Padma Lakshmi Shares The ‘Really Uncomfortable’ Thing She Won’t Miss About Hosting ‘Top Chef’

Padma Lakshmi hosted Top Chef from 2006 to earlier this year. That’s over 300 episodes of eating up to “eight or nine thousand calories a day.” But now that she’s stepped down, she’s reflecting on what she’ll miss about the show — and what she won’t (mostly the double Zuckerberg thing).

“It’s very hard, what I miss most is actually the people. When you spend 17 years on a show, 19 seasons, my daughter grew up on that set. I’ll miss almost everybody because they’re like family,” Lakshmi said on Tuesday’s episode of Good Morning America. “But what I won’t miss is the copious amounts of food in a very short time. I know it’s a high-class problem to have, but it can feel really uncomfortable, the long hours, eating all that food. I will not miss it.”

In her departure announcement, Laskshmi 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. After 17 years, many of the cast and crew are like family to me and I will miss working alongside them dearly. I feel it’s time to move on and need to make space for Taste the Nation, my books, and other creative pursuits.” Such as topical cakes.

You can watch the GMA interview below.

— Good Morning America (@GMA) August 15, 2023