Top Chef Host Leaving Series After 17 Years
Padma Lakshmi is leaving Top Chef to focus more on Taste the Nation.
Padma Lakshmi has been a familiar presence as the host of Top Chef for 17 years, but she will be hanging up the towel after the upcoming Season 20 finale. Variety reported on Lakshmi’s statement on Twitter, where she said, “After much soul searching, I have made the difficult decision to leave,” adding, “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.”
As for why Lakshmi is leaving, she said, “I feel it’s time to move on,” citing her desire to focus on her Hulu show Taste the Nation, her books, and her other creative pursuits.
Clearly, there was no bad blood behind her decision to leave Top Chef, as an NBCUniversal spokesperson also commented on the decision, saying, “She will always be part of the Top Chef and the NBCUniversal family and has a seat at the judges’ table anytime.” 17 years is certainly a long time to do anything, and although she will surely be missed by fans, it seems like Lakshmi is excited to take on her new creative endeavors. Of course, now the only question that remains is who will replace Lakshmi in the 21st season of the long-running Bravo competition show.
Padma Lakshmi first joined Top Chef in Season 2 of the show, hosting for 19 seasons alongside judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons. Lakshmi had an indelible impact and presence on the show, earning four Emmy nominations for outstanding reality show host and ten Emmy nominations for outstanding competition program as a producer throughout the course of her career. Fortunately, fans of Lakshmi won’t have to worry about her being missing from their small screens altogether, as her ten-episode Taste the Nation series just dropped its second season last month.
Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi follows the former Top Chef host as she explores the diverse food culture of various immigrant groups across America. The series currently has the first ten-episode season, the four-episode holiday special, and the second season available to stream on Hulu. Episodes in the second season include a trip to Puerto Rico, a trip to Houston focusing on Nigerian cuisine, a trip to San Francisco focusing on Filipino cuisine, and more.
Since Lakshmi is leaving to focus more on Taste the Nation, it seems likely we have more seasons of the show to come. As for Top Chef, the series plans on going full-speed ahead without Lakshmi as it has already been renewed for a 21st season. The current season, Top Chef: World All-Stars will air its finale on June 8, so we’ll get to see Lakshmi in the hosting shoes one more time.
Of course, it’s certainly possible that we haven’t seen the last of Lakshmi on Top Chef, as the spokesperson for NBCUniversal said that she is welcome back as a judge anytime. It definitely seems likely that she will appear for a guest judge spot at some point, but for now, it’s time for fans to say goodbye. Make sure to tune in for the finale on June 8 to see the results of the competition along with Lakshmi’s last episode as host.
