KINDNESS MATTERS | CHEF KRISTEN KISH

We have been fans of the Bravo’s Top Chef universe since day 1 and it comes down to a number of factors including: telling a story on a plate, the chefs actual stories, and in many cases even visting their restaurants. It has grown into a network of alums that we enjoy seeing again and again whether they’re on TV, doing a phenomenal project or popping in to eat their latest creation.

Avid readers and the Athleisure Mag community know that we have interviewed S10 Top Chef winner, Chef Kristen Kish a number of times whether it’s a fun partnership/collaboration, various shows she has been a part of or for our MAR ISSUE #99 cover story with her alongside Chef Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons of Top Chef when she took the reigns as host of Top Chef starting S21. She loves the journey of food and the chefs that are involved, she’s always asking questions, and gives words of wisdom that can really be applicable to whatever it is you do in life!

This month, we catch up with her to talk about the upcoming season of Top Chef, S23 in the Carolinas, joining the cast of Peacock’s S4 of Traitors, why being kind matters and her partnership with KIND for the CHOOSE KIND campaign, holiday dishes, gifting, and more!

CHEF KRISTIN KISH: Hello! It’s so nice to see you again!

ATHLEISURE MAG: It’s so nice to see you again! Well, we’re always so excited anytime we get the chance to chat with you, because you’re always doing amazing things. The last time we saw you, that’s when you were our cover for Athleisure Mag right before you hosted your first season of Top Chef which was phenomenal! Now, you have so many things going on, so it will be great to chat with you.

CHEF KK: Likewise, thanks!

AM: So, looking forward to S23 of Top Chef, you’re going to be be in the Carolinas which is amazing – what has it been like for you to be on Top Chef as the host?

CHEF KK: I mean, it’s like, the greatest job. I have very little complaints. I think that the only the only thing that was the most challenging this past season was, you know, the Carolina humidity, which we were certainly prepared for. But other than that, I mean, I, I love making Top Chef. I love spending time with all the chefs that we have coming in to dine with us. It’s a really great quick 2-month crash course in a location, introducing you to new people, and then also hearing from so many people amongst the industry or even not! But just like how other people think and talk about food, I think it’s just - it’s incredible!

AM: Amazing. We know you can’t talk too much about the upcoming season, but what can you share with us that we should be looking forward to?

CHEF KK: I mean, come on – every season is just the best. It’s great chefs, it’s great food, and honest feedback. And you know, I think one of my favorite things to do is - I mean, I love watching the show, but because we don’t get to see the chefs thought process.

AM: Right!

CHEF KK: You know all those interviews, and in the kitchen scenes, we don’t see any of that.

AM: Yeah.

CHEF KK: The only time we see them is when they’re in front of us, and so I always get really excited, and I look forward to getting the whole story and the whole picture.

AM: You’re like, wait, that’s what happened.

CHEF KK: Yeah, I’ve tasted the food, but I don’t know sometimes how they’ve fully arrived.

AM: We also love the companion series Dish with Kish. The format is really interesting how elements of the challenge from the episode as well as working with Top Chef alums in each episode are presented in the series! We just interviewed, Chef Gregory Gourdet (Top Chef S12 Runner-up, S17 Finalist) last month, during the Food Network NYC Wine Food Festival. He was so kind and sweet. We’ve never been able to talk to him before, but it’s always fun to watch him with you on this companion series as you guys have great chemistry together!

As soon as we finish the night’s episode on Bravo, we go to Peacock and start off with Last Chance Kitchen with Chef Tom Colicchio to see how eliminated players fight there way back to get on the show and then we end it by savoring Dish with Kish!

Why do you love having this companion series?

CHEF KK: You know, I think it, it’s just - it’s obviously Top Chef related, where we’re pulling inspiration from that challenge. You know, we’re getting to see some of your favorite Top Chef alums in the kitchen again, cooking. You know, it’s no rules. As you see, the entire set is fair game. It is as if you were in the kitchen with me, albeit I’m in full glam, which I normally wouldn’t be.

AM: The looks you rock in those episodes as well as in the flagship show are always amazing every time – you don’t miss.

CHEF KK: Thank you.

But it’s like, it’s like a fly on the wall moment.

AM: Yeah.

CHEF KK: You get to see real interactions and the time that is spent with sometimes Top Chef alums that I have known for many years, like Gregory, and who we are deeply like, wonderful friends or me being introduced to a new Top Chef alum that I know very little about because I just haven’t had the time to interact. So, I mean, it’s just it’s fun. It’s 11 - 15 minutes of whatever. It’s my kind of TV.

AM: Love it!

You mentioned that shooting this competition series takes place over a 2 month period. How do you take on a show like that in terms of preparation? Clearly, you’re immersed in this environment, but how do you get your mind ready for it before you step into that abyss?

CHEF KK: You know, I think it’s a great abyss to be in. So, like, you know, there’s not a lot of like pumping myself up. I think the the first year that I was hosting, I had definitely more like internal personal work to work on.

AM: Yeah.

CHEF KK: Because I was really wrapping my brain around the pressure that I was putting on myself.

AM: Of course.

CHEF KK: But come Canada and now, obviously, the Carolinas like, you know, I go in a couple days before it. I like to go see the set. I like to get my bearings. I like to unpack and like organize space, equals organize mind. For me, really, the preparation is oftentimes the morning of, so whatever call time, my time is, I need my quiet, introverted recharge battery time. So, I wake up 1 hour and 40 minutes to 2 hours before, no matter what. Even if it’s crazy early, I will still need my time for my quiet and my coffee. It’s a daily practice keeping my mind ready and sharp for every single day.

AM: You’re joining the cast of the Traitors. We love this show, whether it is the US, UK, Australian, or New Zealand editions! And literally, we’ve watched various times for the US portion of the franchise, and thought, “what would it be like to have Alan Cumming (GoldenEye, The Good Wife, X-Men franchise) and Kristen together – we need these interactions”. So when it was announced that you would be doing this, we are ready. So, why did you want to join this show?

CHEF KK: You know, there was a lot of reasons going into it. I think that, for me, cooking competitions are something that I would dabble back into if it were for charity, or fun – but something that is less pressure. But like competition, I kind of hung up my hat on that one. This one is so outlandish, unrealistic in terms of the theme. honestly. We’re all running around the Highlands of Scotland trying to murder banished people!

AM: I know right?

CHEF KK: It’s insane!

AM: And some of those challenges, like the whole bug thing – yikes, so much anxiety for you.

CHEF KK: It’s silly.

AM: Yeah.

CHEF KK: So I felt like that lent itself to just like fully immersing yourself into fun. That was one reason. Another reason is, I’m always trying to find new ways to push my introverted self to get out there and do more, especially if you know it’s like even loosely tied to promoting my show.

AM: Oh yeah!

CHEF KK: So I mean, I’d be lying if I said I went on there not doing that. And then, also, they keep beating us in the Emmys, and Alan keeps beating me in the host category, so I was, like, if you can’t beat ‘em -

AM: You might as well join them. We can’t wait to see that!

KIND has been a brand that we have enjoyed eating. It’s healthy, a great mix of ingredients, and it’s fun. How did you come to this brand, and why did you want to partner with them?

CHEF KK: You know, they came to me, and I think the beauty of something like, KIND, is obviously I’ve had many KIND bars. I know exactly the brand. So when someone or a brand comes to me and says, well, obviously, it’s in the name, right, like World Kindness Day - let’s see what can we do, how can we shine a light on it, and how can we give back? That already, is check, check?

AM: Yes.

CHEF KK: It’s a yes, yes, and yes. I think it’s our duty if we are able to give and shine a light on things or have a platform in order to celebrate something, someone or an organization that deserves it, it’s an automatic yes. You know, I think it happened so organically because I was already going to New Orleans for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, donating my time to cook at the reception there, and so, what better way to amplify all parties than to really like join forces in a way and give back in an even greater way. So, you know, It just it all made sense. It’s an incredible organization. With KIND, we’re able to give $25,000 to the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, 10,000 bars to YEP (Youth Empowerment Project), like, wow, it was a win-win for everybody.

AM: Will there be other things in this partnership as well, or was it just this with the Emeril Lagasse Foundation?

CHEF KK: The good thing about the Emeril Lagasse Foundation and KIND and myself donating $25,000 is that Emeril Lagasse Foundation supports programs like, YEP, but also everything else. So, they’ve already done a lot of the legwork. So if we can give back to them, they’re then giving back to x amount of organizations.

AM: It’s always great to be kind and to do kind things and how much more important is it during the holiday season to do so?

CHEF KK: Well, I think it’s 100%. Like, definitely, during the holidays to give back to those who might need more, whether that be food, money, time, or you know anything. We’re all capable of giving back in some form. Even if it’s just a smile and kindness throughout the day. You know, I think, on top of that given our climate, it’s not just the holidays.

AM: Yeah.

CHEF KK: It’s an everyday thing. And you know, many hands makes light work. I think that if we can all focus on impacting what we are capable of doing financially or time-wise, or whatever? All those little ripples do make a huge difference. For me, I sometimes get overwhelmed with the the amount that has to be fixed and course corrected, but the beauty of kindness is that you can give it for free.

AM: So true!

We always love chatting with you about different foods. We are in the holiday season. So, what are three dishes that you’re loving to make during this holiday season?

CHEF KK: Oof man!

AM: I know! But you’re always sharing things that we store away to make or to order when we’re out and about!

CHEF KK: We have entered baking season. My wife is Australian as you know. She had never gone apple picking. So, this past Fall, we went apple picking! That was awesome. I was like, how do you not know about this?

AM: I mean – it’s the perfect Fall thing to do and is just part of the checklist for the season – come on! right?

CHEF KK: I mean it’s a lovely tradition! You pick too many apples, you don’t know what to do with them. So, like anything like that, it adds so much like warmth and sense to the house. I love it so much.

AM: Yup!

CHEF KK: The warm spices! My wife is totally into baking from Gregory’s cookbook (Everyone’s Table: Global Recipes For Modern Health) recently, which is fabulous. I mean, honestly, for me, especially being East Coast based - you know, winter is cold. Anything that gets you to hunker down, get a fireplace going, warm meal, and people that you love gathered around the table. I think that there’s nothing better and then the food is almost a secondary to the feeling that it can bring.

AM: You’re always having your hands in a number of pots. We’ve talked about a number of things are coming up, but are there any other projects that we need to know about to share with our community?

CHEF KK: You know, not anything new that I can speak about at the moment. Obviously, January 8th Traitors, Top Chef - Spring of 2026.

AM: Which is exciting.

CHEF KK: And then, you know, great holiday gifts. Kish Aperitif and my New York Times Best-Selling, memoir, Accidently on Purpose.

AM: Love Kish Aperitif, a must for the bar cart.

CHEF KK: Thank you so much! We have a new label, looks a little bit different. I’m just, I’m really, really, really proud of that product. I think it’s delicious.

AM: As always, we appreciate you taking the time. It’s so good to connect and it’s always awesome to see how you authentically navigate with things that we know as well as new things that you do! We can’t wait for Traitors and will be cheering for you. And of course, when Top Chef drops can’t wait to see how everything unfolds!

CHEF KK: My pleasure! I’m sure we’ll be speaking again very soon.

IG @kristenlkish

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | PG 59 + 60X KIND | PG 63 Sam McElwee/Peacock | PG 64 David Moir/Bravo |

Read the NOV ISSUE #119 of Athleisure Mag and see KINDNESS MATTERS | Chef Kristen Kish in mag.

CHEF'S PLAYBOOK | CHEF TOM COLICCHIO

We've enjoyed eating at Tom Colicchio's restaurants in NY as well as hearing his wisdom as the Executive Producer, host and judge of BRAVO's Top Chef. Our favorite episodes are when he creates a dish to share with the chefs. Right before the Big Game, we took some time to talk about how you can prepare your dishes, how we can include sustainable brands within our menu and getting the scoop on Season 20 of Top Chef: World All-Stars that premiers on Mar 9th!

ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we get into the Big Game and all of the good food that we’re going to talk about. When did you realize that you wanted to be a chef?

CHEF TOM COLICCHIO: Oh, when I was about 15, I always cooked at home and my dad suggested that I become a chef. Actually, if you look in my yearbook, circa 1980, on the bottom of my photo, it says, “plan to be a chef.”

AM: Love that!

Clearly we’re all excited for the Big Game coming up on Sunday. It’s all about people coming together and the foods that we’re all going to eat. What are you excited about when it comes to watching the game and who are you cheering for?

CHEF TC: I’m an NFC guy so I guess I’m cheering for the Eagles. Also, the owner of the Eagles, Jeffrey Lurie, did us a great favor, he and his ex-wife at the time, they were our first investors in a film that my wife made about hunger in America, so I have a soft spot for the Lurie family.

AM: Noted!

CHEF TC: Yeah, we’re just going to enjoy the day with kids, some family and maybe some friends will pop by. We keep it pretty simple around our house and you know, it's the typical stuff that you would want to find around game day – nachos. There is this little steak dish that I do that’s almost like a salad and of course, there's wings. They're a favorite in my household almost every night and not just reserved for game day.

AM: Same!

CHEF TC: This particular recipe has a barbecue sauce that’s a little bit different which has sour cherries. So there is some garlic and some ginger, there’s onion, serrano chilies for some spice, lime juice and a little bit of vinegar for some acid and then the sour cherries provide a little bit of sweetness. Since it’s sour cherries, there’s a little bit of tartness as well. So it’s really well balanced.

More importantly, is the chicken that we’re actually using. This is a new company called, Do Good Chicken and it’s in your market, you can find it. What we do is that we take food from supermarkets that would normally go in the garbage and end up in a landfill and create methane, which then creates greenhouse gases and hurts our environment, we take all that surplus food on a massive scale, process it and turn it into an odorless, flavorless powder that we then turn into pellets and in turn, feed our chickens. We give them to our growers who are growing our chickens for us. So you can actually help save the environment by simply just buying a different chicken. So when you’re in the supermarket, you have a lot of different choices that you can make in chickens. You can just buy Do Good Chicken knowing that you can help the environment. So people, I think that they want to be able to do things whether they’re buying electric cars or maybe something else. But this is very simple, buy a different chicken! You can help save the environment! In fact, every chicken that you purchase from Do Good Chicken, takes about 4 pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere.

AM: Oh wow!

So obviously, you just shared with us this chicken recipe that looks amazing. What tips do you have for people that are entertaining their friends or family for the Big Game and how they can make it easy for them and enjoyable as well.

CHEF TC: Yeah, you have to start a couple of days in advance. Make sure that your shopping is done by Thursday. Make sure that your prep, you’ve started on Sat at least! Don’t wait until Sunday morning where you’re running around. Get all of that chopping out of the way. So if you’re doing this sauce, you can make it on Thursday or on Friday – it’s going to hold. Get your chicken wings. This is really important when you’re making chicken, you want it to be really really dry. So buy it a couple of days in advance, take it out of the package, keep it open, do not cover it in your refrigerator so it dries out. That’s how you get crispy crispy chicken. So that’s really important. But anything that you’re chopping, if you’re making salsas and things like that, just do it ahead of time. You don’t have to wait until the last second. Typically, when I’m cooking, if I’m making a dinner party at home, I want to get all of the chopping, the cutting and the prepping out of the way early. When I’m cooking, I’m not using a knife anymore, I’m just cooking and you can really just focus on that. Also, you want to keep this really simple because you want to spend time with your friends. The worst thing that you can do is have a bunch of people at your house and you’re stuck in the kitchen the entire time. You want to get out there and to enjoy the game as well.

AM: We couldn’t agree more and those are great tips! It’s kind of like Thanksgiving – prepping in advance!

CHEF TC: Absolutely! You’ve got to prep in advance and sometimes, a couple of days in advance! I think the other thing is that too often, I don’t think that we think about what we’re doing ahead of time. By now you should have your plays written out, you should know what your moves are going to be. You don’t want to call an audible the day of!

AM: Well, we’re sure that you have an awesome playbook coach!

CHEF TC: Haha you’ve got to read the defense too!

AM: Without a doubt!

We’re so excited for Top Chef to come out next month! It’s always exciting and we love when we get to talk to people that have been part of that universe. We’ve talked with Gail Simmons, Chef Justin Sutherland, Chef Kristen Kish and other people that have been cheftestants and Chef Nyesha Arrington is our cover for the JAN ISSUE #85.

CHEF TC: Oh yeah, she’s great!

AM: We love her to pieces!

So what can we expect for the All Stars, next month in London?

CHEF TC: Well, what’s really cool about this one is that it’s International All Stars. So, there are Top Chef productions all over the globe and so we’re taking the best over those regions – either winners or runners ups and bringing them all together. So we have contestants from Poland, Germany, Thailand, France, Brazil, Mexico, Canada and of course, the United States. It’s a great competition, it was a lot of fun shooting in London and it’s going to be fantastic!

AM: We’re definitely looking forward to that! Are there any other things that we should keep an eye out for because you’re always doing so many positive things and using your platform to let people know what you think about the state of things.

CHEF TC: Yes, I will continue to work on things for issues that revolve around hunger. There is the Farm Bill which is where all the hunger policies are contained. That’s happening and every 5 years, it’s debated so that’s coming up and I’m focusing on that and I am working on a new restaurant in Washington, D.C. that will hopefully open around Nov.

AM: That’s exciting, I always love when I go by Craft as we’re based here in NY. It’s amazing to be able to connect with you and to see what you’re doing and to watch Top Chef as well as to try out this chicken recipe.

SOUR CHERRY BBQ WINGS

• 4 lbs Do Good Chicken Party Wings

• 2 tablespoons salted butter

• ½ yellow onion, finely chopped

• 1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed

• ¾ cup sour cherry preserves

• 1/3 cup lime juice about 2 limes

• 1 lime, zested

• 1 tablespoon ketchup

• Salt and Pepper

• Flavorless oil, such as avocado or vegetable

Preheat the over to 450F and Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, toss the chicken wings in 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the wings to the baking sheets skin side up and bake for 45 minutes, until cooked through and crisp.

While the wings are baking, make your BBQ sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add half of the minced serrano pepper and smashed garlic and cook for 1 minute, until softened and garlic is fragrant.

Add the onion and pepper mixture to a blender along with the sour cherry preserves, lime juice, and ketchup. Blend until smooth.

Return the cherry BBQ sauce back and to the pan and stir in the remaining serrano pepper. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the BBQ sauce to a bowl.

Remove the wings from the oven when finishing baking and add them to a large bowl. Toss with one third of the cherry BBQ sauce.

Return the tossed wings back to the baking sheet and bake for an additional 5 minutes until sticky and caramelized.

Transfer the glazed wings to a serving dish, sprinkle with lime zest, and serve with the remaining glaze on the side.

If you’re looking for a sauce to cool you down, mix some cherry glaze with mayo for a cooler dipping sauce!

IG @tomcolicchio

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | Tom Colicchio

Read the FEB ISSUE #86 of Athleisure Mag and see CHEF’S PLAYBOOK | Chef Tom Colicchio in mag.

5 QUICK TIPS IN MAKING HEALTHY YET DELICIOUS SNACKS

We all know that losing weight is not an easy feat. With the holidays soon approaching, shedding excess weight becomes even harder. We are always bombarded with various diet plans, but it all boils down to making sustainable, informed choices. It’s all about creating perfect decisions, and there is no better choice than eating a healthy snack.

It is easier to say than to implement, right? When you are going out on a vacation or business meeting, you don’t always know what constitutes a healthy snack. That is why this article has come to your rescue! This article will provide excellent tips to help you prepare a slim and smart snack suitable for your weight loss needs. There are a series of crucial decisions you have to make when renovating your kitchen. No kitchen is considered to be complete without modern cooking appliances.

Choosing the right cooking appliances can be an uphill task, especially when you don’t know where to start. This article will help you select kitchen ovens, refrigerators, sink and dishwasher amongst other cooking appliances. If you want to learn more about the best cooking appliances, then visit https://yourcookingexpert.com for more details.

5 Simple Tips for Healthy Snacking

1. Match and Mix

Your diet is personal. Although we have general guidelines to follow, our eating habits are unique and not universal. Maybe you consume more fat in your breakfast than an average person. If that is the case, you need to include that in your afternoon snack. Your gut will probably react with something nutritious and delicious like walnuts. Making healthy snacks are as easy as limiting specific foods and combining them with other micronutrients. Snacking using a single food can be dangerous. Match and mix for healthy, smart snacks.

2. Reduce Simple Carbs

We all understand that sugar has adverse effects on our health. You might have already started to cut out sweets, candy, soda, etc., but many times we don’t remember those simple carbs can be dangerous. They behave like the normal sugars only that they are burned quickly by your body and won’t leave you satisfied for long.

Let’s take a typical example. A sandwich is a quick snack for many people. It contains a lot of lean proteins; it has a beautiful appearance when packed in a paper. One slice of bread contains 15 carbs, but it does not exceed the macros. White bread contains processed wheat, and that could probably be the source of those carbs. To avoid this problem, you can add some proteins in the salad, vinaigrette dressing and dark greens.

3. Have a Pre-vetted, Go-to Healthy Option

Sometimes making perfect snacking choices boils down to having healthy options in your hand. Preparing meals is a hard task for many people, but preparing snacks are a little bit easier. Adding something simple like carrots can make a significant difference in your snacking. If you require something healthier, there are various pre-vetted options such as Espresso Obsesso offers balanced macros in a simple package.

4. Remove Troublesome Ingredients

Sometimes pre packaged snacks help people to eat healthily, but certain ingredients blow them off. For instance, Trail mix is full of complex carbs, fruits and nuts, but they add something such as M&M to make it more enjoyable. But removing M&M from your snack could be the best option. If you want to reduce your sugar consumption, you need to keep off from those delicious morsels. That could help you save a lot of carbs and calories!

5. Begin with the Meals

A surefire way to make sure you over-snack is avoiding eating enough food during the previous meal. Snacks should be easy, quick and sufficient food to make it to the next meal. Therefore, if a snack in between your meals ensure that you consume enough food during your main dishes.

Snacking is hard. But this article aims to make it easier, by providing top-notch snacking tips that will help you prepare healthy snacks. If you follow the snacking tips outlined above, you will be able to suppress those midday hunger pangs effortlessly. This article has provided five simple tips for healthy snacking that readers wanted to know.

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