The Top Chef host joined The Great American Sandwich Show for a battle of Italian sandwiches, weighing a classic deli-style favorite against a bold version packed with Calabrian chili mayo, crispy cured meats and pickled onions.
How do you feel about mayonnaise on a sandwich? What about pickles or potato chips? Personally, I’ll take all three—I love a fully loaded sando.
Everyone’s sandwich preferences might vary slightly, but I think the one thing that we all have in common is how passionate we are about what makes the perfect sandwich. The first bite of a truly great one will live on in my memory forever. And that’s basically the whole appeal of The Great American Sandwich Show: Each episode, a celebrity guest heads into comedian Lindsay Ames’s kitchen to make their go-to sandwich, Lindsay whips up her own riff, and then the two trade plates, have a chat, and crown a winner. By the end, you’ve usually learned a lot more about both of them than you expected. Turns out a sandwich can say a lot about a person.
A great sandwich is a work of art and dedication, and crafting one to share with someone else is a true act of love. When I watched this episode of The Great American Sandwich Show, I wanted to reach out, grab both sandwiches, and take a bite. Here’s how it all went down.
The Guest: Kristen Kish
If you’re a Top Chef fan, you already know Kristen Kish. She’s the host and a former contestant with one of the best redemption arcs in the entire series. In Season 10, Kristen was sent home following an incredibly stressful “Restaurant Wars” episode, then climbed back up through the ranks on “Last Chance Kitchen” to win a spot in the final. Ten years later, in 2023, host Padma Lakshmi stepped down, and Kristen took her place. Between hosting Top Chef and running her restaurant (Arlo Grey in Austin, Texas), she managed to publish a memoir, Accidentally on Purpose, which immediately became a bestseller.
Kristen was raised in Michigan, so I, a fellow Midwesterner, have always felt a natural kinship. It’s hard not to root for her! She also has incredible style, and part of what draws me to Top Chef is seeing what she wears. Spoiler: It’s always cool. Naturally, I figured she would also have excellent taste in sandwiches, and I was not disappointed.
The Sandwiches
Kristen’s favorite sandwich is a classic Italian. And quite controversially, she likes them with oil, vinegar and mayo. I’m with her! Oil and vinegar alone are not enough moisture for me, and I’m so glad that adding mayo is now officially Top Chef-approved.
Kristen kept things fairly straightforward when piling the ingredients onto her fresh-baked “bougie” bread: deli meats, lettuce, oregano, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, mayo and banana peppers. (Even typing this list out is making my mouth water. I absolutely love the tang of banana peppers on a sandwich.) And the way she folded her deli meats really got me. I’ll never not do this again.
Lindsay’s version put a spin on many classic ingredients, making it an Italian sandwich with a little frizzle. She actually fried some of her salami and prosciutto to add some depth of flavor and crunch. And she mixed her mayo with Calabrian chili peppers for a pop of heat. Lindsay capped off her sandwich with red onions pickled in vinegar and Italian seasoning, which felt like a stroke of genius.
If I had a vote, they would both win.
Overheard in the Kitchen
“It’s easy to mess up because it’s so simple.” —Kristen Kish
When Kristen said her favorite sandwich was an Italian, I was a little surprised because I thought she might pick something, well, fancier. But I realized as she was explaining it, a really good Italian sandwich is actually a work of art.
“The first flavor I get on mine is oregano. The first flavor I get on yours is Calabrian chili.” —Kristen Kish
I was really surprised how just a few ingredient tweaks and layering choices could change the overall flavor profile! Now that I think about it, she’s totally right.
“I can see myself in the [Top Chef] contestants because I know what it feels like … I feel a deeper connection of compassion.” —Kristen Kish
Lindsay asked Kristen about what moves her as a Top Chef judge and host. Her answer? Compassion. If you’ve seen her in her new role, you get it. You can absolutely see the pure joy and sadness she feels for each winner and each person sent home. And she’s not afraid to feel her feelings—sometimes she cries! She’s definitely brought real warmth to the show.
The Winning Sandwich
You can take the chef out of the kitchen, but they’re still going to have that competitive spirit. Kristen chose her classic, streamlined version of the Italian sandwich as the winner.
I was genuinely surprised! It sounds delicious, don’t get me wrong—but I thought for sure the Calabrian chili mayo was going to tip the scales in Lindsay’s favor.
After much deliberation, they settled on a classic, punny name for the sandwich: Kish Me. Then it went onto the board!
(Taste Kristen Kish’s sandwich recipe for yourself.)
You be the judge!
So what do you think: Is a classic Italian better than one with some flavor twists?
The Full Play-by-Play
Check out how it all played out—and find out about the first sandwich that Kristen ever made—by reading along below.
Lindsay: Oh, Kristen Kish from Top Chef. How are you?
Kristen: Yeah, I’m good, Lindsay, how are you?
Lindsay: Great, great! Are you here to make sandwiches?
Kristen: I’m here to eat sandwiches.
Lindsay: OK, great. Well, guess what? I’m also putting you to work. You’re going to make me a sandwich, and I’m going to make you a sandwich. You don’t have a choice.
Kristen: I don’t.
Lindsay: The point of this show is to enjoy sandwiches and talk about sandwiches. And one of the things we wanted to do is have you bring your idea of the sandwich you brought, and then I’m going to make a little twist on it.
Kristen: When I was asked, I said, “What sandwich would I want to eat right now?” So at the time, I was craving an Italian, and it is easy to mess up (no pressure!) because it’s so simple.
Lindsay: Yes.
Kristen: And it’s all about the layering.
Lindsay: Yes.
Kristen: And the proportions of the meats to the things. Also, the order. Because, like, how you bite into it and how you taste it. You want your jaw to not have to unhinge, but you want the sandwich big enough where you almost have to.
Lindsay: This sandwich is simple, so I am doing a twist, but I also tried to keep it in line a little bit so that it might bring a new texture or flavor or something, but isn’t going to blow us totally out of the Italian.
Kristen: You’re playing in murky waters. It’s a dangerous place to be.
Lindsay: Yeah.
Kristen: I do have a confession, though. I’ve never actually made an Italian sub.
Lindsay: Yes!
Kristen: I always buy them. I go to my favorite deli and I buy them.
Lindsay: OK, well, then that means the playing field is real even here.
Kristen: It’s very even.
Lindsay: OK, good. When you picture the Italian sub sandwich, what are the ingredients?
Kristen: You know, I think for me, the biggest difference between a traditional Italian sandwich and mine is that I am an oil, vinegar and mayonnaise person. Like, I need all of the condiments.
Lindsay: I love condiments. So the addition—and I don’t think it’s going to make it wet—but I like a little moisture, you know.
Kristen: Yes. And also I like when you have a sandwich and it’s not just a thin layer of mayonnaise. I want it to, like, squeeze out the side.
Lindsay: OK. I feel like it’s important because you get the creaminess—we’re using Hellmann’s mayo—so we’re going to use that for like, the creaminess. And then I want to have the vinegar for the acid to break it. That’s, like, a Top Chef thing, right?
Kristen: We like to talk about acid a lot. With any good sandwich, of course, you know it starts with the bread. You have to have the right bread for the right sandwich for the right mouthfeel.
Lindsay: Mm-hmm. You had said that you wanted, if possible, a seeded roll.
Kristen: Yeah. You got some bougie bread, didn’t you?
Lindsay: This.
Kristen: Oh, that’s perfect. Yes. That’s right.
Lindsay: Do you remember the first sandwich that you ever made?
Kristen: When we would have spaghetti night, it’d be just, like, boxed spaghetti and, like, jarred sauce with meat and onions in it. I would take buttered white bread, and then you put spaghetti inside, and boop! Spaghetti sandwich.
Lindsay: It’s almost like a sloppy Joe-ish.
Kristen: Yeah, it’s mush on mush. And then I also really enjoy a potato chip and butter sandwich.
Lindsay: Plain?
Kristen: Usually they were plain. As an adult and a professional chef now, I would probably choose a mix of a barbecue, plus a nacho cheese, plus a sour cream and onion. But, you know, as a kid with an amateur palate, I was going to take regular potato chips.
Lindsay: Also, I’ll just tell you quickly before this. I’m doing Calabrian chilis, and then I’m going to make a Calabrian chili mayo.
Kristen: So it’s got all the fancy. You’re so fancy.
Lindsay: But it still makes sense in the realm of, you know, Italian.
Kristen: 100%. None of this is not making sense. To note, you did hollow out a little to, like, hold all the things.
Lindsay: Yes. Because I feel like she’s going to be a fat baby.
Kristen: She’s a thick girl. We might have to unhinge the jaw.
Lindsay: It very well could happen. Do you need something?
Kristen: I’m going to be fluttering by you for a moment.
Lindsay: Great. Well, we love it. Also, I do have other equipment for you if you need it. And I just want to point out—so you know how you did the red onions, and then you’re doing the Italian dressing? So I pickled the red onions, and then I did the Italian seasoning in it.
Kristen: You’re twisting every ingredient, not just one.
Lindsay: Right.
Kristen: OK. Can I explain to you what’s happening?
Lindsay: Yes, please.
Kristen: So, as I told you, I don’t usually make my own Italian sandwiches, but it’s all about the layering. So I didn’t want it to just be, like, flat meats and everything. So I gave a little bit of, like, room. So then I’m going to take the vinegar and the olive oil …
Lindsay: It’s so … like, this little fold there … Now I’m looking at mine, and I’m not saying …
Kristen: No, no. What is it, “Comparison is the thief of joy?”
Lindsay: Yeah.
Kristen: Yeah. No, we don’t do that.
Lindsay: My friend always says, “Eyes on your own paper.” And I love that.
Kristen: Because I want to capture some of this olive oil …
Lindsay: Yes. And I’m, like, I love a shreddy letty always.
Kristen: I love a shreddy letty.
Lindsay: Give me a shreddy letty any day of the week, you know?
Kristen: It’s time for the wrap.
Lindsay: It’s time for the wrap, we’ve been told. Do you see what’s so interesting though, is that mine is more like [blehhh], and yours is a lot more like [oooh].
Kristen: Mine is actually kind of pretty. Can someone take a picture of this for me? I don’t have my phone. Yeah. OK, so it’s all about a tight roll. Oh, I think I should have gone corner to corner.
Lindsay: Yeah, you really should have gone corner to corner.
Kristen: Yeah. And then, do you have tape? Tape’s very important.
Lindsay: Tape! And honestly, it’s like, at the end of the day, she got personality. It doesn’t matter. Right?
Kristen: I mean, who doesn’t love a big sandwich?
Lindsay: OK. Ahh!
Kristen: So excited for this part.
Lindsay: Yeah, me too. This is what I waited all weekend for. OK. Here we go.
Kristen: Ready?
Lindsay: Yes.
Kristen: I think … Know what? That’s a professional.
Lindsay: Professional. Please explain to me your sandwich.
Kristen: So it’s got deli meats, lettuce, oil, vinegar, oregano, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, oil, vinegar, banana peppers. Is that right? Yeah. So basically, all the same ingredients you have.
Lindsay: I did a little bit of a twist on the fillings, but also because I used fried salami, regular salami, crispy prosciutto and then a little bit of soft prosciutto (so you get both for the salty), a little mortadella, shreddy letty, a little banana pepper, garlic toum whip on the top, Calabrian chili mayo on the bottom and provolone.
Kristen: And red onion!
Lindsay: Yes!
Kristen: Oh, gosh, there’s so many ingredients.
Lindsay: I did pickled red onion. Yeah. Buon appetito.
Kristen: [Muffled eating sounds.]
Lindsay: [Muffled eating sounds.]
Kristen: I like the Calabrian mayo.
Lindsay: OK! This is delicious. I mean, there’s not one thing …
Kristen: When I look at that, I think I need more filling and more mayonnaise.
Lindsay: No, actually the mayo is really perfect. [coughs] What if I just choked on the first episode?
Kristen: It’d be my show next.
Lindsay: So I feel like the mayo. Very perfect.
Kristen: Can I try that? You can try mine.
Lindsay: Mm-hmm. Delicious.
Kristen: Oh!
Lindsay: Is there a big difference?
Kristen: There’s a huge difference.
Lindsay: Really?
Kristen: Mm-hmm. The main difference, for me, is the first flavor I get on mine is oregano. First flavor I get on yours, that’s Calabrian chili. So, I mean, you just eat it differently.
Lindsay: Yeah, OK. That’s great to know.
Lindsay: This segment’s called “Orders Up” where I’m going to ask you a bunch of rapid-fire questions. Ready?
Kristen: Yes.
Lindsay: What’s the biggest “mental aspect” of cooking under pressure?
Kristen: Don’t let perfection get in the way of greatness.
Lindsay: If you had one dish to be remembered by, what would it be?
Kristen: Mushrooms.
Lindsay: OK! As a chef, how do you approach simplicity without feeling boring?
Kristen: It needs to be rooted in technique. When technique is present and you do simplicity—Italian sandwich—it’s gonna work.
Lindsay: It’s a dream. You’ve spoken about the quest for validation that stems from your earlier experiences as you were rising through the ranks of Top Chef and other achievements. Now that you’ve transitioned from the student—winning Season 10—to the teacher—hosting the show—what still moves you internally? Like, what’s the needle that moves internally for you?
Kristen: Compassion. It shifts everything because I can see myself in them because I know what it feels like. So it lends itself to me feeling more of a deeper connection of compassion. And then, therefore, I’m also learning and getting so much more out of the contestant, especially sitting in this role because it’s just a symbiotic relationship Venn diagram, and we all just kind of met in the middle.
Lindsay: Were you ever watching cooking shows or anything growing up?
Kristen: Yes. Great Chefs of the World. You can find them on YouTube still. It’s really low budget. If you just do “Great Chefs of the World.” Every episode was an appetizer, entree, dessert by a different chef from a different part of the world.
Lindsay: Now we need to name the sandwiches.
Kristen: Yes.
Lindsay: OK. I have a pitch for a name, but I’d love to know if …
Kristen: My sandwich or your sandwich?
Lindsay: Well, that’s the thing. Which one do you think should go up on the board?
Kristen: I know I’m a guest on your show. But I’m going to have to vote mine.
Lindsay: OK. That’s fair.
Kristen: It has to be said that yours was delicious. But when I want an Italian sandwich, sometimes I just want an Italian sub.
Lindsay: OK. OK. That’s fair. Let’s name the sandwich.
Kristen: I need more than one minute to name a sandwich.
Lindsay: I thought about it, not gonna lie, and I feel like, especially because it’s your sandwich …
Kristen: Oh, I got it! OK. Kristen’s San Kish.
Lindsay: OK, I love that.
Kristen: Right off the top of the dome.
Lindsay: Because I was going to go with Kish Me.
Kristen: Cute! Both amazing!
Lindsay: So how do we … We never discussed in pre-pro how we were going to decide which name is the name.
Kristen: I have a quick idea. OK, everyone stay put!
Lindsay: Stay put!
Kristen: Close your eyes, Lindsay! So, the M&M cookie is your name, OK? And the not-M&M cookie is my name. And I don’t know what I’m doing, so … OK, open your eyes. Which hand? [Lindsay points.] So, M&M is yours.
Lindsay: OK.
Kristen: It’s yours!
Lindsay: Ooh, yeah!
Kristen: Yeah. You get to name it!
Lindsay: OK, great. It’s got a little ring to it, you know?
Kristen: So my last name does lend itself to a lot of jingles.
Lindsay: It really does. Let’s have you stick it up right here. Oh, we did it, our first sub!
Kristen: You gotta have people sign it.
Lindsay: Yeah, we knew that. Well, Kristen, I feel like we’ve had a real journey today.
Kristen: We really have, Lindsay.
Lindsay: You have so many incredible projects on the go. And I would love for you to tell people where to find you, your projects and anything else you’d like the audience to know.
Kristen: Well, social media. A lot of the things that I do—that I don’t even remember that I do—live there. Accidentally on Purpose, my memoir, is out now. (And it was an instant New York Times bestseller.) And Kish Aperitif, which is my aperitif line, all rooted from who I am as a Korean American. And watch Top Chef, Mondays on Bravo, next day on Peacock. I’m just trying to learn how to start a YouTube channel.
Lindsay: Oh!
Kristen: Yeah. So we have the handle, we just haven’t made anything else.
Lindsay: Well, we can talk.
Kristen: Maybe we can collaborate. Drop the collab on this video. And I love sandwiches.
Lindsay: I love sandwiches, and I love you. I gotta go.
