Kristen Kish is now a three-time Emmy nominee for hosting Top Chef, admitting to Gold Derby that the competition brings out her “very competitive” side.
While awards “don’t define the success of a show,” it’s hard for her not to get swept up in the excitement “once you get a little taste of it.” Kish says her ideal Emmy dish is nothing too fancy, as her wife made taco salad bowls to celebrate her latest nom. “I am thrilled that I’m not the one cooking tonight,” she laughs.
Looking ahead to Emmy night, Kish is excited to see Mariska Hargitay host the ceremony, calling herself a lifelong Law & Order: SVU fan. She can’t believe it’s been 15 years since a woman hosted TV’s biggest night, asking aloud: “What took them so long?”
Also in our interview, Kish reveals she hopes Top Chef will finally “rise above” rival show The Traitors, which behind-the-scenes crew member she thinks deserves Emmy recognition, and why she’s “beaming for the news to come out” about Season 24.
Gold Derby: Congratulations on your Emmy nomination! This is your third for hosting Top Chef. What’s going through your mind right now?
Kristen Kish: Honestly, the busiest text chain right now is me and a few members of my team trying to secure glam, because it’s such a rush to get the people you need for these very busy weekends. My assistant texted me and said, “I’m so sorry I didn’t even say congratulations yet.” And I was like, “Don’t worry, we have more important things to do,” which is styling and glam for two weekends. And obviously, my wife is not going high and dry, so we have to get [glam squads] for two people.
But no, it’s always exciting. I always say this: it’s not everything. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with it, because I hate that I put so much weight on it. It doesn’t define the success of a show. But my God, once you get a little taste of it, you want it so bad. I also think it’s because I’m very competitive.
I was going to say, you strike me as competitive by nature.
I think that’s what it is. So I’m so happy and excited, and of course I want to win. But honestly, the biggest stressful thing for me is the weeks leading up to it, where you’re just like, will we or won’t we? And because it’s happened consecutively so many years, you just want it to keep going. On top of all that, it’s an incredible show that has changed the landscape of how people eat and talk about food and food television over 23 seasons. It’s a hard show not to want to give credit to, because it impacts all of our lives.
How is nomination No. 3 different from nominations Nos. 1 and 2?
I don’t want to say it’s different. I think with each year, as we’ve kind of defined in the first two minutes of this interview, I am competitive, and every year I somehow get a little more gung-ho about the whole thing. It’s also different because I really enjoyed being on The Traitors and I respect their team immensely, and I respect Alan immensely. I love being in that company. And if we’re going to lose, the past couple of years we’ve lost to The Traitors, and I guess that’s a good group to lose to. But having been on this past season of The Traitors, it puts a little extra rev in my engine to want to see Top Chef rise above.
In your host category, there’s a brand-new nominee this year: Ariana Madix from Love Island. It’s exciting to see new blood.
Good on her! It’s a wildly popular show. I personally have yet to watch it. That being said, I have crossed paths and spent a little bit of time with her over the past year and a half, being in each other’s worlds. She is lovely, so I couldn’t be happier for her.
Top Chef got four nominations this year: series, host, casting, and directing. What are some categories you think were snubbed that maybe next year voters should pay attention to?
I’m not well versed on all of the categories. Is there a category for lighting? Because I gotta tell you, as we all know — ask anyone on television, or even just look at your iPhone and all the selfies you take — lighting is everything. Burke [Heffner, the cinematographer], who’s our lighting guru, has designed these incredible systems. I want to get this right, but I believe he designed his own kinds of light filters that you put on things. In the Top Chef kitchen, he made these things up to diffuse the light in the best possible way.
As we watch television, lighting and mood are directly correlated. And of course I appreciate Burke’s efforts because it makes us all look really good. Then you add food and shadows and outside locations and moving locations and weather — I mean, he’s a superstar on set. So I would love to see that recognized, and any and all categories Top Chef is eligible for.
The TV Academy announced that Mariska Hargitay is going to host this year’s Emmys. What are your thoughts on that?
I am so pumped. I have been watching SVU since I was a child. I don’t even know how many seasons it’s been on. She and I had a brief run-in — and she will never remember this, but I remember it — at the NBC Upfronts. We were backstage, and I was waiting my turn to do these pictures or whatever, and we crossed paths in this very narrow hall. I walked by her and my head kind of followed and tracked her and I go, “Oh my God, I’m a huge fan.” She goes, “You’re gorgeous. Who are you?” And I was like, “I think my life was just made.” She doesn’t need to know my name, but the fact that she spoke directly at me was pretty awesome.
I love that. She has this regal aura about her.
Yes, she does. I’m really excited. And did I read that she’s the first woman in 15 years? What took them so long? I ask that question in a lot of different ways for a lot of different things. So, I am thrilled to watch her do her thing on Emmy night.
If you were to create the perfect dish to celebrate your Emmy nomination, what would it be and why?
Honestly, anything, because I’m already anticipating being hungry at the actual awards. Usually we’re all starving. But tonight, because my parents are visiting and my wife was planning to cook anyway, she’s making taco salad bowls. So you know what? That’s what it is. And I am thrilled that I’m not the one cooking tonight, which just ended up being a coincidence.
Is there anything you can tease about Top Chef Season 24?
Oh my God, I’m so excited. I can’t say anything, Marcus. I really am not allowed. But when I tell you my excitement — I am beaming for the news to come out, because I am so excited. Full stop.
What message do you want to send to the fans who have supported you these past few years?
One, thank you. Television doesn’t work unless people watch it, and the amount of messages that I get from complete strangers who take time out of their day to write essays of appreciation — not just for me, but for our show and food and Top Chef and the chefs — it’s amazing.
I think I’ve probably said this to you 8,000 times, and to anyone else who will listen: Top Chef translates beyond TV once the episode ends. It continues the conversation about food and the importance of it, and it generates so many spotlights on incredible chefs who perhaps wouldn’t otherwise have had that chance. It celebrates their food and the work they put into it. Our communities and our cities don’t run without great restaurants. So I think it’s just: thank you for going to the restaurants and supporting the chefs, and also for watching our show.
Congrats again. Enjoy the taco salad bowls!
Thank you so much!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
