Kristen Kish, Host of ‘Top Chef’, Discusses Her First Emmys Nomination
Top Chef host Kristen Kish has a collection of black tattoos on her arms to commemorate special occasions in her life.
Even if she doesn’t win, her 2024 Emmys nomination for best reality TV host deserves some ink, according to Kish. She expressed her excitement to The Hollywood Reporter, stating, “100 percent. Even just the (Emmy) nomination as a first-time host of Top Chef, my first nomination and the first in my entire life and my entire career, I will mark it regardless if I win or not. Because already this is one of those life moments for me. That is 1000 percent worth remembering forever.”
The Emmy nomination holds special significance for Kish as she took over from Padma Lakshmi as the first new host of Top Chef in 19 seasons, with her debut season featuring significant format changes. Kish mentioned, “I can’t take responsibility or credit for being the mastermind behind the (new) formatting of the show.”
However, her Emmy nomination may indicate that the changes were successful. Kish shared with THR, “Being a visible portion of the change of Top Chef and where it went from over 20 seasons to me, I was nervous. But what it’s taught me is change is embraced, and change can be really exciting.”
Kish, a seasoned restaurant chef turned TV host, emphasized that her career in television was unexpected. She admitted, “For me, what’s the most shocking is I’m a chef that happened to go on TV, that just happened to be offered fantastic television opportunities. So I don’t know if I’ve fully caught up with this idea of television as a career.”
Distracting herself with exercise, Kish’s cellphone buzzed with texts on Wednesday morning, revealing her Emmy nomination. She described the moment as a whirlwind of emotions.
As Kish prepares to attend the Emmys alongside other nominees, she exudes confidence in her competitive spirit. She reflected on her previous experience on Top Chef and shared that her time on the show taught her that she was already good enough.
Approaching the Emmys competition with a sense of calm, Kish expressed her gratitude for the nomination and her readiness for whatever outcome may await. She is focused on enjoying the experience and trusts in fate.