‘Top Chef’ Austin Contender Amanda Turner Wants to Pave the Way for Black Women On-Screen

This season of Top Chef is bursting with Austin talent, with not just one but two local chefs on the long-running cooking reality competition. Amanda Turner (Southern restaurant Olamaie) and Kévin D’Andrea (French bakery Foliepops) are among the culinary hotshots battling it out as the show heads to Wisconsin for its 21st season. And not to mention that the winner of season 10, Kristin Kish — the chef/partner of downtown restaurant Arlo Grey — is the new host. And here is Eater Austin’s second of two interviews with the Austin contestants.

Amanda Turner’s culinary path has been on the rise for more than a decade. Currently, she is the chef de cuisine at Olamaie, and previously worked at all-star restaurants such as Uchi, Odd Duck, and the Tatsu-ya group. And among her accolades is a James Beard semifinalist nod for emerging chef in 2022.

Ahead of the season premiere on Wednesday, March 20, at 8 p.m. on Bravo, Eater Austin caught up with Turner about getting advice from a local Top Chef alum, bringing Austin pride to the national stage, the importance of representation, and more.

Eater Austin: What inspired you to do Top Chef?

Amanda Turner: I came up in the era where Top Chef was a huge deal. I [was on the opening team of] Uchiko in 2010 where I worked for [season 9 winner] Paul Qui. It was one of those things where, if I could make it onto the show, then I personally would feel like I made great strides in my career.

How did it feel to step into that iconic kitchen?

Incredibly surreal. I was a theater kid in high school. I considered doing that as a profession — I was a techie. I was really intrigued by all the lighting rigs and cameras.

It’s definitely one of those moments where you’re like, ‘I can’t believe I’m here right now.’ If your life is a movie, you turn at the camera, and you’re like, ‘I bet you’re wondering how I got here.’

Olamaie

Did you get advice or take inspiration from previous contestants?

Paul was the person that I aspired to emulate, because he was so successful on the show. I rewatched his season and thought about the ways he was able to hone in on his style and showcase it well.

I talked a lot with Jo Chan [Ed. note: who competed on season 19 and is the chef/partner of Austin restaurant Bureau de Poste]. I was like, ‘How do you do this?’ She was like, ‘I’ll put you in contact with some people.’ She prepped me for what to expect after I got accepted.

It’s nice to have someone — and it’s nice for her, too — who knows what it’s like. We’ve been friends for years, but this whole experience has definitely made us closer.

Was it comforting to see other Austin folks on set?

I’d never met Kévin before. When he told me he lived in Austin, I didn’t believe him at all. We definitely got to bond over that. We hang out pretty regularly now. He’s become a really close friend.

Seeing Kristin stepping into the host role — I’ve done some events with her in the past — it’s great for Austin to have such representation on a national stage like this. To have three people who are directly tied to the city is a really great look for us.

What surprised you?

The way that the hosts deliver information. Sometimes. there’s really long pauses and we’re just standing there waiting for them to say the whole thing.

Milwaukee was really surprising to me. The architecture was awesome. There’s water everywhere. In some ways, it reminded me of how Austin feels, with the proximity to nature. Also, the quality of ingredients there, that was really great. And it wasn’t hot!

What do you hope you can showcase with this huge platform?

I haven’t grown up culinarily in this world with a lot of people like myself. There’s just not enough of us — especially in huge public spaces — to be able to look around and say, ‘Oh, that person is like me.’

I’m a nerd, and I have been my entire life. I really love anime and video games. Having those hobbies already puts you on the back foot in terms of what popular people do, but it doesn’t make you any less of an interesting person. I’m leaning into that and showcasing the diversity of people that do this work.

I’m a biracial Black woman. I literally never cooked alongside another Black woman until I hired one last year. It really became evident to me that I have the opportunity to be the person that could inspire someone else. Through the show, I want to showcase my authenticity and that you could be successful, even if you’re not the standard.

David Moir/Bravo

How have you felt the love from your friends in the local scene?

It’s honestly been unreal, the massive amount of support from the Austin community. One of the other things I wanted to showcase was being a homegrown talent. My entire career is here. I never worked at the French Laundry [Ed. note: fine-dining Napa Valley restaurant]. I didn’t do any of that stuff. I really stuck it out here.

I really want to represent Austin. I believe in this city and the food scene. I want to show that we have so much to offer.

Anything else?

Everyone from the season believes in advancing the culinary industry and trying to right the wrongs of our predecessors, and do right by people. Really caring about mental health and people being treated well and respectfully. I look forward to people being able to see how much the industry is changing and hopefully be inspired by where it’s going.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.