kristen on our side of the table because she has so much empathy; she’s been there before."
Where is Kristen Kish from?
According to her BravoTV.com bio, Kristen was born in South Korea and adopted into a family in Kentwood, Michigan.
She grew up in Grand Rapids and was (and still is) very close to her family.
Kristen showed an affinity for cooking at a young age.
"I don’t know if it ever clicked when I like, the exact moment of when I knew I wanted to be a chef," Kristen revealed to BravoTV.com ahead of Season 21. "I knew that I’ve always loved food. So I feel like maybe I fell into being a professional chef a little bit."
She graduated from East Kentwood High School in 2002 and then attended Le Cordon Bleu College of the Culinary Arts in Chicago, according to her high school's educational foundation. She graduated in 2006 and went to work in the hospitality industry, honing her skills at several high-profile restaurants in Boston before opening her own place in Austin, Texas in 2018.
She also released her first cookbook, Kristen Kish Cooking: Recipes and Techniques, in 2017
Who is Kristen Kish's wife?
When asked by a Top Chef producer what her favorite place on earth was, Kristen replied: "Anywhere with my wife."
That special person would be Bianca Dusic, whose Instagram bio says she is a certified hypnotherapist and holistic health coach. The pair got engaged in 2019, and they tied the knot in an intimate backyard ceremony in April 2021.
What is Kristen Kish's restaurant, Arlo Grey?
Kristen opened her first restaurant, Arlo Grey at the Line Hotel, in 2018 in Austin, Texas.
The restaurant reflects her playful yet refined cuisine, pulling inspiration from her classical training as well as nostalgic dishes that highlight her upbringing and love of travel, her BravoTV.com bio notes.
Kristen Kish first appeared as a cheftestant on Top Chef Season 10
Kristen won both Top Chef and Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen in Season 10 (which aired in 2012 and 2013)
Kristen spoke with The Daily Dish in 2014 about how the victory changed her life and career.
"Anything that was normal is now not normal," she explained. "My old daily routine has completely gone away. But all for the better. I get to travel, which is what I love to do. Getting recognized is something I'd never thought would happen. I'm just a chef! All the things that come from being on television are things I never thought would have happened."
She later made appearances in Season 12, Season 18, and Season 19. She also appeared on an episode of Top Chef Duels in 2014.
Other TV Shows with Kristen Kish
Besides her appearances on Top Chef, Kristen co-hosted the foodie travel show 36 Hours with former pro soccer player Kyle Martino in 2015.
She appeared on the Bravo scripted series, Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce, in Season 5, Episode 2 ("Rule #149: Don't Eat the Yellow Snow") in 2018, playing herself.
In 2021, she was one of three co-hosts of the show Fast Foodies alongside fellow Top Chef alums Jeremy Ford (California, Season 13) and Justin Sutherland (Kentucky, Season 16). The show focused on learning the favorite dishes of celebrity guests and then making their own takes.
She was the host of 2022's Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend as well as the 2023 travel show Restaurants at the End of the World.
She also appeared on three episodes of The Best Thing I Ever Ate. She had also been a guest judge on Chopped, Chopped Junior, Guy's Grocery Games, Dishmantled, and Easy Bake Battle.
What is Kristen Kish's favorite food?
Though Kristen has undoubtedly tried (and prepared!) some of the most unique and interesting dishes, she has a soft spot for more humble fare. Her absolute favorite indulgence: "Fried chicken, French fries, ranch dressing, [and] mayonnaise." As for the dessert she can never get enough of, she craves "anything with [a] sponge cake, strawberries, and whipped cream."
Originally published Mar 15, 2024.
