Judging 6 changes to Top Chef Season 21
Of the many changes to Top Chef, which ones should stick?
The only constant in life is change, and the Top Chef universe is no different. Season 21: Wisconsin has brought more changes than any season I can remember. Some big, some small, all of them interesting.
I’m going to weigh in on six Top Chef tweaks so far in Season 21 and offer my verdict:
Approve (You Are Top Chef!) or Disapprove (Pack Your Knives And Go…)
Change No. 1: Kristen Kish as host
Replacing a legend like Padma Lakshmi is a nearly impossible task. Lakshmi presided over Top Chef hosting duties for 19 freaking years, consistently bringing her peerless combination of sharp knowledge and playful wit. She commanded the room with a confident presence that only a former (current?) model can bring. She also left on the highest of notes; a brilliant World All-Stars season that saw Buddha Lo win back-to-back honors in a magnificent Paris finale.
So, yeah, good luck filling those shoes. But one thing that Padma is not … she is not a chef. Kristen Kish is. She also won Top Chef. Beyond her culinary talents and track record on the show, Kish is also a two-time TV host. And boy does it show. At no point have I felt that she wasn’t cut out for this gig.
You can tell that Kish has earned the genuine respect of both Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio, and chemistry hasn’t been lacking. I especially enjoy the Kish pep talk. The very first episode, she leveled with the chefs and brought up the fact that she had never won a James Beard or Michelin star – and yet won the whole damn thing. Right off the bat, we knew Kristen wasn’t going to try to be Padma. It’s the winning choice.
I don’t think there will be another Padma, whose rise coincided with the explosion of cooking competition TV. In the same way, there will never be another Michael Jordan. Kristen Kish can be this era’s LeBron James – different but worthy of the throne.
Verdict: You Are Top Chef!
Change No. 2: No immunity for winning the Quickfire
It never occurred to me that Top Chef should get rid of immunity for the Quickfire. To me, it just never presented as a problem that needed to be fixed. I actually enjoyed how immunity changed the strategy of Elimination Challenges: do you want an immunity chef on your squad or would you rather avoid the cheftestant on their pseudo bye week?
I worried that the stakes wouldn’t feel as big if the QFs yielded only a cash prize. But, duh: money talks. QFs remain a fun warm-up to the main event, and I’m surprised at how much weight the QF still holds in my mind even without immunity on the line.
Verdict: You Are Top Chef!
Change No. 3: Immunity for the next Elimination Challenge
I really liked this one. I hadn’t considered the fact that winning the QF subtly carried more weight than winning the actual Elimination Challenge. If you win the QF, you’re guaranteed to stay on the show! Win the Elimination Challenge and … hey, here’s a pat on the back.
It does seem like there’s a better equilibrium now in terms of stakes. The Elimination Challenge should feel like the main event. It did before but now it REALLY does. One thing I find myself wanting: a little more messaging on who holds Elimination Challenge immunity. They don’t need to put a gold chain around the neck of the immunity holder – this ain’t The U – but I did catch myself forgetting who had immunity until someone casually mentioned it late in the episode. Or maybe I’m just dumb and wasn’t paying close enough attention. That, probably.
Verdict: You Are Top Chef!