TOP Chef has announced a major schedule change for the upcoming Season 23, and fans think the show’s former host, Padma Lakshmi, might have something to do with it.

For two decades, Top Chef aired on Thursday nights, though it was hosted by Padma, who quit the show in 2023.

Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio, judges on "Top Chef."
Top Chef fans think former host Padma Lakshmi (left) might have something to do with the show’s schedule changeCredit: Getty
 

Kristen Kish standing behind a counter with a cloche.
Padma quit the show in 2023, and Kristen Kish took over as hostCredit: Getty
Now, the new season of the long-running series will air on Mondays, beginning March 9, with Kristen Kish as host.

Bravo revealed the schedule adjustment over the weekend, noting that the premiere episode will air from 9:00pm to 10:15pm EST/PST.

The show will move to its regular timeslot of 9:30pm starting March 16 and will continue with 75-minute-long episodes.

New episodes will be available the next day on Peacock.

Many devoted fans were thrown off by the sudden change, considering the show has consistently aired on Thursdays since its inception in 2004.

“Mondays??? It’s been Thursdays from season 1 I think,” one person reacted on Reddit.

Others suspected that the move might be to get ahead of Padma’s new CBS cooking show, America’s Culinary Cup, which premieres on Wednesday, March 4.

“I wonder if they moved it to Mondays because Padma’s new cooking competition show is airing on Wednesdays,” theorized another.

According to a synopsis of Padma’s new series, “America’s Culinary Cup features sixteen of the country’s most elite chefs competing in the ultimate culinary arena.”

Michael Cimarusti and Wylie Dufresne serve as the judges, while the contestants will compete for the $1 million cash prize – the biggest in culinary history.

Padma joined Top Chef as host for the show’s second season in 2006, replacing Katie Lee.

The TV star announced her departure in 2023 to focus on other projects, including her Hulu travel series, Taste the Nation.

“When I quit Top Chef, I was like, ‘I want to quit so that I can feed my brain and feed my spirit and my creativity,’ because after a while it just didn’t feel stimulating anymore,” Padma told Marie Claire about her decision.

“I wanted to take the time off and make sure I did something that was pure joy, and I found it.”

The reality star also said she’d found a new passion in comedy and that her work in the culinary world was just a steppingstone toward her ultimate career goals.

“After 17 years, many of the cast and crew are like family to me, and I will miss working alongside them dearly,” Padma added.

“I feel it’s time to move on and need to make space for Taste the Nation, my books, and other creative pursuits.”

Kristen, who reached a new audience with her stint on Season 4 of The Traitors earlier this year, took over as the host of Top Chef for Season 21.

She previously won Season 10 of Top Chef (Seattle), which aired in 2012, and returned as a guest judge on multiple seasons thereafter.

Key art for "Top Chef" featuring three people at a table laden with food and drinks.
The series returns on Monday, March 9, after previously airing on ThursdaysCredit: NBCUniversal
 

Padma Lakshmi, host of Top Chef, stands in front of a colorful wall and produce.
Padma has a new cooking show airing the following week on CBS called, America’s Culinary CupCredit: Getty
 

Kristen Kish, a contestant on "Top Chef Duels", standing in a kitchen wearing a black chef's jacket and holding a black bag.
Kristen won Season 10 of Top Chef (Seattle), which aired in 2012