Carla Hall facts for kids
Hall in 2009
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| Born | May 12, 1964 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| Education | Howard University L'Academie de Cuisine (Gaithersburg, Maryland) |
| Spouse | Matthew Lyons (m. 2006) |
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Television show(s)
Top Chef: New York
Top Chef: All-Stars The Chew (2011–2018) |
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Carla Hall (born May 12, 1964) is an American chef, TV star, and former model. She is well-known for her fun personality and delicious cooking.
Carla became famous after appearing on Top Chef, a popular cooking competition show on Bravo. Later, she was a co-host on The Chew, a TV talk show all about food, which aired on ABC.
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Carla's Early Life and School
Carla Hall grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. She went to Hillsboro High School.
After high school, Carla studied accounting at Howard University. She earned her degree in 1986. For two years, she worked as an accountant, which is someone who manages money records for businesses. She was even a Certified Public Accountant, meaning she was officially certified to do this work. But Carla didn't enjoy her job, so she decided to try something new.
From Modeling to Cooking
After leaving her accounting job, Carla spent several years as a fashion model. She walked the runways in big cities like Paris, Milan, and London. While modeling, she realized her true passion was cooking!
When Carla came back to the United States, she moved to Washington, D.C.. One day, she brought some extra sandwiches to a friend's office. Everyone loved them so much that they wanted her to bring more food! This gave Carla an idea. She started her own lunch delivery service called "The Lunch Bunch."
After four years of running her business, Carla decided to get formal training. She went to L'Academie de Cuisine, a cooking school, and earned a special certificate. She then worked at the Henley Park Hotel, where she quickly became a "sous chef." This means she was the second-in-command in the kitchen. Later, she became the "executive chef" at the Garden Cafe. This is the head chef who runs the whole kitchen.
Carla's Own Catering Business
In 2001, Carla started her very own catering company. It was first called Alchemy Caterers. Now, it's known as Alchemy by Carla Hall. Her company makes food for special events and parties. Carla also wrote a cookbook called Cooking with Love: Comfort Food that Hugs You.
Becoming a Star on Top Chef
Carla's big moment came in 2008 when she joined Top Chef: New York. This was the fifth season of the show. At first, her dishes were good, but she really shined during the Thanksgiving challenge. She made the best dish that day!
Later, she impressed the judges with her crawfish gumbo, a tasty stew. She even won tickets to the Super Bowl XLIII! Carla won two more challenges and was often among the top chefs. Famous chefs like Jacques Pépin and Emeril Lagasse loved her food. In the final competition, she finished as a runner-up.
On Top Chef, Carla became popular for her fun personality. She was known for her catchphrase, "Hootie Hoo!" This was a special way she and her husband used to find each other in crowded places. Carla also shared her cooking philosophy: "cooking with love." She believes that if you are happy and calm while cooking, your food will taste much better. She says, "If you're not in a good mood, the only thing you should make is a reservation."
Carla returned for Top Chef: All-Stars, which featured contestants from past seasons. She did very well, even showing her famous chicken pot pie recipe on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Carla finished fifth in the competition. Viewers voted her "Fan Favorite" for the season, which was a big win!
Co-hosting The Chew
On September 26, 2011, Carla became one of the five co-hosts on The Chew. This was a one-hour show on ABC that talked about all things food. Carla remained a co-host until the show ended in 2018.
Carla's Restaurant
In 2014, Carla started a special fundraising campaign online. She wanted to open her own restaurant. She raised over $264,000 from many supporters! Her restaurant, Carla Hall's Southern Kitchen, opened on June 17, 2016, in Brooklyn, New York. It served Southern-style food. The restaurant closed in August 2017.
Other TV Appearances
Carla Hall has appeared on many TV shows and magazines.
- In 2009, she was on the cover of the Washington Post Magazine.
- She played a character called "Spaghetti Scientist Carla Hall" on the cartoon show BoJack Horseman.
- She voiced Mpishi the harrier hawk in Disney Junior's The Lion Guard.
- She also voiced the president in an episode of Nickelodeon's Butterbean's Café.
- In 2016, she had a small role in Fox's The Passion: New Orleans.
- In 2018, Carla appeared on the soap opera General Hospital as a cook.
- Carla has been a judge on Food Network's Halloween Baking Championship and Holiday Baking Championship. In 2020, she was both a judge and the host for Halloween Baking Championship.
- In 2020, she was a judge on the Channel 4 show Crazy Delicious.
- Since 2020, Carla has been in segments called Snack Chat with Sesame Street characters Cookie Monster and Gonger.
- In 2021, she appeared on Antiques Roadshow Celebrity Edition.
- Also in 2021, she hosted Worst Cooks in America and is a host and judge on Best Baker in America.
- In 2022, she was the main judge for the National Gingerbread House Competition.
Carla's Family Life
Carla Hall lives in Washington, D.C.. She married Matthew Lyons in 2006. She also has a stepson named Noah.
Images for kids
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Carla Hall in 2009
