Top Chef has been a go-to show for many culinary cooking show fans, having been on television for almost two decades now. While Padma Lakshmi was the face of the show since the beginning, after her departure, Kristen Kish took over the hosting duties. And it’s safe to say that this decision was widely celebrated by fans.
As a former winner of the show and the show’s first LGBTQ+ host, she represented a progressive shift. But while Top Chef has always prided itself on fostering diversity in the kitchen, Season 21’s handling of a disabled contestant has raised quite a lot of questions.
These are about whether the show’s commitment to inclusivity is genuine or merely performative. Let’s dive deeper to understand more about the issue at hand.
Fan detailed why Top Chef should rethink how it supports disabled chefs
Top Chef received a lot of praise when it brought Kristen Kish as the new host after Padma Lakshmi’s departure. Along with her cooking and culinary skills, she was not only a past winner of the show but also the first queer woman of color host of Top Chef.
But now, fans are questioning every element of inclusivity and whether the competition is truly fair for everyone, especially for chefs with disabilities. The issue gained major momentum in Season 21 with contestant Dan, who had Kenny’s disease (a chronic illness that makes physical tasks more difficult).
Throughout the season, he had to push his body to its limits in ways that other contestants didn’t. While all chefs on Top Chef face tough challenges, Dan had to work even harder just so he could keep up. He proved his talents and resilience every week, but the question remained: should he really have to go through extra struggles just to compete fairly?
The same was posted by a fan on Reddit:
Top Chef has a Big problem that no one seems to address
byu/hellotheredess inBravoTopChef
This problem wasn’t new, as another participant, Savannah, also had to complete the show with an injury that required serious medical attention. So, despite clearly being in pain, she wasn’t given any proper accommodations. Instead, fellow participant Danny saw her struggling and stepped in to help.
Fans have also pointed out that the show has provided accommodations in the past. When the show had a deaf contestant, they were even given an interpreter so that communication wouldn’t become a barrier. But when it came to chefs with physical disabilities, no similar support was given.
After coming across the post, one fan also summed up his thoughts.
Comment
byu/hellotheredess from discussion
inBravoTopChef
If the show really wants to be inclusive, it should focus more on cooking and less on who can physically endure the most. While this approach might work for a show like Survivor, Top Chef is a cooking competition, and the best chef should be based on food and not their ability to push through the pain.
When did Kristen Kish come out?
After winning Top Chef herself in Season 10, Kristen Kish became a force to be reckoned with in the cooking industry. However, apart from her professional endeavors, fans have also been quite interested in her personal life, especially her decision to come out publicly.
After she won the title in 2013, just a year later, she became Instagram official with her then-girlfriend, Jacqueline Westbrook. She was an assistant to the editor-in-chief of Food & Wine Magazine, and through a now-deleted Instagram post via Huff Post, Kish posted a heartfelt message.
This declaration marked the moment when Kish openly acknowledged her identity. During this time she was also riding high on her Top Chef success and became the first person to return from Last Chance Kitchen and go on to win the show. She’s also the second woman in history to win the show.
Though her relationship with Westbrook eventually came to an end, she later found love again with Bianca Dusic, a hospitality professional. The duo got engaged in 2019 and married two years later in 2021.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
