POWER RE-EXAMINED

What defines power? Who gets to be powerful-and who doesn't? This year, we asked 29 noteworthy voices of our time to weigh in on the state of influence. This is what they had to say.

- JESSICA GOODMAN

Kristen Kish

CHEF; AUTHOR; TELEVISION HOST 

How do you define power?

Power means finding comfort within myself to just be me…It’s about finding patience for myself and empowering others. When I was younger, I thought power meant having things, having ego, not asking for help. Now, power means being able to clearly define my weaknesses more so than my strengths.

You’ve been a contestant, guest judge, and now you are host of Top Chef. What have all those roles taught you about power?

That it can come in all different forms. When I was a contestant, I did not trust myself at all. I was second-guessing myself as a person, not feeling worthy. As much as I am confident now in my role as host, I came to this incredibly insecure. But my insecurities are always going to be part of me. What I can control is how I parlay them into being something helpful. Therein lies the power. The first five minutes of filming in Milwaukee (Wisconsin), I was incredibly nervous. There was an external pressure of replacing [former host Padma Lakshmi]. But she was her and I am me. There is also another definition of power in saying, “I’m not meant to be anybody other than me.”

As the host of Top Chef you’re more visible within the franchise. Have you thought about how that might change your actions because you have more power?

Power is, in a lot of ways, not changing at all. No matter what my job is, who I am remains the same. There is power in knowing I am a queer Asian woman, a Korean adoptee. That doesn’t change. I don’t need to tell myself, Now when this airs, you’re going to do this. That’s not how I think about it.