'Prime Chef' celebrity Padma Lakshmi declares she's leaving the present after 19 seasons

• Padma Lakshmi, the host of Bravo’s Emmy-winning “Prime Chef,” will not be returning, she introduced.
• She joined in season two and just lately wrapped up the present’s World All-Star twentieth season. 
• In her departure announcement, she cited her want to maneuver on to different artistic tasks.

Maintain onto your distant controls “Prime Chef” followers — Emmy-winner Padma Lakshmi introduced she’s stepping down because the host of Bravo’s beloved collection, a program she has hosted for 19 of its 20 seasons. 

“After a lot soul looking, I’ve made the troublesome choice to depart ‘Prime Chef,'” the actress, activist, and cookbook author wrote on social media. “Having accomplished a wonderful twentieth season as host and government producer, I’m extraordinarily proud to have been a part of constructing such a profitable present and of the impression it has had within the worlds of tv and meals.”

“I’m deeply grateful to all of you for thus a few years of affection and assist,” she added.

—Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) June 2, 2023

“Padma Lakshmi leaves behind an unimaginable legacy on Bravo’s ‘Prime Chef.’ Her impression on the Emmy, James Beard and Critics’ Selection Award-winning collection is plain,” an NBCUniversal spokesperson advised Insider. “We’re grateful to Padma for being a consummate host, decide, and government producer, and for bringing her ingenuity and distinctive palate to every episode the place she ate each chew of meals on the collection for over 17 years and 19 seasons. She is going to all the time be a part of the ‘Prime Chef’ and the NBCUniversal household and has a seat on the judges’ desk anytime.”  

Lakshmi started internet hosting the Bravo throughout its sophomore season in 2006 after taking up internet hosting duties from cookbook creator and then-wife of Billy Joel, Katie Lee. Over time, she’s advised numerous contestants — some beloved by followers, some reviled as villains — to “pack their knives and go” once they got here up brief in an elimination problem. She additionally  participated in crowning some of the controversial “Prime Chef” winners of all time, Nicholas Elmi, over Nina Compton, in season 11.

Lakshmi grew to become nearly synonymous with the collection, serving as not solely the host however a savvy meals decide of her personal accord who stated she ingested as much as 9,000 energy a day whereas the present was filming. 

A prepare dinner and foodie, Padma might be a harsh critic, particularly when it got here to Indian delicacies on the present (cooks would usually bemoan that they needed to prepare dinner Indian dishes for Lakshmi, who didn’t pull punches if the flavour was off).

In 2020, Lakshmi launched her personal present, “Style the Nation,” on Hulu  — the place she takes viewers throughout America, sampling its numerous meals cultures. She’s additionally printed a number of cookbooks, and in 2023, she appeared in Sports activities Illustrated’s swimsuit subject on the age of 52. 

It isn’t but clear who might be changing the “Prime Chef” star or if any of her fellow judges — together with Gail Simmons or movie star chef Tom Colicchio — might be returning. A consultant for NBCUniversal didn’t remark when requested.

The twentieth season of the present, “Prime Chef: World All-Stars,” is at the moment airing on Bravo, the place the finalists are all the way down to Buddha Lo (Prime Chef US season 19 winner), Gabriel Rodriquez (Prime Chef Mexico season two winner), and Sara Bradley (Prime Chef US season 16 runner-up).