Padma Lakshmi is officially stirring the pot again, but in an exciting way! And this time? She’s got full creative control. The Emmy-nominated TV personality, author, and culinary powerhouse will be back on TV with a new CBS show that she spearheaded. Yes, luckily for us, she isn’t just hosting it. Rather, she’s executive producing it, casting it, calling every shot.
“Oh, my God, I’m doing a show for CBS,” Lakshmi revealed during an appearance at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. “I didn’t want to really go back to food competition [shows] because eating that food was tough! But CBS came to me, and they just really made an offer I couldn’t refuse, frankly,” she told Food & Wine editor Kat Kinsman.
Introducing ‘America’s Culinary Cup’
The show is currently titled “America’s Culinary Cup” and is described as “delicious entertainment,” according to Lakshmi. Slated to premiere in the 2025-26 TV season, the series aims to gather “the nation’s most decorated chefs” in a high-stakes culinary showdown like no other.
And by “high stakes,” we’re talking a million dollars in prize money.
“That’s the prize money we’re giving out, which is four times as much as any other food competition that I can think of,” Lakshmi said. “So I’m daunted and I’m excited, and this time, it’s mine.”
The show will challenge participants across a broad spectrum of skills, creativity, endurance, presentation, leadership, and more. According to CBS, it’s designed to combine the energy of sports with the drama of reality television, while celebrating the “American spirit.”
“We’re inviting elite chefs from across the country to represent their unique culinary style and battle it out,” Lakshmi said in an official statement. “This competition echoes the thrill of sports and the American spirit as we cheer on our favorite chefs. I’m very excited to work with CBS and partner with Susan on America’s Culinary Cup.”
An Offer She Couldn’t Refuse
The 54-year-old is no stranger to the kitchen or the camera. After 19 seasons as host of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” she stepped away in 2023. The chef stated the decision came “after much soul searching.” She also helmed the critically acclaimed Hulu docuseries “Taste the Nation,” which explored immigrant cuisine and its impact on American food culture.
But “America’s Culinary Cup” feels different. She believes it will be bigger, more personal, and more ambitious. It’s bigger.
“I’m terrified again,” she admitted in Aspen. “We are location scouting and trying to calm the casting director down… But I’m learning as I go. I’m learning on the job. The only North Star I have to guide me is my sense of taste.”
What’s Next?
So far, CBS has kept pretty quiet on exactly which chefs will be stepping up to the culinary plate. With networks like Food Network (owned by Warner Bros. Discovery) and Top Chef’s NBCUniversal origins, some high-profile contenders may be contractually off-limits.
Still, the field of decorated American chefs is wide, and Lakshmi’s show is poised to make a splash in a genre CBS hasn’t touched in over a decade. “I have a production company, and I’m a single mom, so I need to go back to work,” she said. “But I’m very excited to do this because I’m creating it myself.”
And if history is any indication, when Lakshmi has full creative control, the result is nothing short of groundbreaking. So yes, “Top Chef” fans, your favorite cooking host is back. But this time, she’s running the whole kitchen.
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Padma Lakshmi Opens Up About New Show: ‘I’m Creating It Myself’