Portland’s Gregory Gourdet says he would do ‘one more’ season of ‘Top Chef’ (2024)

Portland’s Gregory Gourdet has become a nationally known culinary figure, with a resume including awards, his own cookbook, and his restaurant, Kann, being honored by, among others, the James Beard Foundation, which named it America’s best new restaurant.

Part of Gourdet’s visibility also comes from his many appearances on TV and streaming cooking shows, most notably his impressive run on two season of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” finishing as a finalist in Season 17, and as the runner-up on Season 12. Gourdet also made several appearances during the “Top Chef” season that filmed in and around Portland.

Recently, Gourdet returned to “Top Chef” territory, appearing as a guest with Kristen Kish in “The Dish With Kish,” a “Top Chef” companion digital series that streams on Peaco*ck.

Kish, herself a “Top Chef” winner, took over hosting duties for the series this season, following in the footsteps of former host Padma Lakshmi. Like “Last Chance Kitchen,” where head judge Tom Colicchio gives “Top Chef” eliminated contestants the opportunity to cook their way back onto the show, “The Dish With Kish” doesn’t air on Bravo, but streams on Peaco*ck. The weekly series features Kish with guest chefs who prepare dishes inspired by “Top Chef” challenges.

In the most recent episode, Kish introduced “one of our most celebrated ‘Top Chef’ alums,” and proceeded to jump into Gourdet’s arms for a warm hug.

“We’re actually really good friends,” Kish said, explaining that there are many “Top Chef” alums that “we are very well acquainted with,” but there are a handful that are like family, “and that’s him.”

Gourdet was there to prepare a dish that related to that week’s “Top Chef” episode, and a Quickfire challenge that asked the chefs, who are in Wisconsin this season, to make dishes derived from sauces featured in a cookbook by Carson Gulley. Between 1953 and 1962, Gulley and his wife hosted a weekly cooking show on local TV, making them the first Black couple to host their own cooking TV series.

The winner of that Quickfire challenge was Charly Pierre, who, like Gourdet, has Haitian family roots. Pierre’s winning dish featured a Creole sauce. Unfortunately, Pierre didn’t fare as well in the elimination challenge, and Kish told him to pack his knives and go.

Kish noted that, during his time competing on “Top Chef,” Gourdet had shown a special talent for making sauces.

“We make tons of sauces at my restaurant and my bar,” Gourdet said. “And they all add something very significant to the dishes that they highlight.”

For “The Dish With Kish,” Gourdet said, “I wanted to make you the Haitian version of Creole sauce. It’s usually a sauce that was traditionally made to accompany seafood, so we’re going to deal with some shrimp today.”

Kish joined Gourdet, as she joked, “They may have put nice clothes on me,” but she’s still just a cook.

At one point, Kish asked Gourdet if he would ever compete on “Top Chef” again.

“One more time,” Gourdet said.

“Would you really?” Kish said.

“One more,” Gourdet said. “I’ve got one more season in me. I’ll be, like, 60, but it’ll be great.”

Kish also asked Gourdet about the “Top Chef” judges. “Who are you most scared of, out of Tom, Gail and Padma?”

“Tom,” Gourdet said. “Tom just, he’s like the stone face, you know. He’s very hard to read.”

“I was scared by Gail the most,” Kish said, referring to longtime judge Gail Simmons.

“Top Chef” airs at 9 p.m. Wednesdays on Bravo. No cable? You can stream “Top Chef” on Fubo, which offers a free trial; and also on Sling TV.

— Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist

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