For 17 years on Top Chef — since the Bravo cooking competition’s second season — there’s been one consistent voice leading the contestants and ultimately telling them to “Pack your knives and go.” That era is coming to an end, as Padma Lakshmi has announced she is leaving the franchise, explaining in a statement why she felt now was the right time.
Top Chef: World All-Stars is nearing the end of its season, where Padma Lakshmi will be among the esteemed panelists who crown an overall winner from a cast of returning Top Chef champions and finalists from competitions around the world. It will apparently be a bittersweet ending, though, as the longtime host announced that the 20th season of the show will be her last. In a social media statement, Lakshmi said:
Having completed a glorious 20th season as host and executive producer, I am extremely proud to have been part of building such a successful show and of the impact it has had in the worlds of television and food. After 17 years, many of the cast and crew are like family to me and I will miss working alongside them dearly. I feel it’s time to move on and need to make space for Taste the Nation, my books and other creative pursuits.
She ended her message by thanking all of her fans for their love and support. There’s obviously no word at this point who might take over as the host who announces, “Hands up, utensils down!” following the end of each challenge, but the show has featured several worthy chefs who might be up to the task. There are, of course, also Padma Lakshmi's fellow judges, Tom Colicchio — who hosts the companion web series Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen — and Gail Simmons, who have both been with the competition since Season 1.
As she mentioned in her statement, Padma Lakshmi also hosts and executive produces Taste the Nation, which can be streamed with a Hulu subscription. She created the travel and food docuseries in 2020, and it sounds like that’s one of her projects that she wants to create more time for going forward. The Top Chef host also has written six books, including a memoir, a children’s book, cookbooks and an encyclopedia of spices and herbs, so there may be more to come in that department as well, when she officially steps away from the Bravo competition series.
You can see Padma Lakshmi’s full statement below:
This is pretty surprising news, and it's definitely a sad day for Top Chef fans and contestants. However, we surely all wish the best for Padma Lakshmi. Whatever pursuits await her, fans of the show will be excited to support her in those endeavors. Until then, though, we can enjoy her final episodes on Top Chef: World All-Stars, which airs at 9 p.m. ET Thursdays on Bravo and can be streamed with a Peacock subscription. Be sure to also check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what premieres are headed our way soon.
