After 19 seasons of hosting the long-running food competition series "Top Chef", Padma Lakshmi has officially handed over the reigns to Kristen Kish, the winner of the series' tenth season. Kish will join longtime judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons in Wisconsin for Season 21. Bravo reports that the main locations will be Milwaukee and Madison.
"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 wrote in a statement. "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."
Kish was born in South Korea and was raised by her adopted family in Michigan prior to attending culinary school. A veteran of Barbara Lynch restaurants in Boston before winning "Top Chef," Kish opened an Austin, Texas restaurant called Arlo Grey in 2018. She was also the winner of her season's "Last Chance Kitchen" competition. The official season announcement reads: "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. "
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