Kristen Kish: Restaurateur, Author, and Host of Top Chef

Kristen Kish is a chef, restaurateur, author, and host of the hit Bravo cooking competition show Top Chef. She briefly studied international business in college before dropping out to pursue culinary school. After finishing her training, she worked several jobs in the restaurant industry in Chicago and Boston. In 2012, Kish was cast in—and won—the 10th season of the legendary culinary competition show Top Chef. Since then, she has opened the Austin-based restaurant Arlo Grey, released a cookbook, and founded a line of aperitifs. She also returned to the world of TV, becoming the host of several food shows, including 36 Hours and Restaurants at the End of the World. In 2024, Kish rejoined Top Chef for its 21st season as the new permanent host of the program. The newest season, Top Chef: Destination Canada, premiered in March 2025. This April, she released a memoir, Accidentally on Purpose, a frank, insightful look at her life and career thus far.