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Indian-American author and television host Padma Lakshmi revealed in an interview with Harpers Bazaar, why she dropped out of Top Chef after 19 seasons. Apart from being a host she also served other roles in several seasons of the show. For three seasons, she was the consulting producer, while for another seven she was the executive producer.
However, after being so deeply involved with the reality competition TV series, Padma Lakshmi left in 2023 after the 19th season. She said,
"You can have it all, but you can’t have it all at once. I didn’t have a lot of time for a social life."
Indian-American television host Padma Lakshmi finally opens up about her decision to leave the show, after about a year
Padma Lakshmi, 53, was just 35 years old when she started hosting Top Chef. Lakshmi worked as the host of the show for its next 19 seasons, until June 2023, when she announced that she was going to quit. After about a year, the Easy Exotic author recalls why she had to make such a decision.
Lakshmi revealed how her work took a toll on her health. She reportedly gained about 10 to 15 pounds over a period of just six weeks, each year. In the interview, the 53-year-old host and author talks about reaching her limit after doing 19 seasons of the show. She added:
"Nobody tells you that about perimenopause. Your tits get huge."
Talking about her current health status, Lakshmi said that she now spends a lot of time in the gym to be healthy, since her metabolism isn't what it used to be when she was younger.
While the show was physically exhausting for her, she also revealed another major reason for her decision that shocked fans. Padma Lakshmi has a daughter, 14-year-old Krishna, who she wants to spend more time with. She added:
"I think I knew by a very precise moment."
Apart from being the host of Top Chef, Lakshmi is also known for starting her own TV show and writing several books.
Lakshmi expresses her gratefulness for the cook show that gave her a loyal fan base
The TV host has, however, shown gratitude towards the show that she hosted for so many seasons. She stated how her daughter Krishna grew up on the sets of Top Chef. Lakshmi said,
"I’m really proud of the legacy I helped build in all these countries around the world and for two generations of young people."
She also said,
"I didn’t know what an amuse-bouche was, and for that reason I will always root for Top Chef. That’s my family; Krishna grew up on that set. I like to think that I had something to do with the success, but it was time to move on."
It is this show that made Lakshmi a household name. Fans loved her banters with fellow judges and her empathetic yet strict judgment and guidance to the participants.
Lakshmi, before becoming a part of the cooking show, was mostly known as an ex-model and the wife of Salman Rushdie, an Indian-British novelist. In the interview with Harper's Bazaar, Lakshmi said,
"A lot of my fans now don’t even know I was married to him."
Her new show on Hulu, Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi, offers something completely different than Top Chef. In this show, which has already aired its two seasons, Lakshmi travels to various US states and gives an insight into the indigenous food of different communities.
Lakshmi's show first began in 2020, so she was still a host for Top Chef. In the same interview, Lakshmi spoke about her dating life, where she said,
"I just want to find the male version of me."
Padma Lakshmi has authored some books such as Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet: A World of Recipes for Every Day and Tomatoes for Neela. After her exit, season ten winner Kristen Kish has become the new host.
