Carla Hall recalling a former TV boss doubting her—until she proved them wrong

In television, Black women often have to fight to be seen, heard, and given the opportunities they deserve. Celebrity chef Carla Hall knows this struggle all too well.

The Emmy Award-winning TV personality and former co-host of The Chew kicks off a new season of TheGrio’s Masters of the Game series in an exclusive interview, where she opens up about the pain of being doubted in the workplace—and how she refused to accept it.

“I was given the opportunity to interview Carol Burnett, and I said, ‘That’s the only one I want to do,’” Hall tells theGrio, recalling how the legendary comedian had influenced her career aspirations since childhood.

“They gave me months of advance notice in February for May. And I said, ‘Oh, this is awesome. This is great.’ Two weeks before she came, the executive producer—another one—came into my dressing room and said, ‘We’re not going to let you interview Carol Burnett,’” Hall recalls, tearing up.

“All this work, you think you’ve grown, and then all of a sudden, I’m back to being that little person who they didn’t trust.”

But instead of accepting defeat, Hall chose to push back.

“I had the presence of mind to be very calm. And I said, ‘Why not?’ And then I shut up,” Hall remembers. “She said, ‘Because we don’t want you to fangirl. We don’t want you to do this… We want to make sure we get a good interview.’”

At that moment, Hall knew she had to advocate for herself.

“When I tell you the words were put on my heart, I said, ‘But I did this interview with this person…’ I was calmly my own advocate. And I was so happy that there was someone else in the room to be my witness to everything that was going down, so that this person couldn’t tell me something wasn’t said.”

Her persistence paid off. The executive producer changed their mind, allowing Hall to conduct the interview with Burnett.

To this day, it remains one of Hall’s most celebrated moments on television. And in an unexpected turn, she later had the chance to have a heart-to-heart with the boss who once doubted her.

“I went back to that producer, and I told her, ‘I hope you understand that micromanagement does not put you at an advantage. When you micromanage, you take something away from a person. You don’t allow them to grow. You don’t allow them to have the challenges they need,’” Hall reflects. “I understood that she was trying to protect her job—but at the cost of not giving me an opportunity.”

The experience reinforced Hall’s belief in the power of authenticity—a lesson she shares in the full episode of Masters of the Game.

A native of Nashville, Tennessee, and a graduate of the HBCU Howard University, Hall’s journey to success was anything but linear. She originally pursued a career in business accounting, then modeling, before discovering her true passion: cooking. She rose to national fame as a fan favorite on Top Chef and has since become one of the most recognizable faces in the culinary world, known for her warmth, humor, signature glasses with a pop of color, and her love of Southern cuisine.

In the full Masters of the Game interview, Hall reflects on her improbable journey from aspiring model to chef, television host, and author—offering lessons on resilience and carving out space in industries where Black women are often underestimated.

At 60 years old, Carla Hall is still proving that it’s never too late to start over.

As a keynote speaker, Carla Hall inspires audiences with her story of persistence, self-advocacy, and navigating spaces where she’s been underestimated. Her experience encourages others to embrace their true selves and overcome challenges with grace. To host Chef Hall at your event, contact WWSG.