The Cutthroat Industry Carla Hall Came From That Primed Her For Television Stardom

Carla Hall is a fixture on the Food Network, where she hosts various seasonal competition shows and makes appearances on programs like "Worst Cooks in America." Her smile, quirkiness, and enthusiasm are wonderfully contagious and quite seamless — it seems like she's been in television her entire life. But Hall has actually been involved in a number of industries, from accounting to catering. If there is one experience, though, that prepped her for a future in the food industry, it might be professional modeling.

Hall actually became involved in theater at a young age, a hobby she pursued because she was terribly shy. This experience as a teenager helped make her comfortable in front of an audience, which certainly translated well when she co-hosted "The Chew" in front of a live audience. In her mid-20s, Hall fell into modeling, which took her around the world. In Paris, she and her fellow models would often gather for Sunday brunch at a friend's apartment, where the conversation always revolved around fond memories of food and family. 

These gatherings made Hall homesick — but also ignited a spark for food and cooking. She returned to the United States and enrolled in culinary school, which was followed by a catering stint and positions as both sous and executive chef at several restaurants. During this time, Hall landed a spot on "Top Chef," where she quickly became a fan favorite. Her exposure on the television hit show led to her positions on "The Chew" and her Food Network hosting spots, as well as a guest judge gig at her old stomping grounds, "Top Chef."

A lot of professional and celebrity chefs will share their childhood memories of helping their parents or grandparents in the kitchen. Often, it was these experiences that spawned their desire to cook professionally. This wasn't the case with Carla Hall, who actually has experienced several tragedies in her life. While she recalls comforting memories of Sunday suppers at her grandma's house, Hall didn't spend a lot of time cooking at all. She got a job in accounting right out of college and, two years in, decided it was not the career for her. 

In France, Hall took her first steps in learning to cook by reading books about food and cooking, which continued when she returned home. By the time she enrolled in culinary school, she was 30 years old, and she began her catering business by selling sandwiches door-to-door around her neighborhood in Washington, D.C. After Hall started and excelled in her television food career, she went on to open her own restaurant in Brooklyn, which, unfortunately, was just one celebrity-owned eatery that ended up flopping. She has also written three cookbooks, which primarily feature comfort and soul food, no doubt paying homage to her upbringing in Nashville, Tennessee. This type of cuisine may have taught her the genius trick to tenderize shrimp. Hall seems to have found her niche in the food industry, but there's no telling what this ambitious entrepreneur may pursue next.