Padma Lakshmi has undoubtedly had a long and colorful history with Top Chef. Now that she’s left the show, she can look back at the memories fondly (and maybe some memories not as fondly.)
On August 13, during Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, the author and TV host shared some of her best and worst memories on the cooking show competition, including her favorite season, her favorite celebrity judge, and which contestant, or rather “cheftestant,” most got under her skin.
This chef pissed Padma off
When Andy asked Padma some of his “shadier” questions about her time on Top Chef, he threw in this goodie and asked, “What’s the most pissed off you’ve been with a cheftestant?”
She didn’t even hesitate and responded quickly, “Easy, Michael Midgley.”
Andy also seemed to know the answer already, as this is something Padma hasn’t shied away from mentioning before. Michael appeared on the second season of Top Chef (Padma’s first to host the show) and didn’t impress anyone with his pompous attitude and distasteful remarks.
“I love that we’re still talking about Michael Midgley,” Andy laughed.
Gotta hand it to the chef from Miami. He may not have won, but his bad attitude during the show certainly did leave a mark.
Padma’s favorite celebrity judges
When the question of which celebrity guest judge was her favorite came up, Padma had more difficulty answering because she had a lot of love to go around. A few people came to mind immediately, though.
“Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens), who just passed, was right up there,” she shared. Along with judge-turned-friend Natalie Portman, who Padma called a “great judge” and “really fun.” She also mentioned Questlove and Lena Waithe.
But the one that stood out the most was the incomparable Anthony Bourdain, who passed away in 2018. “But probably the best was Tony Bourdain,” Padma revealed. “He also subbed for Tom (Colicchio) before and was the only one who subbed for Tom.”
She also added that he’d been on the show several times, and she met him a few times even before that. He was somebody she was friends with until his untimely death. She explained that she saw his evolution over the years, even just from his guest judge appearances.
Padma’s favorite season
And finally, when asked which season was her favorite season of all time, she answered, “I really enjoyed the New Orleans season. Because I never go out when I’m in these cities because of work, but in New Orleans, I did. I even went out alone.”
And we can’t blame her. New Orleans is not only a vibrant city but a foodie dream. She must have enjoyed her time there.
Top Chef will return, without Padma sadly, on Peacock in 2024 with new host Kristen Kish.
TELL US – DO YOU HAVE A BEST AND FAVORITE CHEFTESTANT? ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO TOP CHEF SEASON 21?
