For millions of viewers, Carla Hall became a household name through Bravo’s Top Chef, winning audiences over with her infectious personality, signature catchphrase “Hooty Hoo!”, and heartfelt Southern cooking.

Now, the celebrity chef is stepping into an entirely different spotlight.

Hall has made her theatrical debut with Please Underestimate Me, a deeply personal one-woman stage production currently enjoying its world premiere at the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab inside Maryland’s Olney Theatre Center.

Rather than focusing solely on food, the 90-minute production explores Hall’s remarkable life journey—from aspiring actress to accountant, fashion model, television personality, and ultimately one of America’s most beloved chefs.

Co-written by Hall alongside Lori Kaye and Leslie Thomas, and directed by Lili-Anne Brown, the production is framed around a fictional television cooking show before gradually revealing the personal triumphs and setbacks that shaped Hall’s career. The story draws heavily from her experiences on Top Chef and her seven seasons as co-host of ABC’s daytime series The Chew.

Ironically, Hall’s original dream had nothing to do with professional cooking.

Growing up in Nashville, she initially hoped to study theater at Boston University, but after being rejected, followed her mother’s advice and enrolled at Howard University, earning a degree in accounting before briefly working as a certified public accountant for Price Waterhouse.

Business, however, never truly fulfilled her.

After spending time modeling in Paris, Hall eventually rediscovered the passion for cooking she inherited from her grandmother, who later helped fund her culinary education—a decision that ultimately changed the course of her life.

During a recent interview promoting the production, Hall admitted that returning to live performance required stepping well outside her comfort zone.

She revealed that she had spent seven years developing the idea, studying acting once again, hiring an acting coach, watching countless solo performances, and preparing herself to be viewed as something more than simply a celebrity chef.

“Whenever you step outside your comfort zone, you have to take the risk and make it real,” Hall explained.

The production also allows Hall to reflect on her longstanding support for the LGBTQ+ community, something she says has always felt completely natural because of her background in theater and dance.

She praised the authenticity she sees within LGBTQ+ artists, saying she has always admired people who are willing to embrace who they truly are despite outside expectations.

Hall also reflected on the unique relationship she shares with fans following her television success.

Rather than seeing public recognition as an interruption, she views every interaction as an opportunity to connect.

“Without them, I wouldn’t have this career,” she said, explaining that she genuinely enjoys learning about the people who approach her.

Although performing a demanding seven shows each week has become one of the greatest challenges of her career—even surpassing the pressure she once experienced on Top Chef—Hall says the emotional journey has been worth every moment.

She admitted there was a point just two weeks before opening night when she questioned whether she could actually pull the production off.

Looking back now, Hall believes every chapter of her career—from accounting to The Chew to Top Chef—prepared her for this moment.

“Everything that happens to you happens for you,” she said.

With Please Underestimate Me, Carla Hall is proving that her story extends far beyond the kitchen, offering audiences an intimate look at the resilience, vulnerability, humor, and determination that helped transform her into one of television’s most recognizable culinary personalities.