The Truth About Padma Lakshmi And Tom Colicchio's Friendship
Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio have been running things at "Top Chef" since 2006 (via IMDb) and show no signs of slowing down. So, what's the secret to their show's success, which includes numerous spinoffs, such as "Top Chef Masters," "Top Chef Junior," and "Top Chef Just Desserts?" It just may be their close-knit friendship and professional respect for one another.
During an interview with Bravo's The Daily Dish in September 2020, which came after the series scored four Emmy nominations in Septbmincluding nods for Outstanding Competition Program and Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program for Lakshmi and Colicchio as co-hosts, Colicchio said that while she knew he and Lakshmi had a great 17th season, he wasn't sure what exactly garnered them such incredible honors.
"It's hard to say. It's not like we're doing anything differently. Listen, it's good to be recognized. And obviously, you know, Padma does all the heavy lifting there. She works a lot more than I do and she does all the quick fires and all the eliminations. So, she's doing the heavy lifting there. But it just goes to show the show is working," he explained, giving Lakshmi plenty of praise.
Padma Lakshmi claims Tom Colicchio is 'good with kids'
In her own interview with Bravo's The Daily Dish, Padma Lakshmi made it clear that she knew Tom Colicchio brought a lot to "Top Chef" due to his deep roots in the food industry. "He's lived a different life and he has a different background than I do. And I'm not a chef. He is a professional chef who comes with years of experience as a veteran of the New York professional food scene," Lakshmi stated.
During a separate interview, with Toronto Life, Lakshmi said that while Colicchio can appear to be quite serious and stern on "Top Chef," he also has a great sense of humor and a softer side that isn't often seen on the show.
"Things that people don't know about Tom are that he's a good guitar player, he has a great sense of humor and he's very good with kids, including mine, who is always with me on set," she shared.