![Padma Lakshmi Mourns Top Chef Masters' Naomi Pomeroy](/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Padma-Lakshmi-Mourns-Top-Chef-Masters-Naomi-Pomeroy.jpg?crop=72px%2C361px%2C1366px%2C772px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Top Chef
The reality competition series Top Chef features chefs competing against each other in culinary challenges while being judged by a panel of professional chefs and other famous personalities in the food industry. Contestants are eliminated each week, and those who make it to the season finale are challenged with creating a full-course meal. The winner earns the title of “Top Chef” and a grand prize of $250,000.
Top Chef premiered in 2006 and has produced multiple spinoffs, including Top Chef Masters, Top Chef: Just Desserts, Top Chef Junior, Top Chef Amateurs and Top Chef Family Style. Numerous international adaptations have also been produced. After 20 seasons, longtime host Padma Lakshmi announced her departure from the series in June 2023. Top Chef: Seattle winner Kristen Kish will replace Lakshmi when season 21 airs in 2024.
Celebrities
You might also be interested in:
![Padma Lakshmi Mourns Top Chef Masters' Naomi Pomeroy](/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Padma-Lakshmi-Mourns-Top-Chef-Masters-Naomi-Pomeroy.jpg?crop=72px%2C361px%2C1366px%2C772px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
![‘Top Chef Masters’ Alum Naomi Pomeroy Dead at 49 After an Inner Tube Accident in Oregon](/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Top-Chef-Masters-Alum-Naomi-Pomeroy-Dead-at-49-After-Inner-Tube-Accident-01-2024.jpg?crop=0px%2C199px%2C1333px%2C753px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
‘Top Chef Masters’ Alum Naomi Pomeroy Dead at 49 After Inner Tube Accident
![Top Chef Season 21 Winner Reveals How They ll Spend 303 000 Prize Behind the Scenes Secrets 666](/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Top-Chef-Season-21-Winner-Reveals-How-They-ll-Spend-303-000-Prize-Behind-the-Scenes-Secrets-666.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
‘Top Chef’ Season 21 Winner Revealed: How Will They Spend $303,000 Prize?
![Padma Lakshmi Admits It A Little Odd to Watch Top Chef](/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Padma-Lakshmi-Admits-It-A-Little-Odd-to-Watch-Top-Chef.jpg?crop=0px%2C70px%2C1389px%2C786px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Padma Lakshmi Admits It's ‘A Little Odd’ to Watch ‘Top Chef’ After Her Exit
![Tom Colicchio Thought He’d Never Do TV Again After ‘Bad Experience’ on Regis and Kathie Lee in 1991](/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tom-Colicchio-Recalls-Bad-Experience-on-Regis-and-Kathie-Lee-in-1991.jpg?crop=21px%2C16px%2C1918px%2C1084px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Tom Colicchio Recalls ‘Bad Experience’ on ‘Regis and Kathie Lee’ in 1991
![Kristen Kish Says It Was Challenging To Take On Padma Lakshmis Top Chef Hosting Role](/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/feature-Kristen-Kish-Says-It-Was-Challenging-To-Take-On-Padma-Lakshmis-Top-Chef-Hosting-Role.jpg?crop=0px%2C27px%2C1333px%2C753px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Top Chef's Kristen Kish Had Some 'Doubt' About Replacing Padma Lakshmi
![Top Chef’s Kristen Kish’s Ham Puff Pastry Rolls](/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Top-Chefs-Kristen-Kishs-Ham-Puff-Pastry-Rolls-Promo.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Learn How to Make Kristen Kish's Jongga Kimchi Ham Puff Pastry Rolls
![Gallery Update Top Chef Winners Ilan Hall Kristen Kish Joe Flamm More Where Are They Now](/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Gallery-Update-Top-Chef-Winners-Ilan-Hall-Kristen-Kish-Joe-Flamm-and-More-Where-Are-They-Now.jpg?crop=0px%2C197px%2C1200px%2C678px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
'Top Chef' Winners: Where Are They Now?
![Padma Lakshmi Says Leaving ‘Top Chef’ Was Partly ‘About Having a Personal Life’](/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Padma-Lakshmi-Says-Leaving-‘Top-Chef-Was-Partly-‘About-Having-a-Personal-Life1.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1057px%2C598px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Padma Lakshmi Says Leaving ‘Top Chef’ Was ‘About Having a Personal Life’
![Who Is Kristen Kish 5 Things to Know About the New Top Chef Host 259](/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Who-Is-Kristen-Kish-5-Things-to-Know-About-the-New-Top-Chef-Host-259.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1400px%2C791px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Who Is Top Chef’s Kristen Kish? 5 Things to Know About the New Host
![Padma Lakshmi Announces Top Chef Exit After 17 Years](/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Padma-Lakshmi-Announces-Top-Chef-Exit-After-17-Years-featured-e1685723180428.jpg?crop=0px%2C65px%2C1007px%2C569px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Padma Lakshmi Announces 'Top Chef' Exit After 17 Years: 'Time to Move On'
![Top Chef Winner Buddha Lo's NYC Restaurant Burns Down: Details](/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/top-chef-winner-buddha-los-nyc-restaurant-burns-down-details.jpg?crop=0px%2C22px%2C1500px%2C848px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
'Top Chef' Winner Buddha Lo's NYC Restaurant Caught on Fire: Details
![Padma Lakshmi Teases Top Chef World All-Stars Season 20 in London](/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Feature-Padma-Lakshmi-Teases-Top-Chef-World-All-Stars-Season-20-in-London.jpg?crop=51px%2C51px%2C1331px%2C752px&resize=600%2C338&quality=86&strip=all)
Padma Lakshmi: 'Top Chef: World All-Stars’ Brings the ‘Cream of the Crop’ in Competition
!['Top Chef' Season 20 Cast Revealed- Meet the All-Star Chefs -](/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Top-Chef-Season-20-Cast-Revealed-Meet-the-All-Star-Chefs-397.jpg?w=600&h=338&crop=1&quality=86&strip=all)
'Top Chef' Season 20 Cast Revealed: Meet the All-Star Chefs
!['Top Chef' Season 3's Howard 'Howie' Kleinberg Dies at 46 After Suffering Heart Attack](/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/top-chef-alum-howard-kleinberg-dead-at-46-after-heart-attack.jpg?crop=2px%2C28px%2C1564px%2C884px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
Top Chef's Howard Kleinberg Dies at 46 After Suffering Heart Attack
![Whip Up 'Top Chef' Judge Gail Simmons’ Genova Tuna Romesco Salad Board Just in Time for Memorial Day: Recipe](/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Whip-Up-Top-Chef-Judge-Gail-Simmons-Genova-Tuna-Romesco-Salad-Board-Just-in-Time-for-Memorial-Day.jpg?crop=0px%2C29px%2C1428px%2C807px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
Whip Up 'Top Chef' Judge Gail Simmons' Tuna Romesco Salad Board: Recipe
![Top Chef’s Gail Simmons Shows Us Her Beauty Sleep Routine](/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Top-Chefs-Gail-Simmons-Shows-Us-Her-Beauty-Sleep-Routine.jpg?crop=0px%2C27px%2C1333px%2C753px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
Butter for Your Skin Before Bed?! Gail Simmons' Intense Beauty Routine
![Top Chef Season 19 Cast](/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Top-Chef-Season-19-4.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
Meet the New ‘Top Chef’ Houston Contestants and Watch the Trailer!
!['Chopped Junior' Champion Fuller Goldsmith Dies at 17 After Cancer Battle](/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Chopped-Junior-Champion-Fuller-Goldsmith-Dies-at-17-After-Cancer-Battle.jpg?crop=0px%2C144px%2C1080px%2C611px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
Chopped Junior's Fuller Goldsmith Dies at 17 After Cancer Battle
![Ranking Reality Show Prize Money: ‘Survivor,’ ‘The Voice’ and More](/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Ranking-Reality-Show-Prize-Money-Survivor-The-Voice-More-006.jpg?crop=2px%2C0px%2C1998px%2C1129px&resize=600%2C338&quality=40&strip=all)
Reality Show Prize Money: Ranking ‘Survivor,’ ‘The Challenge’ and More
![Padma Lakshmi Says Misconduct Allegations About 'Top Chef' Season 18 Winner Gabe Erales 'Should Be Investigated'](/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Padma-Lakshmi-Says-Misconduct-Allegations-About-Top-Chef-Season-18-Winner-Gabe-Erales-Should-Be-Investigated.jpg?w=600&h=338&crop=1&quality=82&strip=all)