Kristen Kish is the new Top Chef host.Photo:Bravo
Bravo
Top Chefis passing the torch to a new host.
On Tuesday, Bravo announced that a franchise fan favorite,Kristen Kish, is the show’s new host and will succeedPadma Lakshmi.
Kish, who wonTop Chefseason 10 in Seattle, has frequently appeared on later seasons as a guest judge, becoming a staple personality in the cooking competition show. Since her win, she’s also taken part in new projects like co-hosting Netflix’sIron Chef: Quest For An Iron LegendalongsideAlton Brownand hosting NatGeo’sRestaurants at the End of the World.
Bravo also revealed that season 21 will take place in Wisconsin. Kish will join judgesGail SimmonsandTom Colicchioas they watch chefs from around the country battle it out in Milwaukee and Madison.
“Top Chefis where I started my journey – first as a competing chef, then a guest judge and now as host I have the honor of helping to continue to build this brand,” Kish said in a statement announcing the news. “I’m thrilled to sit alongsideGail and Tomas we get to know new incredible chefs and see what they cook up. It feels like coming home."
Kristen Kish and wife Bianca Dusic.Paul Morigi/Getty
Lakshmiwished her replacement well on Instagramshortly after Kish was announced.
“I’m so proud of you@KristenLKishand am over the moon that you’ll be taking over for me on Top Chef!!! I’ll be rooting for you and our whole crew next season. Congratulations!!!” she wrote.
The new hosting gig comes after Lakshmi announced herdeparture from the showin June after 17 years and 19 seasons.
“After much soul searching, I have made the difficult decision to leaveTop Chef,” Lakshmi wrote on Instagram at the time. “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."
“I feel it’s time to move on and make space forTaste the Nation,my books and other creative pursuits," Lakshmi added of her award-winning Hulu series, now inits second season.
Lakshmi has starred on the series since its second season, which aired in 2006.Katie Lee Biegel hosted season 1.
Padma Lakshmi on Top Chef.David Moir/Bravo via Getty Images
David Moir/Bravo via Getty Images
Later in June, Lakshmi spoke with PEOPLE about the difficult decision to leave.
Overall, she said that she has “such deep feelings about” leaving — so many, in fact, that she said, “it’s too hard to go into it all.”
Top Chef judges Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio with Padma Lakshmi.Fred Jagueneau/Bravo via Getty
Fred Jagueneau/Bravo via Getty
Lakshmi’s last season saw cheftestants compete in London. For the first time ever, season 20 featured 16 all-star chefs picked from the original U.S. series and its 29 international versions (France, Canada, the Middle East, and Brazil, to name a few).
Buddha Lowas crowned the first-everTop ChefWorld All-Star. The Chinese-Australian chef, who also wonTop Chefseason 19, spoke with PEOPLE after the finale about what his win meant to him.
“It’s a monumental season with a monumental finish,” Lo said, noting the difference of this season versus his last. “One time, you could be on the bottom. One time, you could be on top. It was a much harder season, even though that I won a few of the challenges. But still very hard."
source: people.com
