Another Asian American will host 'Top Chef' after Padma Lakshmi's departure.

INSTAGRAM / KRISTEN KISH

Kristen Kish, right, will take over Top Chef hosting duties from long-time host Padma Lakshmi.

It turns out that the next Top Chef host knows what it’s like to compete in the culinary competition firsthand. Kristen Kish, who won Season 10 of the series back in 2013, will be taking the reins from Padma Lakshmi, who helmed the show for 19 seasons.

"I started my journey with Top Chef first as a competing chef, then a guest judge, and now as a host. I have the honor of helping to continue to build this brand,” Kristen, 39, expressed in a press release on Tuesday.

"I'm thrilled to sit alongside Gail [Simmons] and Tom [Colicchio] as we get to know new incredible chefs and see what they cook up. It feels like coming home.”

Born in South Korea, Kish was adopted by a Michigan family when he was just four months old. As a teenager, she pursued a career as a model but it was the culinary world that was her passion. She enrolled in Chicago's renowned Le Cordon Bleu where she earned her Associate's degree in culinary arts. 

In 2012, she auditioned for the Top Chef. Her signature soup dish in the qualifying round won her a spot for the series' 10th season.

Despite facing an initial setback when she was eliminated in the 11th episode, Kristen's cooked her way back into the competition after securing five consecutive victories in the Last Chance Kitchen. This triumphant comeback resulted in her winning the series, making her the second female winner in Top Chef's history.

After her Top Chef victory, with her winning personality and photogenic qualities, Kristen's culinary career soared. She hosted several other food-related shows, including Travel Channel’s 36 Hours, TruTV’s Fast Foodies, Netflix’s Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend, and National Geographic’s Restaurants at the End of the World.

The Emmy-award winning Lakshmi's departure left a big hole to fill for Top Chef. The Indian American immigrant will focus on Hulu's Taste the Nation, asks the question, "What is American cuisine?" The series explores the cuisines of the US's ethnic communities and allows Lakshmi to be more of herself, in contrast to the highly structured nature of Top Chef.

For Kish's first assignment, the cheftestants will be competing in Season 21, which takes place in Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin. Most likely, a cheese challenge will be a factor during the new season, which hasn't announced a release date yet.

Kristen wasn’t the only one who was excited about the major Top Chef news. Ryan Flynn, the senior vice president of current production at NBCUniversal Television & Streaming, also reacted to the announcement.

“Kristen Kish represents everything that makes Top Chef incredibly special,” he said in a press release for Season 21. “She’s an acclaimed chef, and her experience as a cheftestant, winner, and judge, alongside her culinary curiosity, makes Kristen the perfect host for the next chapter of Top Chef as we take on a new region of the country we haven’t explored.”

Jo Sharon and Casey Kriley, the co-CEOs of Magical Elves, the company that produces Top Chef, shared a joint statement about Kristen as well.

“Kristen is a beloved part of the Top Chef family, and we’re thrilled to have her join and bring to the competition her unique, fresh, and global culinary perspective, as well as her true passion for food,” the pair said. “We look forward to Season 21 and know our incoming chefs will be inspired by the bourgeoning culinary scene in Milwaukee and Madison known for blending tradition with innovation and utilizing farm-fresh ingredients.” 

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