Kristen Kish Admits She Had 'No Idea' Who Rob Rausch Really Was During 'The Traitors' (Exclusive)
Kristen Kish has officially packed her knives and left The Traitors Season 4 castle, becoming the latest player murdered. While the Faithfuls have spent the last few weeks struggling to find their footing in the castle, the Top Chef host had just finally started to piece the puzzle together—clocking that K-pop star Eric Nam had "changed" and was likely recruited into the turret.
Unfortunately, her intuition made her a good choice to kill after being shortlisted alongside Johnny Weir, Tara Lipinski, and Natalie Anderson. While she left the castle suspecting Eric, she was completely blindsided by her other ally, Rob Rausch. "Who knew? I had no idea," Kristen tells Men’s Journal regarding the "sweet, sweet man" she thought she could trust.
Fresh off her murder reveal, Kristen opens up about the "fascinating" experience of watching Rob’s confessionals, why she felt more pressure on Top Chef than in the castle, and if she’d ever return for an all-stars season.
Scroll down to read the full interview with Kristen.
Men’s Journal: How are you feeling today now that you've watched the season back and seen things you didn't know at the time?
Kristen Kish: You know, to be quite frank, it happened so long ago. I knew the day was coming, so I was fully prepared for it. I remember what it felt like to live it. You know, I think one of the most fascinating, entertaining parts of the whole thing, and honestly, why I also love watching Top Chef is that as much as I'm obviously watching it because I'm on it and I just want to make sure like I feel like I'm being represented in the way that I felt like I represented myself. More so than that is, I kept saying, as soon as we all got out of that castle, I am so excited to hear everyone's interviews. I want to see all the talking heads. I want to see all the clips that they chose. I want to see everyone's thought process and because obviously, when you get out of the castle, we all knew what happened exactly, yeah, but we don't know how the story is going to be told. And so for me, that has been the most wildly entertaining part. And although I clearly am off and I know what happens, like, I can't wait to watch the finale.
Men’s Journal: Who surprised you the most once you saw their confessionals?
Kristen Kish: Rob! I think what was fascinating about him, which is crazy, is right when we first started, I was like, Rob and Candiace [Dillard Bassett], I love these two. Like, they’re great. And Candiace was consistent all the way through her personality, from when I saw her in her interviews, to how she was in the castle. So, none of that surprised me. I was like, she’s exactly who she is, which is, she’s got such a big heart, and she’s so funny. Rob was so quiet to us, in front of me, or me, I can only speak for myself. And then in his confessionals, he comes alive. And I’m like, Who knew? I didn’t know. I had no idea.
Men’s Journal: When I visited the Top Chef set this past fall, you told me you were happy you did the show. Do you still feel that way?
Kristen Kish: Well, I made it farther than what I had ever expected to make it—I was like, don't go out first. That was my only thing, which is, you know, probably the goal of a lot of people, but also the style of competition that The Traitors is, for me, I felt far less pressure to have to be good, as opposed to something competing on Top Chef, where it’s my profession and skill set. There feels like it’s a lot more pressure. So yes, I’m glad I did it, and I think the best part of it is that, one, it was a really cool life experience, and two, I walked away with incredible friends that I probably would have never met otherwise.
Men’s Journal: How frustrating was it to watch the group ignore the evidence against Eric that you basically handed them before you left?
Kristen Kish: You know, here’s the thing, when you live it, you’re in there. And I did plenty of frustrating things, I’m sure, to the viewers and the fans. I’ve heard it all. When you’re in it, it’s just different. Unless you are living that experience, it’s so hard, and so, was it frustrating? No. I was like, listen, I get it like you’re in there and you’re trying to put these pieces together, and at that point, you’re exhausted. You are mentally drained in ways that, I mean, it’s uncomfortable in some ways, and you’re just trying to figure it out. And, yeah, I can’t be mad or frustrated for people not being able to figure it out, because, you know, I didn’t for a long part of that competition, too.
Men’s Journal: We saw you mention being close to Mark [Ballas] and Rob, but we didn't see much of your connection with Rob. Who were you actually closest to?
Kristen Kish: Mark, without a doubt. I think that there’s obviously—I said it about Candiace. I really like being around her. I said it about Tara [Lapinski]. I said it about Johnny. You know, they showed me saying it about Mark. I said it about everyone, largely because part of what I wanted to do, I went in assuming everyone was—that’s how I wanted to set my mind straight. Everyone was a Traitor. I was suspicious of everybody, but I’m gonna be real nice to everybody, because I don’t know who’s a Traitor. And so, I mean, I said it about probably the majority of people, and you know what aired was Mark or Rob.
Men’s Journal: Did your experience in high-pressure kitchens prepare you for those intense roundtables?
Kristen Kish: What I can liken the roundtable to is when you are up for elimination and you’re standing in front of the judges' table, and you’re like, well, here we go. But the difference is, is that you are trying to protect and live another day knowing that people are just lying straight to your face, as opposed to where on Top Chef, I just have to defend my dish and like that is something I know how to do, and I can admit fault. If that happens, it’s intense. You can hear a pin drop, like, right before whoever decides they want to start talking first, which I knew was never going to be me. I was like, I’m good, like, all of a sudden, I can't be an extrovert aggressor, knowing that that is fully not in my natural state of being. So I knew I was never going to be the first to peep a word. You could hear a pin drop. It’s intense because, you know, it’s like everyone has something to say, but you’re like, who’s going to pull the trigger first? You have no idea what everyone is thinking. And the roundtable is sometimes the place where you are saying the thing that you have thought for a long time that no one has ever heard. Yeah, so you’re waiting. I’m like, you’re waiting for it.
Men’s Journal: Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done differently?
Kristen Kish: I mean, are there a million things that I wish or I am like, now watching back or looking at being like, damn, if only I just did this, sure, but that would have not—I don’t know. Who knows if that would have changed the outcome, because so many other things have to happen that you are not in control of, yep, like people have to be part of that plan, and if they’re not, if things aren’t aligning, you never know if it would have turned out the way that you would have hoped. But no, I mean, I did what I could. I played the game in a way that I felt like felt comfortable for me, and for the most part, I had a really nice time.
Men’s Journal: If you could bring anyone from the castle to guest judge on Top Chef, who would it be?
Kristen Kish: Oh, wow, I could see everybody doing a really good job. Because for Top Chef, you don't have—I mean, on Top Chef, you don’t have to act like when you are coming on as a guest judge. There is no rule book. The only rule is to be honest. Be honest and say what you think about the food. That is all that you’re required to do. So I think everybody has that skill set. You know what? I like the ones that have a little bit of knowledge on food, yes. But the beauty of food is that everyone can have an opinion about it, and it adds to the conversation. So, yeah, I think everyone has what it takes. A judge on Top Chef.
Men’s Journal: Is there anyone from the Top Chef world you think would excel at The Traitors?
Kristen Kish: Man, that’s really hard. Yeah, every season is so different. Like, if someone said, "Well, Kristen, like, do you think I could do it?" I’m like, I don’t know, because I don’t know who else you’re going to play with. Like, people—so much of the energy and how the game is played is dictated on who they bring together to play the game. I think that at the end of the day, if you have—I don’t know. See, here’s the thing, I played like a more quiet, subtle game, as opposed to some of the other players that played a more loud game. You need both, everything. Like, who’s to say that there’s a perfect formula? There isn’t. So I think at the end of the day, if you can go on and you can handle the missions, you are mentally tough, and you can deal with all the shit that comes afterwards, and as it’s viewing—like, if you can, like, remain in your strength while people are calling you dumb, then you could go on it.
Men’s Journal: Was there anything you addressed at the reunion that you’re hoping makes the final cut?
Kristen Kish: I mean, I don't know what you’re going to see. I thought you were going to see different stuff. The show played out, and you never saw a lot of the things that I was thinking or saying. So who knows, ask me after the reunion, okay, things that I wish could have been—I could have said more.
Men’s Journal: Any interest in another competition show, or are you sticking to Top Chef?
Kristen Kish: Well, I like games. I really like games. I think that maybe the next game I enter into should be like for joy and fun, clarity or something, okay, like lessen the load of pressure that I have felt, I think, as this has played out. So no, I like having fun. I like showing—which I don’t know if you necessarily saw on The Traitors—but like, I am sarcastic, I am stupid and silly, and I do not take myself seriously. And so anything that allows me to be those versions of myself I would really enjoy doing.
Men’s Journal: If they call you for a Traitors All-Stars, are you picking up the phone?
Kristen Kish: My life has taught me to never say never, but I can confidently tell you that it’s probably not going to happen again for me.