You would think that after 18 seasons on the air and hundreds of bites of food, the "Top Chef" judges have long forgotten the dishes that weren't up to par, but not for Lakshmi. [19] She also posed nude for the May 2009 issue of Allure. [27] In June 2022, Lakshmi received her first James Beard Foundation Award for Taste the Nation: Holiday Edition. Bible Of Neonatology Multimedia mike midgley top chef padma He was 46. He grew up on Star Wars, DC, Marvel, and pro wrestling and loves to discuss and dissect most of it. [29], Lakshmi was also an official contributor for season 19 of The View from 2015 to 2016. "The book tries to show young children how writing down recipes is literally saving pieces of our family history.". A Top Chef Alum Could Return to the Competition in Season 15", "Top Chef Is Bringing Back 8 Fan Favorite Contestants See Who Made the Cut", "Editing of Marcel's head-shaving attempt may have understated Elia's role", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Top_Chef:_Los_Angeles&oldid=1127264891, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Orange Team: Carlos, Elia, Frank, Ilan, Marisa, Michael, Suyai, Black Team: Betty, Cliff, Emily, Josie, Marcel, Mia, Otto, Sam, Team Vietnam: Betty, Carlos, Emily, Josie, Mia, Michael, Sam, Team Korea: Cliff, Elia, Frank, Ilan, Marcel, Marisa, Otto, Mia (15 Minute Salad with Garbanzo Beans, Green Beans, Artichoke Hearts & Mint), Frank (Fruit & Coconut Salad with Blueberry Yogurt Cream), Third Course: Roasted Pork Loin, Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Creamy, First Course: Barbecue Coffee Chicken Wing, Second Course: Tempura Vegetables & Mozzarella with, Third Course: "The M.E.C. [2], Previously, Lakshmi served as a host of Domenica In, Italy's top-rated television show, in 1997. She also hosted two one-hour specials in South India and Spain for the British culinary tourism show Planet Food, broadcast on the Food Network in the U.S. and internationally on the Discovery Channels. I'm happy to call him out. The best stuff to come out of this program, though, was the behind-the-scenes scoop. "He was like unimpressed. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. "Krishna's father is very involved in her life, so he is a co-parent, but it's different if you're married and living with the child's other parent," Lakshmi told Yahoo News in 2021. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Welcome to the Quantum Realm. For a look at what December still has to offer, visit our fall premiere guide. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from. The winning entre would be featured nationwide on the menu of T.G.I. But after each season, she eats healthier and works out five times a week. [1], Marcel Vigneron and Elia Aboumrad returned to compete in Top Chef: All-Stars. Elimination Challenge: Each chef made two dishes based on classic Hawaiian dishes with a twist. "He was very aggressive," Andy Cohen said of the chef. Padma also hated a meal prepared by Season Two winner Ilan Hall. Answer: It's kind of like scripted reality. When Gail recalled the season three judges table finale in Aspen, there was a collective groan between her and Padma; the decision-making had gone on until about 4 a.m. If we cant make a decision, the producers will sit us there, Padma said. It was just dumb and not very good. Remove thyme sprigs and discard. Thats the thing about our jobs., The most distasteful contestant: Michael Midgley [from season 2] was as offensive off camera as he was on camera, Padma said. Hes so beautifully articulate., [Hung] is like a little bumblebee, that guy., [Lee Anne] is like the art director behind a Scorsese film. Which Top Chef All-Star Contestant Has to Most to Prove? We were transfixed. Quickfire Challenge: The chefs created flamb dishes in a limited amount of time. Set in Miami, season 3 of Top Chef was won by Vietnamese-American contestant Hung Huynh, who had dominated from day one and who was the hot favorite to win in the final against fellow cheftestants, Dale and Casey. Elimination Challenge: Working in two teams of four, the chefs catered the Los Angeles magazine holiday party at the Warner Bros. movie lot. When she became an American citizen, she officially changed her name to Padma Lakshmi in honor of her mother, Vijaya Lakshmi. Lakshmi is the current host and one of the judges on the television show Top Chef. The chefs then had to create a dish based on the color drawn from the knife block. Chef Mike. For DirectTV:. Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi has a noticeable scar on her right arm. Elimination Challenge: The chefs worked together to create a romantic five-course menu for celebratory couples in Santa Barbara. She played the role of Geeta in Paul Mayeda Berges's 2005 film The Mistress of Spices. Add fish circles and cook until flesh is firm and opaque. I think where I come from people don't care what Tom Colicchio thinks. Padma Parvati Lakshmi (Tamil pronunciation:[pdm lkmi]; born September 1, 1970)[1] is an Indian-born American author, activist, actress, model, philanthropist, and television host. It especially affects women, minorities, and others who face unimaginable discrimination in the societies in which they live. Quickfire Challenge: Each chef created a sushi dish in a limited amount of time. Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, & Gail Simmons Dish on Top Chef: All-Stars L.A., Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, Mike Yakura, and Katie Lee in Season 1 of, Mike Yakura, Tom Colicchio, Katie Lee, and Gail Simmons taste Harold Dieterle and Lisa Parks' food in Season 1 of. ). "I had a chocolate ganache that he made which had a morsel of liver embedded into the middle of it. He has since been an episode judge on Bravo's "Top Chef Masters" and Esquire Networks "Knife Fight" and appeared on and won his episode of "Cutthroat Kitchen "on the Food Network. She then published her memoir, "Love, Loss, and What We Ate," in 2016 and it became a New York Times bestseller. The Daily Dish is your source for all things Bravo, from behind-the-scenes scoop to breaking news, exclusive interviews, photos, original videos, and, oh, so much more. Lakshmi has a long scar on her upper arm, which she got from a car accident when she was a teenager. NY 10036. On each show, four chefs compete in three cooking elimination rounds until only one remains standing. Lakshmi is a co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America, a nonprofit organization focused on increasing awareness, education, research, and legislative advocacy against the disease. [46][47], Lakshmi speaks four languages: Tamil, Hindi, English, and Italian.[48]. He hadn't owned a restaurant in Miami, studied the culinary arts in Paris or worked under famed chef Jol Robuchon. Top with one piece of each fish. The themes for the Boston challenges were kinda dull and the way George Pagonis (who went home in the first Quickfire) was brought back . Padma Lakshmi is feeling herself. 11. The winner received a 20-piece set of Global knives. "It was just dumb and not very good," Lakshmi told Uproxx. Chef Midgley has made a name for himself in the culinary world. Top Chef 2023 returns for Season 20 on Bravo in London for a "World All-Stars" showdown. Ilan and Marcel were then allowed to choose two chefs. Top Chef: Boston (Season 12) The emergence of women winning this show after a decade of only two doing so began this time around with badass Mei Lin scoring a big W in the end of what was a decent season. Continue to cook until cream is warm, stirring occasionally. Seu lugar para proteger o seu capital. 12. [50][51] The foundation was instrumental in the 2009 opening of the MIT Center for Gynepathology Research,[52] where Lakshmi gave the keynote address. [16] She was a favorite model of the photographer Helmut Newton, whose photographs of her often highlighted the large scar on her right arm. [39] Her first children's book Tomatoes for Neela, released on August 31, 2021 and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal, debuted fourth on The New York Times best-seller list. dayz xbox one mod files; shaking in the spirit meaning; littlefield arizona homes for sale; dead by daylight stats xbox; bridgestone bt45 vs bt46; relationship between language, culture and thought pdf Quickfire Challenge: The chefs created snacks using three Kraft Foods products: mayonnaise, barbecue sauce or Italian dressing. Instead chefs must work with alternative flours from Blue Corn and Buckwheat to Coconut and Hazelnut. Get a VIP pass to never-before-seen content, exclusive sweepstakes, and much more! Other fun facts: Black beans give Gail the heebie-jeebies, and the reason Padma sounds so robotic when she describes the challenges is because shes wearing an earpiece through which all of the legally approved info is being fed to her. Midgleys Public House is an exciting, culinary experience serving American-fusion, paired with spirits and fine wine. "He literally made a Snickers ball and then stuck a Cheeto on top of it," Padma tells the Dish. Get a VIP pass to never-before-seen content, exclusive sweepstakes, and much more! Lakshmi herself can recall one instance in particular, when a dish was just flat-out bad and has no problem calling out its creator either. It was terrible!" Michael is best known for his big personality as the misfit on Bravo's "Top Chef" season two in which he competed in 11 episodes of the 13 episode season. "But they didn't feel I was as American.". [60] In October 2022, Lakshmi was honored at the 20th edition of the ACLU's Sing Out For Freedom benefit concert along with Patti Smith and Shaina Taub.[61]. Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, and Gail Simmons, along with the chefs participating in. She founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America with her doctor, Tamer Seckin, in 2009 to help raise awareness of the disorder. Hes so articulate and scientific. To which Padma said: For every two minutes of what Kevin said at judges table, there was a one-and-a-half hour culinary soliloquy., Speaking of judges table: They sometimes last eight hours. Michael Midgleys Quickfire. ^Note 5: Mia voluntarily withdrew before Lakshmi eliminated anyone, fearing Elia would be eliminated. Marcel chose Sam and Michael, and Ilan chose Elia and Betty. To serve: Divide mushrooms between plates, spreading into a thin layer in the center of each plate. Michael B. Jordan Called Out A Journalist For Saying He Was Corny. For what host and judge Padma Lakshmi believes is the first time, there are no sous chefs among the crop of 15 cheftestants. or. "That was a big thing for me.". She said students also bullied her for being Indian. "It was this beautiful clam and chorizo fideos that was baked," she says. For the Basil Aioli: Combine oil and basil in a blender. I never knew Sam (Talbot, a fellow contestant) was saying I was amateur hour on the show. Lakshmi's . Lakshmi's father left when she was 2 years old, so her mother, Vijaya Lakshmi, raised her on her own. Luckily for Michael Midgley, he was not the only contestant to use chocolate in a way Padma Lakshmi didn't approve. Fortunately, she was able to find one silver lining from the tasting the "entertaining" experience of watching Hall try to defend his unique concoction to guest judge Eric Ripert. After she told her mother and stepfather about his assault, they sent her to live with her grandparents for a year. Strain into a medium bowl through a fine mesh sieve. Quickfire Challenge: Each chef created a dish using offal, the leftover parts of animals. One of those questions was: "Which celebrity guest judge gave the worst, most uneducated critiques?". [1] The winning recipe from each week's episode was featured on Bravo's Top Chef website and prepared by Season 1 contestant Lee Anne Wong in a web video called The Wong Way to Cook. She went to college at Clark University in Massachusetts and studied American literature and theater arts in hopes of being an actress. in 2014.[35]. Early Life. As a result, Colicchio stated that all the contestants would remain "on probation" and nobody was eliminated. Longtime Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi is calling for an investigation after news surfaced that the cooking competition's newly crowned season 18 winner was fired from a restaurant last fall . Answer: I really don't care for Tom. The latest season of Top Chef airs on Bravo Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. The teams took turns serving their dishes to the judges and the other group of contestants. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. One of her most unfavorable? [44][45], On February 22, 2010, Lakshmi gave birth to her daughter with businessman Adam Dell. Previously eliminated contestants Sam, Elia, Michael, Betty, Mia, and Frank were asked to return as potential sous chefs for Ilan and Marcel. Chef Michael Midgley Transfer to an airtight container until ready to use. [1] The season premiered on October 18, 2006 and ended on January 31, 2007. 5,002 likes. The host had another contestant to put to shame from that season, and it turned out to be none other than the big winner Ilan Hall. Mike earned a BS from . He was just at my house a couple of weeks ago. Now, she has learned to love it. She's been the executive producer and host of the Emmy Award-winning cooking show Top Chef since 2006, and has published four books, with a new children's book coming out in August. It's hard to take him seriously. Friday's that would be served to the firemen of South Pasadena. In all that time, she's tasted a few questionable things, but one has stood out above all others as the worst meal she's ever had on the program. Elimination Challenge: The chefs were required to prepare a dish using the five ingredients provided in a mystery crate. Chef Midgley has been named a brand ambassador for the Certified Angus Beef brand. Padma Parvati Lakshmi ( Tamil pronunciation: [pdm lkmi]; born September 1, 1970) [1] is an Indian-born American author, activist, actress, model, philanthropist, and television host. In 2013, she told Fitness magazine she goes up two dress sizes every time she films for "Top Chef." Yes, but it was also a vault of gossip! Cooking since the age of fourteen, Chef Michael Midgley brought his culinary talents to Lincoln Center after opening Midgleys Public House in November of 2014. Question: Were you surprised that you were eliminated? The judges also collectively named Season 2 contestants Elia Amoubrad and Mike Midgley as chefs with the worst attitudes in the kitchen. All rights reserved 1996 sprint bass boat parts; Padma Lakshmi has seen, smelled, and tasted a lot in her time on Top Chef since joining the show in Season 2. Roast in oven until it begins to caramelize and turn dark in color. Hes been writing online for over a decade and never dreamed hed be in the position he is today. Involved in every detail of the design of the restaurant to the savory selections on the menu, the opening of Midgleys Public House is not only a dream, it is now a reality. "Mike Yakura was a bit rude, and being front of the house, you have to take it all in stride," Ilan said in an interview during the episode. She has hosted the cooking competition program Top Chef on Bravo continuously since season 2 (2006). At least in her opinion. No one else was eliminated going into the finale. She stated that her decision to keep silent about the rape resulted from her stepfathers relative assaulting her when she was seven years old. [55], Lakshmi is the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) ambassador for immigration and women's rights. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The chef's real name is Padma Parvati Lakshmi Vaidynathan, but when she moved to America from India as a child, she said she thought she needed an American name. Chef Midgley and his wife Laci reside in Stockton with their three children. martin luther king jr vietnam war speech transcript; July 3, 2022 afatds message format Top Chef Host Feels 'Truly Blessed' as She Celebrates with Partner Adam Dell, "Padma Lakshmi shares her struggle with endometriosis", "ABC Nightline: Padma Lakshmi: Where Foodie Meets Fashion", "Padma Lakshmi's Personal Cause: The Endometriosis Foundation of America", "The MIT Center for Gynepathology Research", "Padma Lakshmi's political "Taste the Nation" food series could not have debuted at a better time", "Padma Lakshmi Slams Skin-Lightening Cream Targeting People Of Colour", "Criticism of Skin Lighteners Brings Retreat by Unilever and Johnson & Johnson", "UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Padma Lakshmi Wins 2021 Advocate of the Year Award by the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) | United Nations Development Programme", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Padma_Lakshmi&oldid=1138984148, Participants in American reality television series, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 12 February 2023, at 19:18. Sign up to become a Bravo Insider and be the first to get exclusive extras. Mick likes good television, but also reality television. An opportunity to work with Michelle Bernstein at the Sagamore Hotel in Miami on the Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival. "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi recalls. What was terrible? I just don't think he ever thought I was a serious chef. Sam elected to cook the first course and use lobster and scallops as his proteins. Indian-American model and host of reality television show Top Chef Padma Lakshmi shared a hilarious meme recently on her Instagram handle. In 2020, Lakshmi won three Critic's Choice Awards for Top Chef. The winners of the challenge were able to skip the Elimination Challenge altogether. saturday club membership fees Search. Many nations have greatly reduced poverty, but inequality has proved more stubborn," said Lakshmi. Here were some of my favorite lines, many of which included similes and metaphors: The terrible food usually happens in the first half of production. Sign Up. In 2002, Lakshmi made a guest appearance as alien princess Kaitaama in "Precious Cargo," the 37th episode of the science fiction TV series Star Trek: Enterprise. The host didn't hold back when recanting the story of the worst meal she's ever been served on the show to Uproxx back in 2018. $10 at Amazon $10 at Walmart $14 at Nordstrom Rack. Using two sizes of round cookie cutters, cut fish fillets into circles, using the smaller cutter for the trout. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The cooking environment and available tools were unknown to the contestants until their arrival at the challenge. The winner received a limited-edition Kyocera KT-300-HIP Kyotop 8.25" ceramic sashimi knife. He hadn't owned a restaurant in Miami, studied the culinary arts in Paris or. [25] Taste the Nation received 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. She has modeled for designers such as Emanuel Ungaro, Giorgio Armani, Gianni Versace, Ralph Lauren, and Alberta Ferretti and appeared in ad campaigns for Roberto Cavalli and Versus. So in high school, she went by Angelique. STOCKTON - Michael Midgley was the Bravo "Top Chef" contestant who did not arrive with an impressive pedigree. He is also the author of the E-book "Mike Midgley 20 easy recipes: Awesome food anyone can cook (with a little help from me! ric Ripert guest judges. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and set it aside. "On the menu, there would be fried masala chicken, marinated in buttermilk, sea salt and sugar, then battered with Indian spices and chilli," she told the publication in 2016. STOCKTON - Michael Midgley was the Bravo "Top Chef" contestant who did not arrive with an impressive pedigree. In effect, Lakshmi began her modeling career at age 21, when a modeling agent discovered Lakshmi while she studied abroad in Madrid. "[15] Lakshmi was able to pay off her college loans by working as a model and actress. Mike Midgley. ^Note 6: Following the Elimination Challenge, no winning team was declared. Top Chef: Los Angeles is the second season of the American reality television series Top Chef. She has also been a critic of skin-lightening creams that are marketed to people of color. Mixing the savory taste of a Cheeto with coconut and chocolate's sweet notes may hit the mark for the flavor profile of a canap, but it apparently doesn't make for a very delicious combination. Lakshmi also guest edited The Best American Travel Writing 2021, a collection of essays from renowned travel writers. Pretty much everyone who's anyone in the culinary world has been a guest judge on Bravo's Top Chef, from Eric Ripert to Wolfgang Puck to Emeril Lagasse. From this point on, the winner of the Quickfire Challenge no longer received immunity from elimination. Padma has kept in touch with Dale (season 3) and Hung (season 3 winner), but both women sang the praises of Lee Anne Wong, who went from season one cheftestant to Top Chef culinary producer until the end of season six. Chef Midgley has made a name for himself in the culinary world. Initially, she was super self-conscious of the mark, but now. There must have been something in the water where season two of "Top Chef" was filmed, as the second dish that Lakshmi dubbed the worst she's eaten on the show came out of that cycle as well. She says that she hated Ariane Durates lemon curd from the Craft lunch challenge, saying "that was just like a nuclear disaster in a glass. Michael Midgley, everyone's favorite local chef, is making headlines once again for pulling off a win on Food Network's new cooking show Cutthroat Kitchen. Who do the judges keep in touch with? He has appeared as a contestant on Bravo televisions Top Chef and was the top winner of Food Networks Cut Throat Kitchen. Instead of Barbara, Eric Ripert as the guest judge. Question: How real is reality television? The contestants were separated into two groups and received different crates. Midgley's bizarre hors d'uvre didn't win over Padma Lakshmi then or now, and she made a point to stress that his idea was a dumb one all around. Lakshmi was born in India and before entering the entertainment space, graduated from Clark. Sam and Marcel, as the Quickfire winners, chose their teammates. Michael Midgley ended up being the chef to pack his knives and go at the end of Season 2's Restaurant Wars, and he also has the honor of being the former Top Chef contestant with "the worst attitude in the kitchen," according to Padma, who also dropped this little tidbit on WWHL at the request of "The Shady Sharp Knife." Sign up to become a Bravo Insider and be the first to get exclusive extras. Michael Midgley was born on 18 May 1978 in Stockton, California, USA. Although Lakshmi has tasted some of the finest foods in the world, she told The Guardian that her last meal would be very simple. How was that? Lakshmi was also married to the novelist Salman Rushdie from 2004 to 2007. We are good friends and we have the same first priority, which is her.". The winner received immunity from elimination. Add mushrooms and stir well to combine. For her work, she received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Reality Host in 2009 and 2020 through 2022. Answer: It's been funny. Watch Will Smith Give His First Post-Slap Acceptance Speech, I Asked The Daisy Jones And The Six Cast What Their Favorite Needle Drops Are. Cliff approached a sleeping Marcel and wrestled him to the ground. Padma Lakshmi is doing the same with her own daughter, 11-year-old Krishna, although she is co-parenting with her ex, Adam Dell. Restaurants send me food. Padma Lakshmi was born on 1 September 1970 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India. [1] The season premiered on October 18, 2006 and ended on January 31, 2007. The 48-year-old Top Chef host posted a photo of herself rocking a black string bikini, with a cowboy hat resting on top of her face, with the caption: "Big yee haw energy at #sxsw ." And her . And what was a nuclear disaster? You will receive a verification email shortly. But that didn't keep the former line cook from Lodi's Wine & Roses Restaurant from outlasting much of the competition. Elia, Michael, and Betty chose Ilan. Forstmann. I'll tell you. Rushdie stated that Lakshmi had asked for a divorce in January 2007,[41] and later that year, in July, the couple filed it. But I think the judges had a predetermined group of people they wanted in the end. Heather is still hands down my least favorite contestant ever. His big and vivacious personality expands way beyond San Joaquin County. However, he added, "hiring a CEO is expensive. Cover and set aside. It was really entertaining trying to watch him explain his way out of it to Mr. Ripert. Now, she is a single mother, bestselling author, and can speak five languages fluently. Mike returned as a guest judge in Season 2's Restaurant Wars episode, and he was just as opinionated, saying at the Judges' Table that both of the teams' culinary concepts really "fell flat." Very expensive. [2] In the season finale, Ilan Hall was declared the winner over runner-up Marcel Vigneron. He would start talking and kept talking [at the finale in Napa Valley]. Theres an unofficial fifth judge at that table: Sometimes when the judges cant decide, the producers will look to the camera operator they call T-Bone, who shoots the still-life shots of the contestants dishes, which he eats afterward. Padma says, "It's time to find out just how truly sensitive your palettes are" and whips out a blindfold. 'Top Chef' secrets revealed: From the judges' mouths to your ears. Friday's. Add cream and thyme. "There'd be rice, with black beans and spices. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, 296 Lincoln Center He wasn't even the only one during Top Chef Season 2. [11] She has said, "I was the first Indian model to have a career in Paris, Milan, and New York. Elimination Challenge: The five chefs who did not win the Quickfire Challenge (Marcel, Elia, Michael, Betty, and Carlos) worked together to make a cutting edge Thanksgiving dinner for the judges, guest judge Anthony Bourdain, and the other Top Chef contestants, using the kitchens in the loft. top chef season 1 host fired. Only this one isn't served on a hot plate, but a tablet. Former executive chef at Google Charlie Ayers comes in at 12th position with a net worth of $45 million. Lots of new television will be up and on television at the start of the new year, so keep up with the latest premieres and returns via our midseason premiere guide. 2023 www.recordnet.com. Each chef had to combine their signature style with traditional Hawaiian flavors and cuisine. I was a mess. Contestants were asked to make an amuse-bouche using ingredients that they had to purchase from a set of vending machines. Elimination Challenge: Working in teams of two, the chefs had to create a six-course lunch for Jennifer Coolidge and 60 of her guests using only the ingredients that were already available in the kitchen. Padma Lakshmi is a model, actress and author with work spanning across the United States and Europe. The show has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program from season 2 through season 19, with season 6 winning the award in 2010. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Such was his importance to the firm that when David Vise published the corporate history, The Google Story, he gave an entire chapter to Ayer's entitled "Charlie's Place". The worst? A producer kindly came over and snatched the flowers out of Padmas hand. More at IMDbPro Contact info Agent info Resume Born September 1, 1970 Add to list Nominated for 14 Primetime Emmys On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Chef Gabe Erales has found himself in hot water since being crowned the winner of Top Chef earlier this month. Question: How has the reaction been from people in the area, now that they've seen you on television? Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Top Chef has had its fair share of celebrity guest judges over the course of its 15-season run, but for host Padma Lakshmi, there's one famous face . Want moreTop Chef? She tells all. "As a single working mom, finding a balance between all the moving . April 7, 2022. The winner received immunity from elimination. It started getting really bad. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. And I'm getting a free haircut. Interestingly enough, Hall, who ended up winning season two of "Top Chef," also holds the honor of being the chef behind the best dish that Lakshmi has eaten on the show a Spanish noodle dish with chorizo and clams (via Showbiz Cheat Sheet). MikeYakura definitely didn't mince words when he appeared as a guest judge in Top Chef Season 1, Episode 5, providing his critiques on the cheftestants' Latin American fusion dishes that they served from a street cart in the Mission District of San Francisco.