Prominent Gay Culinary Personalities on Food Network

Although LGBTQ+ representation has become rather conspicuous in a multitude of television productions, one domain that still appears underserved is the culinary sphere. Despite a few individuals making noteworthy progress in the late 2000s and early 2010s, it seems that visibility for queer food television personalities experienced a hiatus for nearly a decade.

Numerous factors could contribute to this situation. Restaurant kitchens have historically been recognized for their suboptimal working environments, frequently plagued by issues of harassment and assault. If the conditions in preceding decades were disadvantageous for cisgender, heterosexual men and women, one can readily surmise the potential adversities a queer or gender-fluid individual might have encountered.

Consequently, due to recent media coverage highlighting the extensive challenges within the hospitality sector, and the heightened accountability facilitated by social media, there is now considerably more room for individuals of all orientations within a restaurant kitchen. Similarly, culinary programming has diligently prioritized diversity in its casting choices, with Top Chef undoubtedly serving as a prime illustration of this trend.

Each individual possesses a somewhat distinct conception of what constitutes a celebrity. For some, this might encompass a TikToker or YouTuber boasting millions of followers; however, for the purpose of this compilation of esteemed queer culinary figures, our focus is specifically on the television industry.

From the personage who achieved a significant milestone as the Food Network's inaugural openly queer program host, to openly gay chefs who leveraged their participation in the immensely popular reality competition series, Top Chef, as a launchpad to international renown, here are seven celebrated queer culinary personalities who have emerged from the world of cooking television.

Ted Allen

When I was a younger gay man, there were scarcely any openly homosexual males to emulate within the Food Network landscape. It's not that attaining Food Network celebrity status represents the pinnacle of achievement for a food media professional, as it decidedly is not, but it invariably proves beneficial to observe the potential career trajectories available.

Ted Allen honed his skills as a lifestyle and food journalist during the mid-to-late 1990s. His passion for gastronomy and libations led to his inclusion in the ensemble cast of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy in the year 2003.

In 2009, upon the premiere of Chopped, he etched his name in Food Network history as the very first openly queer host of a culinary television program. Chopped attained immense popularity and is presently in its 53rd season - remarkable! The series subsequently gave rise to international adaptations, such as Chopped Canada, alongside spin-off editions like Chopped Junior.

Cat Cora

Even prior to receiving accolades for her LGBTQ+ identity, Cat Cora was breaking barriers as one of Food Network's pioneering hosts, and as a formidable competitor on Iron Chef America.

By the year 2009, she occupied the position of executive chef for Bon Appétit magazine and has authored three cookbooks throughout her professional journey. In addition to these accomplishments and a substantial number of television appearances, she has made investments in restaurant ventures, the most recognized being Cat Cora's Kitchen, which can be found in numerous American airports.

Lynn Crawford

As the sole Canadian featured on this roster, our region certainly lacks a significant number of prominent queer culinary personalities, apart from emerging talents such as Billy Nguyen, who gained recognition from Top Chef Canada.

However, Crawford stands as an undeniable Canadian culinary luminary. She first graced Canadian households through the widely popular mid-2000s series Restaurant Makeover, but she achieved true stardom with her program Pitchin' In. This show allowed the chef to deepen her understanding of how Canadian ingredients are cultivated and processed. The series offered a blend of humor and insight, thus solidifying Crawford's status as a bona fide Food Network Canada star.

Her former Toronto establishment, Ruby Watchco, which she managed in partnership with her spouse, Lora Kirk, was distinguished by its daily menu updates and a strong emphasis on local sourcing, principles that predated their widespread adoption. This guiding philosophy persists across the four cookbooks she has published over the years, including a collaborative work with Kirk titled Hearth & Home.

Elizabeth Falkner

Functioning as both a pastry chef and a culinary chef, there are very few culinary feats that this accomplished personality cannot master in the kitchen.

The recipient of a James Beard Award, Elizabeth Falkner has achieved numerous distinctions throughout her career spanning multiple decades. These include owning eateries in San Francisco and New York, participating in shows like Top Chef Masters (debuting in 2009) which propelled her to celebrity chef status, and even securing the top position at the World Pizza Championships held in Naples with a distinctive pizza adorned with fennel, fronds, blossoms, and pollen.

While Falkner herself is not a Canadian citizen, she maintains significant connections with prominent female chefs across Canada, such as Toronto's Suzanne Barr (featured on Wall of Chefs) and Top Chef Canada All-Stars champion Nicole Gomes. She is frequently observed in Canadian cities like Toronto and Calgary. Most recently, she participated in Canada's highly esteemed culinary gathering, the Terroir Symposium.

Her two published cookbooks, namely Demolition Desserts and Cooking Off the Clock, were released in the years 2007 and 20212, respectively.

Gregory Gourdet

Boasting an active professional career of 23 years and continuing, the Portland-based Gourdet has long been a culinary talent worthy of recognition.

His second-place achievement in the twelfth season of Top Chef (aired in 2015) contributed to his widespread recognition across North America and even led to a guest appearance on the widely admired comedy series Portlandia the subsequent year. The chef subsequently returned to compete in Top Chef: All-Stars L.A., where he once again reached the finals.

Although he has yet to claim the coveted TC championship, Gourdet now serves as a permanent judge on the highly popular competitive series.

His inaugural cookbook, titled Everyone's Table, was published in 2021 by Harper Wave and received a prestigious James Beard Award in 2022.

Melissa King

The network of Top Chef alumni is indeed extensive, yet it is challenging not to perceive Melissa King as one of the most successful chefs to have emerged from the show's lineage of 20 seasons (and still counting).

After a commendable performance leading to the finals in Top Chef: Boston (2015), though ultimately falling short of victory, King made a triumphant return and secured the win in Top Chef: All-Stars L.A. in 2020. This achievement was followed by considerable acclaim, a substantial social media following, and what appears to be a permanent resident judge role on Top Chef since achieving victory in her season.

During the summer of 2022, she became the first Top Chef alumna to attend the renowned Met Gala, gracing the event in a sharp tuxedo and Chinese empress-style nail guards, perfectly embodying the gilded glamour theme. Truly stunning!

The inaugural season of King's own culinary travel program, Tasting Wild, is presently available for streaming on Hulu.

Kristen Kish

There is a great deal to admire about the charismatic Kristen Kish, who has ascended to considerable prominence since her victorious appearance on her season of Top Chef in 2012.

With an impressive following exceeding 412,000 individuals on Instagram, Kish holds the distinction of being the most followed queer chef from the series (though it's hardly a competition!), has co-hosted programs such as 36 Hours and Fast Foodies, and served as a co-presenter alongside Alton Brown in the 2022 Netflix revival of Iron Chef.

As of March 22nd, on Disney+, viewers can follow Kish as she traverses the globe in pursuit of distinctive dining experiences with her new series, Restaurants at the End of the World.

Her debut book, Kristen Kish Cooking, was published in 2017. The following year, the chef inaugurated her first restaurant, Arlo Grey, situated in Austin, Texas.

David Burtka

As a celebrated performer in his own right, many individuals might be unaware that the spouse of Neil Patrick Harris is also a professionally trained and active chef. Burtka completed his culinary studies at the Pasadena campus of the esteemed Le Cordon Bleu in 2009, subsequently establishing his own private chef and catering enterprise in Los Angeles.
Prior to his practical involvement and dedication to culinary arts as a chef, he fronted a short-lived program on the Cooking Channel titled Celebrity Dish, which explored eateries owned by celebrities across the United States. Since that time, he has made numerous guest appearances on Food Network programs such as Beat Bobby Flay, and his initial cookbook, Life Is a Party, was released in 2019.