Top Chef’s Kristen Kish on What it Takes to Win Reality TV and Say Yes to the Unexpected

Top Chef’s Kristen Kish on What it Takes to Win Reality TV and Say Yes to the Unexpected

June 22, 2026 · 1h 20m

About this episode

Kristen Kish discusses her journey to becoming a Top Chef winner and the importance of embracing the unexpected.

Emmy nominated host of Top Chef and New York Times Bestselling Author Kristen Kish joins the show! Brad unpacks her journey from rural Michigan to becoming a Top Chef winner and host, the realities of running a kitchen, and her candid reflections on recovery, finding self-confidence, and learning to say "yes" to the things that scare you. Brad shares a fondness for pairing seafood with cheese. Kristen and Brad debate how to say sherbet. Kish's memoir is titled Accidentally on Purpose, available wherever books are sold! Want to be featured on Lay It On? Send a short voice memo sharing your name, where you’re from, and your question for Brad to layitonbradleone@gmail.com, and you might just hear it answered in the next episode! Submit Your Questions: https://forms.gle/pZgjBT3NGbTkKnMe6 Follow the pod: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/layitonbradleone YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bradleone Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3mA8KOsgpZMlWeByCxNom6?si=ae0c64f6fd624dc8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Brad Leone

Guest: Kristen Kish

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New York Times

Books & works: Accidentally on Purpose

Places: rural Michigan

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