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 …
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.
To fans, Lakshmi is the face and voice of “Top Chef.” It’s Lakshmi whose narration lays out the competition’s stakes every episode. It’s Lakshmi who presides over the weekly Quickfires in addition to the main challenge, getting more face time with cast members and tastes of their food than any other judge. And it’s Lakshmi who tells eliminated contestants to pack their knives and go, a catchphrase she delivers with an inflection that changes based on context.
We already know what “Top Chef” can look like without Lakshmi, because we’ve seen it. After pitching Bravo on a dinner party concept that didn’t pan out, the former model and cookbook author was offered the job, but had to decline at first due to an acting job.
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