‘Kitchen Glow Up’ Is Our New Favorite Kitchen Renovation Show

A new kitchen renovation show is hitting our screens, and we cannot wait to see how designers have turned the before photos into the afters.

Tastemade brings us Kitchen Glow Up, an original series in which chef Ellen Marie Bennett reimagines kitchens with homeowners to give them everything they need to host and cook a perfect meal.

“With an emphasis on function, each kitchen is transformed into a beautifully designed space fit for a chef without spending a fortune,” according to a press email.

“Across the eight-episode series, Ellen will show viewers creative techniques to give their own kitchens a ‘glow up’ without breaking the bank.”

And she knows what she’s talking about—Bennett is a professional cook, designer, and the founder and Chief Brand Officer at Hedley & Bennett, a leading Los Angeles-based culinary brand. She went to culinary school in Mexico City and has cooked in two Michelin Star restaurants.

So it’s safe to say she’s worked in her share of kitchens, and she knows what works, and what doesn’t—both from a design perspective, and from a functionality perspective.

We got an exclusive look at some of the before-and-after kitchen renovations from the TV show.

Before: Lacking Potential

In one beautiful renovation project, Bennett works with Kat Turner, a partner and chef at the Los Angeles restaurant Highly Likely and one of Bennett’s friends. The kitchen has good bones—plenty of storage space and natural light abound. But it’s all black and white, which makes the space look smaller than it actually is. And aesthetically, it’s not reaching its full potential. 

After: Bright and Spacious

After Bennett’s renovation, the kitchen is hardly recognizable. If we thought the kitchen had lots of storage space before the makeover, there’s now even more than we could have imagined. The unexpected use of red paint on the cabinets brings the entire space together, complete with a new kitchen island and a beautiful rug to tie it all into one cohesive space.

Before: Pretty Yet Impersonal

Not all of the guests on Kitchen Glow Up are also kitchen aficionados. Stephanie Hernandez, a new mom who likes cooking, wanted a space to make more memories. She purchased her home in 2022 in the middle of the pandemic, and she loved it at first. But she felt like it was time to reimagine the home—particularly the kitchen. 

After: Vibrant and Thoughtful Design

With Bennett’s help, the once boring kitchen got a total facelift. Vibrant, blue, and exciting, the new kitchen has more storage, thoughtful design, and color abound.

“Whether Ellen and her team are creating a space that can effectively feed a growing family or helping a grown daughter clean out her parent’s overflowing kitchen, each homeowner’s unique emotional connection to their kitchens creates a must-see final reveal in every episode,” said the press email.

You can watch Kitchen Glow Up and see how Bennett does it on the Tastemade streaming channel on Tastemade+, Roku, Google TV, Youtube TV, and more on Tuesday, May 28, at 7 p.m. EST.