Celebrity chef and TV personality Carla Hall has built a career on authenticity, resilience, and a love for Southern cuisine.
But in an emotional new interview, she opens up about a painful moment when a former television executive doubted her abilities—until she proved them wrong.
Speaking with TheGrio’s Masters of the Game, Hall reflected on a defining moment during her time on The Chew when she was initially denied the chance to interview comedy icon Carol Burnett—an opportunity she had eagerly prepared for.
“They gave me months of advance notice in February for May,” Hall recalled.
But just two weeks before the interview, an executive producer delivered crushing news: she wouldn’t be allowed to do it.
Fighting back tears, Hall shared how the decision made her feel: “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.”
The reasoning? The producers feared she would “fangirl” and not conduct a strong enough interview. But Hall refused to back down.
“I had the presence of mind to be very calm. And I said, ‘Why not?’ And then I shut up,” she explained.
She calmly laid out her case, citing past successful interviews she had conducted. Her advocacy worked—she got the interview back.
That moment, and the later conversation she had with the producer who once doubted her, shaped Hall’s philosophy on leadership and growth.
“I told her, ‘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,’” Hall said.
Hall’s story is a powerful example of what it takes to succeed in industries where Black women are often underestimated. From her early days at Howard University to competing on Top Chef and co-hosting The Chew, her journey has been anything but conventional.
At 60 years old, Carla Hall continues to inspire, proving that it’s never too late to fight for your place—and to win.
