Padma Lakshmi Looks Back at What Made ‘Top Chef’ So Compelling: ‘It’s Not Always the Best Chef That Wins’

Kevin and Franklin Jonas finally put to bed the hotly contested debate on which brother is the best-looking. Or did they?Ahead of the season 2 premiere of their competition series,  on ABC, the brothers sat with ET's Cassie DiLaura and played an intense game of «Sip or Spill,» which posed the «subjective» question. And they answered.

Kevin and Frankie Jonas finally put to bed the hotly contested debate on which brother is the best-looking. Or did they?Ahead of the season 2 premiere of their competition series,  on ABC, the brothers sat with ET's Cassie DiLaura and played an intense game of «Sip or Spill,» which posed the «subjective» question. And they answered.

Pride Month is more than halfway over, but we’re still celebrating all sorts of LGBTQ+ art! That means that we’ve been playing music from some of our favorite queer hitmakers on repeat.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is ready to get into politics again. The Hollywood star says he “could win” the presidential election if he was eligible to run, as he has many ideas from his previous experience as governor of California between 2003 and 2011, and thinks he could “bring the nation together.”The 75-year-old actor would not be eligible as a candidate as he was born in Austria, and he is required to be a natural-born US citizen to participate in the election. During a recent conversation with Chris Wallace, the star was asked if he would consider running for president if he was allowed.

Charna Flam This year’s Critics Choice Real TV Awards honored shows “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars,” “Top Chef,” and “Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi,” with each series taking home two awards. All three shows won in the Best Show Host category, as RuPaul tied with Padma Lakshmi for both “Taste the Nation” and “Top Chef.” “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” took home the award for best ensemble cast in an unscripted series, while “Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi” was awarded best structured series and “Top Chef” won best culinary show. The annual event continues to recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms.

Padma Lakshmi is opening up about preparing for her photoshoot for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

Paramount+ spinoff RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, Hulu’s Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi and Bravo veteran Top Chef led the field with two wins apiece at the fifth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards, which were revealed today.

If you were ever questioning just how powerful Christopher Nolan is in Hollywood, look no further than the situation that developed between the filmmaker and Warner Bros. during the pandemic.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor In the past few years, Hollywood has taken great strides to increase AAPI representation on screen, with a record number of Asians landing Emmy nominations and wins, from Sandra Oh’s recognition for “Killing Eve” to “Squid Game” picking up six trophies, including Lee Jung-jae for best actor in a drama series. This awards season, more AAPI actors fight for history-making nominations, including Ali Wong for “Beef” and the ensemble cast of “Yellowjackets.” Former nominees contending again this year are “Saturday Night Live’s” Bowen Yang and “Ted Lasso’s” Nick Mohammed.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains spoilers from the Season 20 finale of Bravo’s “Top Chef.” Buddha Lo became the first ever “Top Chef: World All-Stars” winner Thursday, beating out his finale competition Sara Bradley and Gabri Rodriguez in the Paris-set “Top Chef” Season 20 finale. But Lo’s win was historic beyond that special 20th anniversary season achievement, as he became the first “Top Chef” contestant to ever win two seasons back to back, having claimed victory in Season 19, “Top Chef: Houston.” Adding another layer of prestige, Lo has the honor of being the final contestant to be declared winner by Padma Lakshmi before she exits the cooking competition after 19 seasons as host.

pic.twitter.com/3h9WcVhpAuIn an interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace that aired earlier Thursday, Lakshmi reflected on her time at “Top Chef” and pinpointed what exactly the secret sauce is that makes the reality cooking show so popular and sustainable. “I think it’s because of the contestants,” she said. “I think they’re the real stars of our show.

Alison Herman TV Critic This is going to sound like a backhanded compliment, but I mean it: One of Padma Lakshmi’s most valuable skills as the host of “Top Chef” — a major part of what will be missed when Lakshmi departs the show after the June 8 finale — is product placement. In the crowded, sometimes tawdry world of reality competitions, “Top Chef” is unique in its credibility. The show is effective entertainment, but over 20 seasons in 17 years, the Bravo mainstay has also established itself as an arbiter of taste on par with the Michelin guide. Some of that authority comes from longevity; some from Lakshmi’s fellow judges, chef Tom Colicchio and editor Gail Simmons; some from casting, which has generated a talent pool so formidable that the show frequently circles back to its own alumni, including for this season’s London-set World All Stars. But a great deal of it comes from Lakshmi, a presence so commanding she can deliver phrases like “the Glad family of products” and “furnished by San Pellegrino” without disrupting the show’s carefully constructed sense of gravitas.

Gail Simmons is sharing her thoughts on Padma Lakshmi‘s decision to exit Top Chef.

Padma Lakshmi announced Friday she was leaving after 17 years following the current season, surprising fans of the beloved Bravo cooking competition series.The 52-year-old food expert and author, whose name has become synonymous with the Emmy-winning program, shared in an emotional message on social media that she came to the «difficult decision» to exit after «much soul searching.» Lakshmi's surprise announcement comes just one week before the finale of season 20,, is set to air. «Having completed a glorious 20th season as host and executive producer,» she wrote, «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.»But what some fans may not know is Lakshmi, who hosts Hulu's food travel series , wasn't with the cooking competition show when it debuted in March 2006. The TV personality replaced cookbook author and food critic Katie Lee, who lasted only one season as host, in the sophomore cycle — and the rest is history. According to 's oral history of , which was published in May, Lakshmi had actually met with executives at NBCUniversal before the cooking competition show even premiered, pitching a dinner party series.

Padma Lakshmi announced Friday she was leaving after 17 years following the current season, surprising fans of the beloved Bravo cooking competition series.The 52-year-old food expert and author, whose name has become synonymous with the Emmy-winning program, shared in an emotional message on social media that she came to the «difficult decision» to exit after «much soul searching.» Lakshmi's surprise announcement comes just one week before the finale of season 20,, is set to air. «Having completed a glorious 20th season as host and executive producer,» she wrote, «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.»But what some fans may not know is Lakshmi, who hosts Hulu's food travel series , wasn't with the cooking competition show when it debuted in March 2006. The TV personality replaced cookbook author and food critic Katie Lee, who lasted only one season as host, in the sophomore cycle — and the rest is history. According to 's oral history of , which was published in May, Lakshmi had actually met with executives at NBCUniversal before the cooking competition show even premiered, pitching a dinner party series.

A post shared by Padma Lakshmi (@padmalakshmi)Following the annoucement, a NBCUniversal spokesperson told People magazine: "Padma Lakshmi leaves behind an incredible legacy on Bravo's Top Chef. Her impact on the Emmy, James Beard and Critics' Choice Award-winning series is undeniable.  We are grateful to Padma for being a consummate host, judge and executive producer, and for bringing her ingenuity and exceptional palate to each episode where she ate every bite of food on the series for over 17 years and 19 seasons.  She will always be part of the Top Chef and the NBCUniversal family and has a seat at the judges' table anytime."  On the heels of the Instagram post, many of Padma's celebrity pals weighed in. "End of an era and an incredible run.

After nearly two decades, Padma Lakshmi is hanging up her chef hat as she announces her departure from NBC’s “Top Chef”.

A post shared by Padma Lakshmi (@padmalakshmi)Bravo issued a statement on Lakshmi’s departure, saying, “Padma Lakshmi leaves behind an incredible legacy on Bravo’s ‘Top Chef.’ Her impact on the Emmy, James Beard and Critics’ Choice Award-winning series is undeniable. We are grateful to Padma for being a consummate host, judge and executive producer, and for bringing her ingenuity and exceptional palate to each episode where she ate every bite of food on the series for over 17 years and 19 seasons. She will always be part of the ‘Top Chef’ and the NBCUniversal family and has a seat at the judges’ table anytime.”Though Lakshmi came to be the face of the Bravo competition series, she wasn’t its original host. “Top Chef’s” first season was presented by chef Katie Lee with Lakshmi taking over the role in 2006.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Padma Lakshmi is exiting “Top Chef.” The reality show host announced on social media that “Top Chef” Season 20 will be her last run with the beloved Bravo cooking competition series. Lakshmi’s news arrives just a week before the Season 20 finale. “After much soul searching, I have made the difficult decision to leave ‘Top Chef,'” Lakshmi wrote in a statement. “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,” she continued. “I feel it’s time to move on and need to make space for ‘Taste the Nation,’ my books and other creative pursuits. I am deeply thankful to all of you for so many years of love and support. Sincerely, Padma.”

Padma Lakshmi is saying goodbye to Top Chef.