Padma Lakshmi dishes on her 'big issue' with 'Top Chef'

Los Angeles, Jan 23 (IANS) India-born supermodel, TV host, producer, cookbook author and actor Padma Lakshmi served as a host for the show 'Top Chef' from 2006 until 2023, and although she enjoyed the food, said that it was still a "big, big, big issue" for her.

"No, I don't. I mean, the food is great but when you have to eat that much of it, it's really hard. So I'm happy not to have ... that was a big, big, big issue, yeah," Padma told people.com when asked if she missed eating the food.

She also shared that she'll miss her 'Top Chef' colleagues. The model likened the show's crew to a "family."

She said, "I miss my friends. I miss the whole crew -- they're like family to me."

Last year, Padma outlined her reasons for quitting the show after 17 years.

The runway star -- who also hosts 'Taste the Nation', a travel and food show -- told the 'Awards Circuit' podcast, "I had been on location for eight months out of the year."

"And when I wasn't on location, I was in pre- and post-production for both my shows. And I was looking at edits of one show while on the set of another show. It was just exhausting and untenable for me to continue that way."

Padma also said that her busy schedule was harming her personal life.

She shared, "I haven't had a relationship in a long time either, because I'm always working. I don't know when I think I was going to meet anybody. I'm surrounded by people I either employ or employ me, and neither of those [groups of] people are appropriate (for a romantic relationship)."