Bravo’s ‘Top Chef’ to Film Season in Wisconsin
Season 21's culinary competitions will be set in Milwaukee, Madison.
Kristen Kish. Ambrosia10, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The upcoming season of Bravo’s “Top Chef” is on track to be the cheesiest yet. The reality competition television series will film its 21st season in Wisconsin.
The show, featuring new host Kristen Kish, will be set mainly in Milwaukee and Madison, according to a Tuesday news release from the television network.
Gov. Tony Evers gave a warm welcome to the show, which is set to begin filming later this year.
“We are honored to be able to welcome Top Chef to Wisconsin for its upcoming season,” the governor said in a statement. “We’re proud to be known here for our rich food culture, talented chefs, and exceptional local ingredients. I know our diverse culinary traditions will help inspire the participants, captivate viewers, and showcase all of the great things Wisconsin has to offer.”
Kish, who won the 10th season of the culinary completion, replaces longtime host Padma Lakshmi, who announced her departure from the show in June after 17 years in the role.
“Top Chef is where I started my journey — first as a competing chef, then a guest judge, and now as host,” Kish said in a statement. “I have the honor of helping to continue to build this brand. 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.”
A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago, Kish has held several chef de cuisine roles at fine dining establishments in her 20-year career. In 2017, she released a cookbook, Kristen Kish Cooking: Recipes and Techniques, and in 2018 opened a restaurant, Arlo Grey, in Austin, Texas.
Kish also has plenty of on-camera experience, having appeared on TV shows including “36 Hours,” “Fast Foodies,” “Restaurants at the End of the World” and “Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend.”
The upcoming season of “Top Chef” is expected to air on Bravo in the spring of 2024.
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