Chances are you know Carla Hall from her time on Top Chef, The Chew, or Food Network. But did you know the TV personality is based in Washington, DC? Get to know more about the chef and author as we talk with Hall about home cooking and childhood dreams.

I absolutely love eggs. I love an omelet. When I’m at home, I do very simple food because I do travel a lot. Chicken, broccoli, and a rice or something. But lately — and I will pay for this — I had pasta every day. Abbot’s [plant-based products] at Whole Foods has this porcini — like a protein replacement, but it’s mushrooms — and I’ve been making this.  

Have you been to Yellow? It is delicious. Whenever I have friends coming over, I will drive to Georgetown to go to this place. The line moves very quickly. They make their own pita. Their pita is amazing. I went to [chef] Eric Adjepong’s new place, Elmina. The jollof rice is amazing. … It’s fresh and it’s flavorful. It is delicious. 

I have friends in Del Ray, in Arlington, in McLean. I used to do the figure modeling at the Torpedo Factory [Art Center]. I got to know Old Town because of the Torpedo Factory, and I love art and all of those galleries — just walking around and going to the galleries and everything. I came out to the Taste of Del Ray with friends. I went with friends to Mosaic, to the movie theater [Angelika] to see Wicked. We ate dinner at the movies. 

My sister lives in Olney [Maryland]. I went to see Waitress at the Olney Theatre. I’ve seen Beauty and the Beast there. They tend to take plays and sort of spin them and do their own take on things, which is so great. I’m working on a one-woman show and it’s going to be at the Olney Theatre. It’s about my life. I wanted to be the Black Carol Burnett when I was 12. I thought I was going to be an actor. And then I didn’t get into the school that I wanted to get into, Boston University. So, then I went to Howard, and I just decided to major in accounting, and my life sort of took another spin. But it shows in the show how we still come back to our love. Like, even working in food and on television, there’s a little bit of theater.   

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Feature image of Carla Hall by Marvin Joseph