Chef Carla Hall, Silver Spring

Though she's one of five hosts of ABC's food talk show, The Chew, Carla Hall has no trouble standing out from the crowd. You can tell her apart from her cohosts, such as restaurateur Mario Batali and wellness enthusiast Daphne Oz, in numerous ways: her funky glasses, her penchant for calling out "hootie hoo," or, perhaps most unique of all, her love of homestyle comfort-food cooking. 

Born in Nashville, Hall specializes in Southern staples, made with French techniques she perfected at Maryland's L'Academie de Cuisine. Her creations earned her a slot on two seasons of Bravo's Top Chef, where she earned raves from the judges for her gumbo. The secret behind the stellar dish? Cooking with love. Hall believes the chef's feelings shine through in the food, which is why angry people can only make hot sauce. Hall still cooks with love today, too, whipping up bite-size sweet and savory cookies and creating original recipes for her cookbooks. She recently announced the development of her very first restaurant—Carla Hall’s Southern Kitchen—slated to open in New York City next year. A fast-casual love letter to Nashville, the restaurant will feature iconic Nashville hot chicken and southern sides, which are anchored by Hall’s family recipes and perfected with her personal touches.

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Carla on Cooking Hacks and Backstage Antics

Learn how to spice up your sides, and discover who's pranking who on the set of "The Chew."