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Top Chef is back, and Season 21 features a series-defining shake-up: no Padma Lakshmi. Fortunately, the Bravo series has found a new host in Kristen Kish. Keep reading to learn everything about the new season, from details on the hosting shake-up to where to watch a Top Chef live stream.
Since first premiering in 2006, Top Chef has become one of the hottest cooking-based shows out there. Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio (in addition to Lakshmi and now Kish) judge contestants on a variety of culinary challenges each season. The tasks are often tied to the region where the season is hosted.
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Season 21 takes contestants to Wisconsin. There, they face some new rules, including the fact that no immunity will be given for a quickfire win. As usual, contestants are impressive this season, ranging from a chef de cuisine at a Michelin-star restaurant to a James Beard Award finalist. Special guests like Clea DuVall, Matty Matheson, Art Smith, and Brittany Snow join the judges' panel this season.
If you're hoping to tune in but aren't sure how to watch Bravo without cable, we've got you covered. Below, we've outlined all your viewing options, regardless of your location.
Top Chef live stream quick links
- USA: Peacock ($5.99), Sling TV ($40)
- UK & others: Hayu
- Access your subscriptions from anywhere: ExpressVPN (30-day money-back guarantee)
- New episodes:
- Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET / 2 a.m. BST / 9 a.m. AWST (Thursday)
Where to watch Top Chef in the US
"Top Chef" airs Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo in the US. Episodes are available to stream next-day on Peacock. Peacock plans start at just $5.99 per month and come with a massive catalog of Bravo reality shows, including the past 20 seasons of "Top Chef."
If you're hoping to tune in to "Top Chef" live on Wednesday nights and don't have cable, you'll want to try a live TV streaming package that includes Bravo, like Sling TV. You'll want to opt for the Sling Blue plan, which has Bravo. Sling plans start at $40 per month, but the service usually has a promo going that will reduce the cost of your first month if you're a new subscriber.
How to watch Top Chef in the UK and other countries
While there's not currently a streaming service-based live option for "Top Chef" in the UK and other countries, many regions can stream the show on Hayu after it airs in the US. The service, which specializes in reality television, is available in most European countries, as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and more. You can check to see if it's available in your region on the Hayu website.
How to watch Top Chef from anywhere
If you can't access "Top Chef" through any of these streaming options, it might be time to try a VPN (virtual private network). VPNs temporarily change the location of your electronic device so that you can bypass geo-blocks and access websites and apps that might not be available in the region where you're currently located. This option will be best for Americans who are traveling abroad and simply don't have access to their existing streaming subscriptions at the moment, since all of the services we've recommended require a US form of payment.
Not sure where to start when it comes to VPNs? Our tried-and-true recommendation is ExpressVPN, which comes with a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Check out our ExpressVPN review to see why it's our go-to and keep reading to learn how to use it.
How to watch Top Chef with a VPN
- Sign up for a VPN if you don't already have one.
- Install it on the device you're planning to watch "Top Chef" on.
- Turn it on and set it to a US location.
- Sign up for one of the streaming services mentioned above.
- Select the Bravo channel and enjoy the new episode.
Why did Padma Lakshmi leave Top Chef?
Padma Lakshmi announced via Instagram last June that she'd be departing the show after Season 20 of "Top Chef" to move forward and "make space" for other projects. She later told Variety that working on multiple shows in an on-screen and production capacity was "exhausting and untenable" but that she left the series "at a very high point, in very capable hands."
Who is Kristen Kish?
New host Kristen Kish will be a familiar face for "Top Chef" devotees. Kish won "Top Chef" Season 10 and has since developed quite a substantial online following. Kish was the chef at two Boston restaurants, Stir and Menton. Since then, she has opened her own restaurant, Arlo Grey, in Austin, Texas.
What time is Top Chef on Peacock?
In the past, "Top Chef" and other Bravo shows have usually been available on Peacock by the following morning (about 6 a.m. ET). However, the Season 21 premiere didn't land on the streaming service until around 1 p.m. ET on Thursday, so if you don't see the new episode when you check first thing in the morning, you might just need to wait a little bit.
How many episodes?
Season 21 will consist of 14 episodes. The season finale is expected to air on Wednesday, June 19. This is a pretty standard season length for Top Chef. The past four seasons also had 14 episodes. Throughout the series' entire run, every season has been 12 to 18 episodes.
Top Chef spin-offs
"Top Chef" spin-offs started premiering in 2009 with "Top Chef Masters," which featured established chefs competing against each other. The show lasted for five seasons. Additional "Top Chef" spin-offs include "Top Chef: Just Desserts," "Top Chef VIP," and "Top Chef Jr.," among many others. Several of the spin-offs are available to stream on Peacock.
Among the many "Top Chef"-adjacent Peacock offerings is "Top Chef: The Dish with Kish." The series, which features installments that run about 13-15 minutes long, releases new episodes on Thursdays around the same time "Top Chef" lands on the streaming service. The show follows Kristen Kish as she hosts guest chefs who cook dishes that are inspired by challenges.
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.