Elle Simone Scott, a trailblazing chef who became the first Black woman cast member on PBS’s “America’s Test Kitchen,” died January 5, 2026, from ovarian cancer. She was 49.
Her family announced her death, which was first made public Wednesday on the America’s Test Kitchen Instagram account. Dan Souza, the show’s chief content officer, confirmed Scott died Sunday after a long battle with the disease.
“Scott brought warmth and a vibrant spirit to everything she did,” Souza said. “Her legacy will live on at America’s Test Kitchen and in the homes and hearts of the millions of home cooks whose lives she touched.”
Born LaShawnda Sherise Simone Scott on November 28, 1976, in Detroit, Michigan, Scott’s path to culinary stardom was unconventional. She worked as a social worker for seven years before the 2008 recession upended her life. During that economic downturn, Scott lost her home, car and job.
That devastating period prompted a life-changing realization. Scott moved to New York City in 2009 and attended the Culinary Institute of New York, enrolling in culinary school that same year after years of treating cooking as a passion rather than a profession. She had previously attended Eastern Michigan University.
Scott’s culinary journey included diverse experiences that shaped her approach to food. She worked for Norwegian Cruise Line for two years, gaining valuable kitchen experience in a high-volume environment. She completed an internship at Food Network, where she began building connections in the food media world. She also worked as a test cook and food stylist and catered for Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, one of New York’s most prestigious restaurant organizations.
In 2013, recognizing the lack of support and visibility for women of color in professional kitchens, Scott co-founded SheChef Inc., an organization dedicated to providing mentorship for women chefs of color. The initiative reflected her commitment to opening doors that had long remained closed to underrepresented communities in the culinary world.
Scott joined America’s Test Kitchen in 2016, making history as the program’s first Black woman cast member. The Boston-based show, known for its rigorous recipe testing and educational approach to cooking, became a platform for Scott to reach millions of home cooks. She served as executive editor at the organization, extending her influence beyond on-screen appearances.
That same year brought a devastating diagnosis. Scott was diagnosed with stage 1 ovarian cancer in 2016 at age 40. She underwent treatment and was cancer-free in 2020, but the disease ultimately returned.
Throughout her career, Scott became a prolific author and content creator. She published the cookbook “Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings” in 2022, followed by “Food Gifts: 150+ Irresistible Recipes” in 2024. She also hosted The Walk-In podcast, where she explored the realities of working in professional kitchens.
In 2019, Scott hosted the 28 Days of Edna series, a monthlong America’s Test Kitchen program focused on Edna Lewis, the renowned American chef and teacher whose work celebrating Southern cooking and African American culinary traditions has influenced generations of cooks.
Fellow chef Carla Hall paid tribute to Scott on social media, celebrating her friend’s groundbreaking career. “At America’s Test Kitchen, Elle helped open doors that had long been closed — becoming one of the first Black women audiences saw in the test kitchen, and doing so with grace, authority, and joy,” Hall wrote. “Her voice mattered. Her work mattered. She mattered.”
Scott’s impact extended beyond recipes and television appearances. She used her platform to advocate for issues affecting food access and equity, speaking openly about her own experiences and the systemic challenges facing communities of color. Her work with SheChef helped create networks and opportunities for women who might otherwise have struggled to break into an industry that has historically lacked diversity.
The culinary world has increasingly recognized the need for diverse voices and perspectives in recent years, but Scott was among those leading that charge well before it became a widespread conversation. Her presence on America’s Test Kitchen, a show with massive reach and influence in home cooking, represented a significant milestone for representation in food media.
Scott lived in Boston during her years with America’s Test Kitchen, becoming part of the city’s culinary community. Her work on the show included developing recipes, testing cooking techniques and creating educational content for the program’s online cooking school, helping home cooks across the country improve their skills and confidence in the kitchen.
Her cookbooks reflected her approach to food as both accessible and thoughtful. “Boards: Stylish Spreads for Casual Gatherings” spoke to the growing popularity of grazing boards and shareable appetizers, while “Food Gifts: 150+ Irresistible Recipes” tapped into the joy of creating homemade edible presents. Both books demonstrated Scott’s ability to identify culinary trends while making them approachable for home cooks.
The Walk-In podcast gave Scott another venue to explore the often-hidden realities of kitchen work, from the physical demands to the interpersonal dynamics that shape restaurant culture. The show’s title referenced the walk-in refrigerator or freezer found in professional kitchens, spaces that have become symbolic of both the behind-the-scenes nature of kitchen work and the brief moments of respite cooks find during intense service.
Scott’s advocacy for women of color in professional kitchens addressed longstanding inequities in an industry where leadership positions have been overwhelmingly held by white men. Professional kitchens have historically been challenging environments for women, with issues ranging from discrimination to hostile work cultures. For women of color, those challenges are often compounded by both gender and racial bias.
Through SheChef, Scott worked to create support systems and mentorship opportunities that could help women navigate these challenges and advance in their careers. The organization represented her understanding that systemic change requires both visibility and structural support — seeing someone who looks like you on television matters, but so does having guidance and connections in building a career.
Her openness about her cancer diagnosis and treatment also distinguished Scott’s public presence. Rather than keeping her health struggles private, she discussed them candidly, using her platform to raise awareness about ovarian cancer and advocate for other patients facing similar battles.
Scott’s career trajectory — from social worker to cruise ship cook to television personality and cookbook author — illustrated both her determination and the sometimes circuitous paths people take to find their calling. Her willingness to make a drastic career change in her thirties, particularly after experiencing significant hardship, spoke to her resilience and commitment to pursuing work that brought meaning to her life.
The loss of Scott at 49 represents not only the end of a life cut short but also the silencing of a voice that had become increasingly important in conversations about food, equity and representation. Her contributions to America’s Test Kitchen, her advocacy work and her mentorship of emerging culinary professionals created ripples that will continue to influence the industry for years to come.
As the food media landscape continues to evolve and grapple with questions of whose stories get told and who gets opportunities to build careers in culinary fields, Scott’s legacy serves as both inspiration and reminder of how much work remains to be done in creating truly inclusive spaces in professional kitchens and food media.
