Jackson Kalb had his work cut out for him during the 19th season of “Top Chef.”

The Los Angeles-based chef and restaurateur competed on the popular cooking competition series while suffering from long-haul effects of COVID-19.

Kalb contracted the disease weeks before the Emmy Award-winning show’s production ramped up.

Although the ailment didn’t cause him to miss out on the chance of a lifetime, he came to the table without necessities essential to any person making food: being able to taste and smell.

In an interview with People, Kalb described the minor handicap as a “one of the most stressful things” he ever encountered during the filming, which took place in Houston.

“I could not think of a single thing that would make this advantageous,” he confessed in an interview published Wednesday.

The new season of the popular Bravo series, hosted by Padma Lakshmi, followed the COVID-19 protocols used for the previous “Top Chef: Portland,” which required frequent tests for the coronavirus and masks to be worn by production staff.