Kristen Kish Is Glad She Didn’t Completely Suck at The Traitors

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Be warned: the following contains spoilers for the Peacock reality show The Traitors, specifically from the episode “Do You Know the Enemy?” which aired on February 19th.

I have to admit, I was a little surprised by how calmly Kristen Kish took getting ‘murdered’ on The Traitors. She joked that she was just really hungry – ‘hangry,’ as she put it! As the host of Top Chef and a former winner, she’d been playing a really smart, careful game, and she’d actually started to suspect Eric, a friend of hers, as one of the Traitors. That’s when Eric – who had just turned Traitor – and the original Traitor Rob decided to eliminate her. In her exit interview, Kristen was so composed. She said she felt ‘at peace’ and even gave Eric a ‘well done’ if he really was a Traitor. It was funny, because she’d previously nailed an impression of his constant sighing – he used it to avoid actually naming anyone as suspicious! Honestly, it was a pretty graceful exit all things considered.

Watching Kristen navigate the intense world of the show was fascinating. She was such a calming presence amidst all the bigger personalities, almost like a quiet anchor. But she admits, the experience eventually took a toll – and even affected her appetite! You can see it reflected in her Instagram posts, where she playfully critiques the castle’s food and shares her ideas for improvement. She explained that going in, she knew what she was signing up for, but the long days and lack of sleep really got to her. She’d find herself thinking, ‘I’ve come this far, I’m okay,’ and then just accepting whatever happened, like being tied to a tree and letting fate run its course. It was a really honest and relatable take on the pressures of the game.

You mentioned at Alan’s banquet that everyone was chosen to be on The Traitors for a reason. What was your reason for being on the show this season?

The clip they showed didn’t include everything I said, but honestly, I said yes to The Traitors for the same reason I did Top Chef – it’s a unique life experience. I figured, why not try something new? This felt different because it wasn’t about my professional skills, so I thought, ‘I can handle this! Even if I’m eliminated first, it’ll be okay.’ I also did it because of my relationship with Top Chef. There’s a connection between Top Chef and Peacock, and Traitors and Peacock, and we often find ourselves in the same Emmy circles. I’m really glad I did it, though, because I’ve made some amazing friends I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise.

I’m curious about Mark Ballas. It looked like you two had a strong connection on Instagram, more than what viewers saw. Could you tell me about your friendship with him, and any other friendships you formed while filming?

Going into the show, my strategy was to assume everyone was a Traitor, so I needed to avoid becoming a suspect myself. But after a couple of episodes, I realized I needed to confide in someone. That person was Mark. I’m not entirely sure why – maybe it was because we traveled together on the first day, or because we just clicked. We genuinely became friends, and I knew I could trust him with everything.

Most of the people in that castle are genuinely kind. I really connected with Candiace for a long time – I just enjoyed her company. She’s funny and entertaining. It was nice when we had the chance to get to know each other as people, beyond the competition. When you’re focused on the ‘game,’ you see manipulation and dishonesty, but from my experiences when we weren’t competing, everyone seemed really lovely. I even FaceTimed with Tara this morning to check in after last night’s episode. We’ve worked together on press events, and I’d happily cook for any of them.

I wondered if my background as a chef and on Top Chef gave me an edge in understanding people, but it’s hard to say. What I really learned from my career was knowing when to take charge and when to follow someone else’s lead – I always kept that in mind. I also became very aware of when to be honest and when to hold back, and maybe that contributed to my issues with Eric. I wanted to be truthful with him. You think skills from real life would be perfect for this game, and some are, but you get into the castle and you have no idea how everyone else will react. The level of paranoia inside is intense, and I definitely felt it myself. You’re constantly looking for clues and inconsistencies, but sometimes the most consistent behavior is the biggest deception. Things can change so quickly.

I noticed a change in Eric’s behavior. As a viewer, it seemed like he was already playing a subtle game, and then, after he became a Traitor, I picked up on something different. I realized he was wrong about Tiffany, and he seemed to be withdrawing, but it felt like more than that. When I said he didn’t contribute much at the Round Table, fans pointed out I often didn’t either. But Eric and I always talked openly, both on and off camera. What really stood out to me was his overall attitude towards me over the two and a half weeks we spent together – it just felt different, like a shift in energy you’d notice in a close friend. That’s what led me to suspect he was a Traitor. It reminded me of when Colton aggressively targeted Tiffany – I immediately suspected him, and I was right. I could have been wrong about Eric, but thankfully my intuition proved correct, and at least I got one call right.

Watching the show now, it’s nice to occasionally think, ‘Okay, I figured that part out.’ It makes you feel a little better, like you weren’t totally off base. I definitely wasn’t a great player, and if I had been, I would have gone further. Looking back on everything is so different than actually experiencing it. I really trusted Candiace, which is why I immediately went to her when I suspected it was Colton—but I was wrong! Or Rob. Viewers are seeing a strategic side of Rob that many of us, including me, didn’t see at the time. I didn’t realize how consistently he was playing until much later. I thought everyone was being true to themselves, but watching Rob now just makes me mad! (laughs) I used to call him a ‘sweet, sweet man’ because that’s how he was in our personal conversations, and a lot of others seemed to feel that way too. It’s just a tough situation.

Your elimination was really intense! Being in the dungeon, winding up that jack-in-the-box… looking back, how much did you suspect you were going home?

I fully expected to be eliminated, which is why I confronted Eric so directly when I was one of the final contenders. I knew I had a 25% chance of going, and I figured if I was going down, I was going to speak my mind. I wouldn’t have said anything otherwise – I would have just tried to stay out of trouble. It was a lot of pressure. I remember it being late, rainy, and dark – the sun didn’t set until almost midnight in the Highlands. I was tired, hungry, and the dungeon air was damp and dusty, since it was actually in the castle basement. By that point, I was completely mentally exhausted, similar to how I felt towards the end of my time on Top Chef. I just thought, I’ve come this far. It’s not that you stop caring, but you realize there’s nothing more you can do, so you’re less worried about the result.

I’ve really enjoyed your food posts on Instagram and wanted to ask a few questions about them. Have you heard anything about your offer to help with the food for future seasons? I haven’t received any response yet, but I’m still available and would be happy to consult if needed.

Were there enough smoked salmon portions for everyone, and do you think the limited amount was done on purpose to create drama? I personally don’t eat smoked salmon, so I wasn’t part of the issue. I was surprised to see how much attention it got while watching the show – I kept wondering why everyone was talking about the salmon! I think it was probably tasty if you enjoy it. But no, I don’t believe the shortage was intentional. We all understand how television works, and in this case, making the table look visually impressive was more important than making sure everyone had enough to eat. The table was beautifully decorated with fancy glasses and way too many utensils for the number of courses we actually had. Adding more would have made it look messy, so it seemed like the focus was on how it looked on camera, not on adequately feeding all 23 of us.

If you weren’t eating the smoked salmon, did you have another favorite source of protein? I ate a lot of hard-boiled eggs at first, but I eventually got tired of them. I brought protein bars to Scotland and started eating those after a few days. Luckily, Eric had packed miso soup and shared some with me for quick snacks. Honestly, providing food for a TV crew is really challenging. It’s tough to create meals that look good on camera, taste great, and satisfy everyone’s preferences. We had enough to eat, and the food was okay.

Stephen Colletti responded to your Instagram post about wanting more flavor in our lunches. You did mention it a few times – some dishes just needed a little more seasoning! I genuinely want to help with this. There are lots of ways to make the lunches tastier and offer variety, while also making them look good on camera.

It’s tough to say which Top Chef judges or contestants would thrive on this show, whether as a Faithful or a Traitor. Success really depends on the other players, which is unpredictable. It’s hard to know how anyone’s skills will fit into the game. Honestly, I think anyone who wants to play has a good chance – simply being willing to participate is a huge part of succeeding, about 80 percent of it, really.

Honestly, after watching this, I just want to sit and listen to Bryan Voltaggio’s laugh – it’s that captivating. Seriously, someone get this man back for another season! I’m already brainstorming how to pitch him, because we need more of that energy.

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2026-02-25 19:57