‘Top Chef’ Taps Season 10 Winner Kristen Kish As Host To Replace Padma Lakshmi

Denise Petski
·3 min read
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Bravo has found its new host for Top Chef. Season 10 winner Kristen Kish will take the reins for the hit culinary competition show’s 21st season following the exit of longtime host Padma Lakshmi.

Kish will join head judge Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons for the upcoming season of the Emmy, James Beard and Critics’ Choice Award-winning series. Colicchio and Simmons both serve as executive producers.  Lakshmi formerly served as host for the last 19 seasons.

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Per Bravo’s release, the culinary competition lands in the heart of Wisconsin for Season 21 as a new batch of talented chefs from across the country battle it out for the coveted title. With a backdrop of picturesque landscapes, acres of farmland, miles of shoreline and vibrant urban communities, the cheftestants will explore the fresh flavors and local bounty of this rising culinary destination.

“Top Chef is 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. “I’m thrilled to sit alongside Gail and Tom as we get to know new incredible chefs and see what they cook up. It feels like coming home.”

“Kristen Kish represents everything that makes Top Chef incredibly special,” said Ryan Flynn, Senior Vice President, Current Production, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.  “She’s an acclaimed chef and her experience as a cheftestant, winner and judge, alongside her culinary curiosity, makes Kristen the perfect host for the next chapter of Top Chef as we take on a new region of the country we haven’t explored.”

Casey Kriley and Jo Sharon, Co-CEO’S of Magical Elves, added, “Kristen is a beloved part of the Top Chef family, and we’re thrilled to have her join and bring to the competition her unique, fresh and global culinary perspective, as well as her true passion for food.  We look forward to Season 21 and know our incoming chefs will be inspired by the bourgeoning culinary scene in Milwaukee and Madison known for blending tradition with innovation and utilizing farm fresh ingredients.”

“We are honored to be able to welcome Top Chef to Wisconsin for its upcoming season. said Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers. We’re proud to be known here for our rich food culture, talented chefs and exceptional local ingredients. I know our diverse culinary traditions will help inspire the participants, captivate viewers and showcase all of the great things Wisconsin has to offer.”

Born in South Korea and adopted into a family in Kentwood, MI, Kish showed an affinity for cooking at a young age, and, prompted by her mother, attended Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago. After culinary school, Kish spent the next 10 years in Boston honing her skills in several high-profile restaurants, ultimately becoming the Chef de Cuisine at a Relais & Chateaux property. After winning the Season 10 Top Chef title in 2012-13, Kish went on to co-host 36 Hours, a Travel Channel show that partnered with The New York Times to bring the popular newspaper column of the same name to television. In 2017, Kish released her first cookbook, Kristen Kish Cooking: Recipes and Techniques, and in 2018 partnered with Line Hotels to launch her first restaurant, Arlo Grey in Austin, Texas. Kish is the co-star of Fast Foodies, a co-host of Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend and the host and producer of Restaurants at the End of the World.

Top Chef is produced by Emmy-winning Magical Elves with Casey Kriley, Jo Sharon, Doneen Arquines, Hillary Olsen and Tracy Tong serving as executive producers.

 

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