Former Bachelor contestant Jaimi King may not have won Nick Viall’s heart, but she certainly won America’s with her wit and candidness about her bisexuality. King--who is a chef from New Orleans--is the first contestant in the franchise to admit to not being straight, something that has changed the ways of the show for good. Gone are the days where an array of bombshell blondes lined up to fight for their future fiance; The Bachelor now allows more diverse women to participate. The fact that Jaimi granted viewers permission to view her limitless pursuit of love has inspired many in the LGBTQ community. In our interview, we talked about Jaimi’s adventure on the series, her bravery in opening up about her sexuality to America, and why it was so important to her to speak out.

How did your journey on The Bachelor begin?

I decided to submit an application for The Bachelor because my friend and roommate at the time was going to the casting call and basically pressured me to fill out an application. She knew I watched the show and thought it would be fun to get all dressed up and go to the audition. And look where it got me!

What was your favorite group date that you went on?

My favorite group date was in Waukesha, Wisconsin. We went to this cute little farm and I could tell we were milking cows. I have always wanted to milk a cow since I could remember, so I was super excited about that day.

What was your favorite place to travel to on the show?

Well, while we filmed I lived in New Orleans and we also had the opportunity to travel to New Orleans. Even though I did not like the group date that we had in New Orleans, New Orleans is still one of my favorite places. I also was sent home in an Uber in New Orleans.

How did you feel about Nick back then? How do you feel about him now?

I liked Nick back when he first made his debut on Andi’s season. I thought he was different and quirky. After that, my feelings about him changed a bit. I didn’t like how he put Andi’s business out there on Men Tell All and then how he came onto Kaitlyn’s season. When he was on Paradise, I felt like he was trying to repair his image, and I think it worked. But when I met him, he seemed like a bit of a know it all. Like he had been around the block a few times, and yes, he had been. I think he was trying to be comforting because he could tell all of us women were a bit uncomfortable with the cameras and direction. It just didn’t come off that way. 

Who was your closest friend when you were on the show?

My closest friend and hotel buddy (when we traveled, we had to share hotel rooms), was Alexis [Waters]. She and I laughed a lot and didn’t take anything too seriously. We also shared a room in the mansion. I got along great with Dominique [Alexis] as well, even though she was sent home pretty early. 

After The Bachelor ended, you decided to give love another shot on Bachelor in Paradise. How did your experience in Paradise differ from your first experience in the franchise?

I loved Paradise much more. Although I wasn’t on the show for long, I was more relaxed and the vibes were much more my speed there.

Would you ever go back to Paradise again?

I would definitely go back. I don’t think I had enough time to find love.

Do you hope to speak out about being bisexual more now that you’re a public figure?

I would love to speak out about my sexuality. If I inspire just one person, I think it would be worth it.

What are you up to now?

After being on the show, I moved back to Los Angeles to be closer to family and my long-time friends. I’m still a pastry chef and I decorate cakes on the side. I started an Instagram for my cakes a while back and I’ve recently gotten back into that since I’m back in L.A. and single. I also started an Instagram where I review restaurants, since I’ll be checking out a ton of spots while dating.

Follow Jaimi on Social Media:

Instagram: @msjaimiking, @mskingcakes, and @thebeforeandafterplate

Twitter: @kingjaims