“Top Chef” winner from Michigan, Kristen Kish, Joins New “Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend” Series on Netflix
If you've watched the new Iron Chef series on Netflix, you may recognize one of the new faces on the panel.
Chef Kristen Kish has made her rounds in the culinary television world, appearing as one of three featured chefs on TruTV's "Fast Foodies," co-hosting the pilot season of "36 Hours" on The Travel Channel, and maybe most famously, winning season 10 of Bravo's "Top Chef."
Well now, Kish is back on television, touting her culinary knowledge as a co-presenter, alongside Alton Brown and Chairman Mark Dacascos, in the new Netflix series "Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Chef."
Kish was born in Korea, but adopted by a family in Kentwood, Michigan at only four months old. For a time, she worked as a model in high school, but fell in love with cooking.
Kish attended culinary school in Chicago, became an instructor at a demonstration kitchen in Boston, and eventually Head Chef at her own restaurant, Arlo Grey, in Austin, Texas.
In an interview with NBC, she said her mentor was the one who put her name "in the hat" to appear on Top Chef, and initially, she said the idea of TV terrified her, as she was very shy and insecure as a younger person.
Clearly, she overcame that insecurity, and is now a renowned name in the culinary world. Kish recently said in an interview with ET, though, that while she now enjoys working in television, she would much rather host, than compete.
"I'm not cooking because I can't. My anxiety can't handle that anymore." - Kristen Kish
She got involved with the new Iron Chef series early on, but since she didn't want to compete, only two spots were left open - hosting, or judging. Then the call came, and she found out she was sharing the stage with the original host of "Iron Chef: America," Alton Brown.
On the topic of the new show, Kish said the new version doesn't alter what was so great about the original series.
"The original is iconic in its own way. You put it on Netflix, it just becomes bigger. It becomes grander... more bells and whistles... it doesn't get in the way of the original DNA of the show."
You can see Michigan Chef Kristen Kish as co-presenter of "Iron Chef: Quest for the Iron Legend" on Netflix now.