Top Chef Winner Kelsey Clark says the prize comes after personal sacrifice and ‘horrible’ separation from her baby, media sources

Kelsey Barnard Clark who was declared the Top Chef winner on Thursday night is sad that she had to pass through a horrible separation from her baby who in the same days started taking first steps as she could not see him for nine weeks, as per media sources.

The 29-year-old first-time mother had to leave her infant son in the care of her husband for the nine weeks in which she was away, making only three phone calls home during filming.

To take part in the highly competitive show she first had to quit breastfeeding, then while away she missed her son’s first steps.

Her son Monroe was just five months old when Kelsey was asked to take part. She doubted if she could leave him, but says her family was encouraging.

‘He was walking and he was not walking when I left. And I absolutely, honest to god, lost my s*** on the phone,’ Kelsey told People magazine. ‘I was just like, “I want to leave. This is horrible. What have I done? My child’s walking!” It put me into a spiral for days.’

In order to cope with the separation, Kelsey focused on why she was taking part – to give her son a better future.

‘The only way I could get through it would be to block out everything.’

But despite deciding it was for the best, Kelsey says she felt a lot of ‘guilt’.

‘It was pretty brutal… my mind was wack. I would wake up when I would normally wake up to feed. I would wake up three times a night like clockwork. It was extremely weird.’

And despite having the full support of the Top Chef crew, Kelsey still suffered.

‘I would wake up almost in a panic, like, “Where’s my baby? I don’t know what’s going on. Is he okay?” It’s almost like a lost arm. That’s how it would feel every night. Lack of sleep is not good for a body, especially in competition. I had a really hard time.’

Kelsey, owns a restaurant and catering business- KBC, in her hometown, was named fan favorite, as well as overall winner.

She is awarded prize money of $125,000.