Melissa King Says Top Chef Gave Her This Important Opportunity

Chef Melissa King managed to impress everyone on "Top Chef" with her thoughtfulness on the show, winning over many hearts when she personalized her final dishes in the competition by paying a tribute to her childhood memories. Everyone was moved to tears by King's work (via Food & Wine). For King, the experience was heartwarming. She said that she was being herself in every way possible and it was beautiful to watch others react the way did when they tasted her food.

And it makes sense. King was the child of immigrant parents in the U.S. Her father was from Shanghai, while her mom was Cantonese. As she grew up, King explored her passion for the culinary arts in many ways before her appearance on "Top Chef." However, while she was accustomed to cooking delicious food, she was not used to the spotlight and had to work hard to get used to it. She said, "I was painfully shy most of my life. I couldn't give a speech at my sister's wedding. You see a different side of me [in Top Chef season 17] — someone who has grown up more."

One of the best things for King was that it shaped her perspective in more ways than one and made her feel that nothing was impossible. King explained, "It wasn't until my experience with 'Top Chef' that the world became so much more vast and open. I can do anything I want."

For Melissa King, one of the most significant things about being on a show as popular as "Top Chef" is that she has been given a chance to be vocal about issues that are close to her heart, such as being an Asian American and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. The show has given her a platform to reach out to others and make a difference in her own way. She said in a powerful interview that her presence on the show was a source of comfort for many viewers (via Bravo TV).

Melissa King revealed that many fans wrote to her, telling her that they were proud of her and loved watching her compete. King explained that some fans were even able to muster up the courage to come out to their families after watching her on the show. She said, "I feel very strongly that 'Top Chef' has given me more than just a platform for food. It's giving me a platform to be able to speak about things that I care about and things that I'm passionate about outside of that."