Silky Nutmeg Ganache

Silky Nutmeg Ganache (born December 31, 1990) is an American drag performer most known for competing on the eleventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race and on the sixth (2021) and eleventh (2026) seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. She has also been involved in numerous Drag Race spin-offs, including RuPaul's Drag Race: Vegas Revue (2020) and RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race (2022). She also competed in the first Canadian-based international All Stars spin-off series, Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World in 2022, finishing as the runner-up.

Early life and education Silky Nutmeg Ganache was born on December 31, 1990 as Reginald Homer Steele, into an African American Pentecostal family She came out to her family as gay when she was in her senior year of high school. Because of her Master's and PhD pursuit, she is often jokingly referred to as "The Reverend Dr. Silky Nutmeg Ganache". She had first discovered drag during her senior year of college, when, over spring break, she attended a drag show at nearby DePauw University. Her drag mother and mentor, Vanessa Ryan, later dubbed her "Silky" because she could be rough around the edges but also classy. One night, Silky went home where she watched the Food Network, and, while watching a program, she overheard the phrase "silky ganache." She added “nutmeg”, a nickname she had gained while working in food services to the name, and, from there, she would hence be known as "Silky Nutmeg Ganache". Silky Nutmeg Ganache graduated from Wabash College the same year. Prior to her time on RuPaul's Drag Race, she performed drag for six years, working at Hydrate, Roscoe's, Splash and Berlin in Boystown. She drank vodka the day she received the call to appear on Drag Race, ending a six-month abstention from alcohol. She won two main challenges, in episode four and eight. She portrayed Oprah Winfrey for her winning performance in Trump: The Rusical. Ts Madison, whom Silky Nutmeg Ganache portrayed in the season's Snatch Game challenge, praised Silky Nutmeg Ganache for her performance. In episode 11, Silky Nutmeg Ganache landed in the bottom two, where she sent home Nina West to TLC's "No Scrubs". In the season finale, held in Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theatre, Silky Nutmeg Ganache was a part of the final four, and lip-synced against Brooke Lynn Hytes to Destiny's Child's "Bootylicious", which she lost, finishing the competition in 3rd/4th place alongside A'keria Chanel Davenport. On July 24, 2019, Silky Nutmeg Ganache performed alongside Iggy Azalea at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. Silky Nutmeg Ganache guest starred in Germany's Next Topmodel, alongside fellow RuPaul's Drag Race alum Derrick Barry and Vanessa Vanjie Mateo. She appeared in a music video for Lizzo's song "Juice" on April 17, 2019.

From March 26 to September 6, she was a part of the rotating cast for RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 11 Tour, presented by Voss Events and World of Wonder, and hosted by Asia O'Hara. The show kicked off in Los Angeles on May 26 during the RuPaul's DragCon LA wrap party (hosted by Drag Race judge Michelle Visage) and concluded with a final bow on September 6 in New York City (also hosted by Visage) at the top of RuPaul’s DragCon NYC. In 2020, she was featured in Magnus Hastings' Rainbow Revolution photography book.

Silky Nutmeg Ganache starred in her own series on WOWPresents Plus series entitled Shantay You Pray, a series exploring her relationship with religion, which aired four episodes in October 2020. She is also set to star in Nightmare Neighbors with Silky & Vanjie, another WOWPresents series with Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, a docuseries chronicling their life together as they move into the same apartment. As of July 2023, this series is yet to be released.

Silky was announced to be one of thirteen contestants competing on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars on May 26, 2021. She was eliminated in the third episode, placing 11th overall. Soon after her elimination, she released Cocktails for a Queen, an alcoholic beverage recipe book inspired by Drag Race alum. She returned in the tenth episode as a part of the "Game Within a Game" twist, making "herstory" as the queen with most lip-syncs in a single episode, with seven, and the most lip-sync wins in a single episode with six.

Silky was announced to be one of the nine contestants competing on the first season of Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World on October 17, 2022. Silky won 2 maxi challenges and placed in the bottom once, where Rita Baga sent home Vanity Milan (in place of Silky Nutmeg Ganache) after winning the lip-sync against Victoria Scone to ”Freak” by Estelle featuring Kardinal Offishall. Silky eventually placed runner up in the season after losing the lip-sync for the crown of Celine Dion’s cover of “River Deep – Mountain High” to Ra'Jah O'Hara.

In 2024, she was announced as one of eight former Drag Race contestants participating in Painting with Raven, a spin-off of the WOW Presents Plus series Painted with Raven.

In April 2026, Silky was confirmed to be competing on the eleventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in the second bracket. Her season 11 and All Stars season 6 castmate A'keria C. Davenport and season 11 castmate Shuga Cain are also competing on the season.

Personal life Ganache is a registered Republican, although she does not hold conservative political views. In the Drag Race episode "Trump: The Rusical", she explained that this is because of party gerrymandering and "gentrification and movement of the districts", and stated that despite her official party affiliation, she does not vote for Republican politicians. She says "It's very important that people realize that if you want to stop that within the political process, get smarter than them. Register as a Republican, and they'll have to redo everything."

After her run on Drag Race, Silky Nutmeg Ganache later revealed that due to the online hate and abuse she received, she fell into a depression and nearly quit drag.

Filmography Television Year Title Role Notes 2019 RuPaul's Drag Race Contestant 3rd/4th place; Season 11 (14 episodes) 2021, 2023 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Contestant 11th place; Season 6 (4 episodes)Lip Sync Assassin; Season 8 (1 episode) RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: UntuckedHerself Season 3 (4 episodes) Season 5 (1 episode)2022 RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race Guest; Season 2, episode 4 Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World Contestant Runner-up; Season 1, 6 episodes 2023 RuPaul's Drag Race UKHerself Special guest; Episode: "Tickety-Boo" 2025 Drag House Rules Main cast; 6 episodes Slaycation Main cast; Season 2, 6 episodes RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 11)

Web series Year Title Role Notes 2019Queen to QueenHerselfWith Vanessa Mateo and A'keria Chanel Davenport Meet the QueensHerselfStand-alone specialRuPaul's Drag Race Season 11 Whatcha Packin''' Herself Guest Countdown to the Crown|Herself Season 11 Cosmo Queens|Herself Cosmopolitan Series Remember That Time|Herself Guest Be$ties for Ca$h|Herself With Vanessa Vanjie Mateo

Elevate Your Slay|Herself Guest Silky's Snack Shack|Herself Host Shantay You Pray|Herself Host

Meet the Queens|Herself Stand-alone specialRuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars 6 Whatcha Packin'|Herself Guest Ruvealing the Look|Herself Guest Trixie Cosmetics TV|Herself Guest; Episode: "Kiki with Silky Nutmeg Ganache"

The Pit Stop|Herself Guest Binge Queens|Herself RuPaul's Drag Race: UK series 4 Meet the Queens|Herself Stand-alone specialCanada's Drag Race: Canada vs The World EW News Flash|Herself Guest with Ra'Jah O'Hara

Give It To Me Straight|Herself Guest

Kerri Kares|Herself Special guest; Episodes: "Fabulosity - Part One" & "Fabulosity - Part Two"

Unpacked with Jan Sport| Herself Guest; Podcast

2024 House of Laughs''HerselfWOWPresents Plus original

Music videos Year Title Artist 2019 "Juice" Lizzo 2020"Hype" Yvie Oddly 2021"Wig Remix" Serena ChaCha 2021"Silky"Cuee

Discography Featured singles Title Year Album "Queens Everywhere" (RuPaul featuring A'keria Chanel Davenport, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, Vanessa Mateo, & Yvie Oddly)2019rowspan="2" "Bonjour, Hi!" (SRV Version) (The cast of Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs the World)2022

Awards and nominations Year Award ceremony Category Work Results Ref.2020The QueertiesFuture All-StarHerself