“I loved your city. Thank you for having us, and I hope we do you very, very proud.” That’s what “Top Chef” host Kristen Kish said to me as we sat down to talk all things Season 23, which filmed in Charlotte and right here in Greenville. At the orange carpet premiere on Monday, March 2, I was armed with your questions as I spoke with her and judges Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio.
Describe Greenville in three words:
Kristen: Active, lush, and Green
Gail: Naturally so beautiful — I loved the access to nature in Greenville. The parks, the bike trails, obviously the Swamp Rabbit Trail.
Tom: Great, small Southern City — I didn’t know what to expect, but I loved Greenville. I loved Swamp Rabbit Cafe, right there on the water. Places like that are really great.
What ingredient from this season has made its way into your kitchen?
Kristen: Scuppernongs — I found them when I came back from filming. They were in my local Whole Foods in New York, and I was like, “These are scuppernongs, and they’re from the Carolinas!”
Gail: I cook with way more sweet potatoes. NC is the biggest producer of sweet potatoes in America, so we spent a lot of time learning about different species of sweet potatoes, and now I just crave sweet potatoes all the time.
Tom: Carolina Reaper — at home I’d use it — but that’s not something I would ever put in one of my dishes, so that was fun to see. We did a whole challenge at the farm where hot peppers are bred. The chefs did a good job — they didn’t kill us.
What was the most memorable moment for you?
Kristen: I think every season, the most memorable moment is saying, “You are Top Chef,” to somebody.”
Gail: Riding the Charlotte Motor Speedway in a real NASCAR. It was a blur but I loved it.
What’s a dish you had while in Greenville that you wish I brought with me today to this interview?
Kristen: Oh, that Scout’s Doughnut. Scoundrel was great, they got a Michelin Star after we left — all of it was delicious.
Gail: I had a lot of good meals in Greenville, but I loved the breakfast pogacha at the Swamp Rabbit Cafe. It’s like a bread that’s stuffed with bacon, egg, and cheese, and it was so good.
What are you most excited for viewers to see?
Kristen: For the locals, I hope we do your cities and states very proud. I always find that even locals learn something about where they’re from. It’s always fun to hear from locals who say, “You introduced me to...”
If there were a Top Chef challenge based on The Traitors, what would that look like?
Kristen: It would have to be catered to Alan. I told him in Scotland, “You’ve done your show, time for you to do my show.” I would love for him to come on. It would be all vegan, because he’s vegan, and I think it would be a nice challenge.
