Culinary Icon Padma Lakshmi Bids Farewell to Top Chef, Gears Up for New CBS Series

Padma Lakshmi, the celebrated 55-year-old chef and television personality, is preparing to bid farewell to her long-running role as host of Bravo's Top Chef. After 19 seasons at the helm of the popular cooking competition show, Lakshmi announced in June 2023 that the 20th season would be her last.

In a recent interview, Lakshmi opened up about her experiences in the spotlight and the unique challenges she has faced as a woman in the culinary industry. Despite her success, Lakshmi has had to contend with the public's fixation on her appearance, as well as skepticism from male chefs who questioned her credentials as a non-chef host.

However, Lakshmi is not slowing down. She is set to return to the small screen in 2026 as the host of a new cooking competition series, "America's Culinary Cup," which will air on CBS. While the specifics of the show have not yet been revealed, Lakshmi has assured fans that it will be quite different from Top Chef, with a focus on a wider range of cuisines.

Despite her competitive nature, Lakshmi has no plans to join the contestants on her new show. "I'm hyper-competitive, but no. I mean, it's not my bag. I don't cook to impress," she said. "I cook to make people happy and comforted. My job is to tell you how to make something when I'm not standing in the room with you."