"She is a strong force" — Yes, Chef! star Michelle Francis reflects on Martha Stewart's influence

Yes, Chef! contestant Michelle Francis recently spoke about her experience working alongside host and judge Martha Stewart on the NBC culinary competition series. She also reflected on Martha's influence and the lessons she learned from her. In an interview with Cine Geek, uploaded on YouTube on May 24, 2025, Michelle spoke at length about how important it was working with Martha.

While speaking of Stewart and how it influenced her, Michelle said:

"You know, she is a strong force. She's the queen of branding. She's two years younger than my mother, you know, so it's like she is a force to be reckoned with."

The Yes, Chef! star added that she admired Martha's resilience and her dedication toward her work. Michelle noted that she felt inspired by Martha's ability to pick herself up and continue striving despite life's challenges, referring to Martha's 2004 arrest on charges of lying about a stock sale, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice.

Michelle further mentioned that Martha's "chutzpah" influenced her and many others to push their limits and never give up on their dreams.

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Yes, Chef! alum Michelle Francis talks about watching herself on TV and what she learned from that

Apart from Martha, Michelle was equally complimentary about Yes, Chef!'s other judge, José Andrés. While speaking of him, the chef appreciated his humanitarian nature and said she learned significantly while working alongside him on television. However, she added that competing on a reality show taught her more.

Michelle admitted it was an "out-of-body experience" to watch herself on screen. She confessed she was not accustomed to the reality TV experience and did not know how others would perceive her. Watching the show back, the Yes, Chef! contestant noted that:

"You're looking at yourself and you're like, 'God, do I really look like that? Oh my God, I should probably not make that face anymore. Oh, my hair looks really bad there.'"

Consequently, she added that since she was unaware of how people perceived her, she became more "aware of that," of her appearance and conduct.

Michelle confessed that Yes, Chef! made her "more aware" of how she interacted with people and how she needed to change that. She further mentioned that the culinary competition series made her realize that she needed to "work on" herself and not repeat the same behavioral patterns.

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Michelle Francis opens up about competing against Chef Katsuji

Before speaking about her experience with Chef Katsuji, Michelle reminded viewers he was "an amazing chef," who should not be underestimated. However, she felt he was a "little insecure," affecting his behavior in the competition. Regardless, she praised his skills and said:

"He's a great man, he's a great chef."

Michelle further mentioned that every contestant on the NBC show was talented and had their "own little personalities" and "little quirks." She encouraged viewers not to stop watching the competition show, even though she was eliminated in the episode aired on May 12, stating a "new thing" would happen each week, maintaining the momentum of the series.

"So, you have to pay attention. You have to watch every week," she added.

Michelle added that the show would have "twists and turns and monkey wrenches." She concluded by saying she was "in awe" of her fellow contestants and their work experience and talent, deeming her experience "great."

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Yes, Chef! episodes air every Monday on NBC and are available to stream on Peacock.