Carla Hall Biography
Carla Hall is an American chef, television personality, and cookbook author from Nashville, Tennessee, United States.
Hall gained national recognition as a contestant on the reality cooking competition show “Top Chef” during its fifth season in 2008. Her warm personality, culinary skills, and unique cooking style endeared her to viewers, and she became a fan favorite. Although she did not win the competition, she went on to participate in “Top Chef: All-Stars” and “Top Chef: All-Stars L.A.”
She graduated from Howard University with a degree in accounting in 1986, but later pursued a career in cooking after working as a model in Europe.
Following her success on “Top Chef,” Carla Hall co-hosted the ABC talk show “The Chew” from 2011 to 2018. “The Chew” focused on food-related topics, featuring cooking segments, recipes, and discussions on various aspects of culinary culture.
Carla Hall Age
Hall was born on May 12, 1964, in Nashville, Tennessee. She is 59 years old as of 2023.
Carla Hall Husband / Son
Hall is married to Matthew Lyons, a lawyer and photographer. The couple got married in 2006. They live in Washington, D.C. Hall has a stepson named Noah Lyons.
Carla Hall Cookbook and Recipes
Hall has written four cookbooks: Cooking with Love: Comfort Food that Hugs You (2012), Carla’s Comfort Foods: Favorite Dishes from Around the World (2014), Carla Hall’s Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration (2018), and Carla Hall’s Sweet Heritage: Recipes from My Family’s Kitchen (2021).
Her cookbooks feature recipes that reflect her Southern roots, her international travels, and her passion for soul food. Some of her signature dishes include four-cheese mac and cheese, buttermilk biscuits, five-flavor pound cake, and chicken alfredo pizza.
Carla Hall Parents
Hall’s parents are Audrey Hall and Fredrick Hall. They both worked as accountants and supported their daughter’s career choices. Carla credits her grandmother Thelma for inspiring her love of cooking and baking.
Carla Hall Restaurant
In 2015, Carla opened her first restaurant; Carla Hall’s Southern Kitchen, in Brooklyn, New York. The restaurant specialized in hot chicken, a spicy fried chicken dish that originated in Nashville. However, the restaurant closed in 2017 due to financial difficulties.
Carla Hall TV Shows
Hall is a judge on Summer Baking Championship, a Food Network competition show that features bakers creating summer-themed desserts. She joined the show in 2019 and has been praised for her constructive feedback and positive attitude.
She has also appeared on other Food Network shows such as Halloween Baking Championship, Holiday Baking Championship, Spring Baking Championship, and Worst Cooks in America.
Before joining Food Network, Carla was a contestant on Top Chef Season 5 and Top Chef All-Stars Season 8. She impressed the judges with her dishes such as crawfish gumbo, fresh peas, and chicken pot pie. She was the runner-up in both seasons.
Hall was also a co-host on The Chew, a daytime talk show that focused on food and lifestyle topics. She co-hosted the show from 2011 to 2018, along with Mario Batali, Michael Symon, Clinton Kelly, and Daphne Oz.
Carla Hall Arrest
In 2019, Carla was arrested for protesting against climate change outside the U.S. Capitol. She was part of a group of celebrities and activists who staged a sit-in to demand action from Congress. She was released after paying a fine of $50.
Carla Hall’s Net Worth
Hall has an estimated net worth of $4 million as of 2021.