In July 2023, Kristen Kish was named the brand new host and third choose of Prime Chef, marking the departure of longtime host Padma Lakshmi. These had been massive footwear to fill — Lakshmi hosted the present for 17 seasons — and as an alternative of selecting an out of doors superstar for the position, Prime Chef turned to one among its personal: season 10 winner and fan-favorite chef Kish.

It’s secure to say that when Kish competed on the present in 2012, she didn’t anticipate in the future changing into its host, but it surely’s a place she’s full of expertise and ease. This surprising journey on Prime Chef serves as a metaphor for a lot of her life and profession — Kish has zigged when folks anticipated her to zag, demonstrating a capability to adapt to her environment, which is mirrored within the title of her new memoir, Unintentionally on Objective. 

Though Kish has constructed her profession round cooking, this memoir isn’t only for these tuned into the meals world. It’s a mirrored image on her childhood within the Midwest, her experiences rising up as a Korean adoptee, her love for her spouse, and different experiences that can resonate with all kinds of readers.

As an alternative of specializing in a singular viewers whereas writing, Kish tells Meals & Wine that she needed to enchantment to widespread experiences and feelings, explaining, “The factor that we people all have in widespread, or that is common, is that everyone knows what love seems like indirectly — platonic or romantic. We all know what love is, we all know what loss is, problem, moments of feeling delight, questioning who we’re and the place we’re going. And I feel these are common truths amongst all of us.

“And so my hope is that anybody who chooses to learn the ebook or items it to somebody of their life, from the second that it hits another person’s arms… I am unable to let you know what you are going to get out of it, however I hope that there is one thing in there that sticks with you, whether or not that be leisure or inspiring moments or reflection in your individual life.”

However should you’re right here to learn the way this chef turned the culinary expertise she is at the moment, you received’t be disenchanted. From her job at a pretzel stand to her early experiences in skilled kitchens, Unintentionally on Objective charts the surprising moments and selections that had been essential in growing Kish’s profitable profession.

Kish’s childhood within the Midwest — Michigan particularly — is much from the one affect on her cooking, but it surely’s one which’s nonetheless seen in her present culinary perspective. She grew up having fun with consolation meals and continues to embrace them at the moment, whereas using impeccable culinary strategies and adapting recipes to specific her personal perspective.

“When folks ask what my meals is, typically it is a little bit exhausting to essentially pinpoint. It is not one delicacies, it’s all of my variations of life realized and my approach of, I assume, displaying consolation,” she tells Meals & Wine. “It is my model of consolation meals and I feel it is actually gone from cerebral cooking to extra heartfelt cooking to issues that really feel barely extra… approachable.” 

Casseroles, jello salads, meatloaf, and pot roast are among the quintessential consolation meals that Kish was raised on. Nevertheless, as a Midwesterner, she has a deeper understanding of this area’s delicacies, which many dismiss as uniform or plain. For those who’re touring to the middle of the USA and searching for out scrumptious meals, there’s one factor Kish says you want to know. She explains that “Once we discuss Midwest meals, we’re speaking a couple of very giant spot in the USA….

“Identical to while you discuss what American meals is, there are such a lot of nuances and layering components of various folks coming collectively to outline that. Relying on who you ask, Midwest meals appears to be like very, very totally different. I feel on the coronary heart of all of our meals reminiscences is a way of place, however [that includes] our household and our upbringing and the tradition behind it. And so Midwest delicacies isn’t any totally different. 

“Once I consider the Midwest, and if I [use] the broadest of phrases to explain it, I’d say it is meat and potatoes. I imply, it’s simply sustenance, it’s filling. From there, meat and potatoes can imply one million various things. It might be a fantastic steak and this beautiful, crispy on the skin, fluffy on the within, baked potato, or it might be meatloaf and roasted carrots.”

Identical to within the South or throughout the Japanese Seaboard, Midwest delicacies options regional variations that advantage studying about and appreciating. In Wisconsin, it is best to strive a neighborhood supper membership, and it’s possible you received’t discover deep-dish pizza as ubiquitous exterior of Chicago.

Irrespective of the place you go, you’ll possible get a style of the consolation meals that has impressed Kish’s cooking model. Reflecting on her present meals model, the Prime Chef host particulars that “I try to make technically sound meals lately, not simply good quaint consolation meals. 

“So the combination of my grownup skilled life as a chef and what I do know and what I’ve skilled and the issues that I simply bear in mind consuming and the way I felt once I ate them as a child, merging these two issues definitely create one thing model new.”