So far on Top Chef, one contestant has lost his sense of taste and smell weeks before the competition, while another has made it through six rounds

The longtime presenter of Bravo’s Emmy-winning series tells people that the episode honouring “Texas Trailblaze-hers” is her particular favourite this season, which she complimented for having “one of the most varied casts we’ve ever had.”

“Just extraordinary. I’m really proud of that episode,”

Says Lakshmi. “I think it was a really moving episode, and I think we also had a good cross-section of people.”

Contestants were given the challenge of preparing dishes inspired by Texas’ most powerful women and then serving them to a panel of trailblazing female judges for the episode’s elimination phase. Plates honouring former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards and Sheryl Swoopes, the first WNBA player, were among the highlights.

Chef Evelyn Garca, the challenge winner, created a meal with powerful tastes inspired by singer Selena Gomez. Garca’s meal was a snapper main with Asian pear, orange zest, avocado, and radishes arranged like a flower, inspired by Selena’s “Como La Flor.”

Padma Lakshmi says. “But if you’re an experienced cook, you know what something is supposed to taste like. So, he didn’t make a big deal of it. And so, it didn’t factor much for us either.”

“It was mind-bending and weird, and I still don’t really know what anything tasted like that I put up, but I guess my instincts were better than I thought they were.”

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