Dual Emmy-nominated culinary host Padma Lakshmi may be finished uttering the phrase "pack your knives and go," but there's one shocking component of "Top Chef" that she says she won't miss: "the copious amounts of food in a very short time."
"I know that's a high-class problem to have, but it can feel really uncomfortable in the long hours and eating all that food," she told "Good Morning America" on Tuesday. "I will not miss it."
The award-winning show, which Lakshmi hosted for 19 seasons, created a niche between reality TV and culinary competitions that took off and changed the landscape of entertainment.
"I had no idea when I started 'Top Chef' that it would be this pop culture phenomenon," she said. "I think about what we started. It's such an institution. I'm proud to have built that with the rest of my crew -- I just needed a change."
Now, in her third season of the newly Emmy-nominated Hulu series, "Taste the Nation," Lakshmi said, "This is the first time in my career that I have actually been able to build a show from an idea in my head -- it's been the professional honor of my life really because it's about food and culture."
"To me what makes America really great ... is the contributions of so many different kinds of people. That's why we're a super power. Not because of our military or economic strength. Of course those things. But the same people who have contributed to that have also contributed to the culture of America, and that's what the show is really about," she continued.
One of her stops on the show includes Daly City, California, where she highlights the rich Filipino culture to shine a spotlight on "internalized colonialism."
The dish she said she felt best represents that is also perfect for summer: Halo Halo, which Lakshmi called "a map of Filipino history in a glass -- a sweet treat that represents a not-so-sweet past."
"Top Chef" alum, Goosefeather restaurant owner and Filipino chef Dale Talde joined "GMA" alongside Lakshmi to make the layered frozen treat.
It starts with a base of Taiwanese boba and Indian jackfruit, then gets layers of Filipino ube ice cream, topped with Spanish flan and American Corn Flakes cereal.
"Taste the Nation" is nominated for an Emmy this year for outstanding hosted nonfiction series against some impressive A-list competition, including "The Light We Carry" with Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction" with David Letterman and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, "Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy" and "United Shades Of America" with W. Kamau Bell.
Read more here about Lakshmi's career, accolades and what's next for "Top Chef."
"Taste the Nation" is streaming now on Hulu.
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