{"id":290124,"date":"2021-07-03T01:30:56","date_gmt":"2021-07-02T22:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/padma-lakshmi-on-rumors-about-top-chef-winner-gabe-erales\/"},"modified":"2021-07-03T01:30:56","modified_gmt":"2021-07-02T22:30:56","slug":"padma-lakshmi-on-rumors-about-top-chef-winner-gabe-erales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/padma-lakshmi-on-rumors-about-top-chef-winner-gabe-erales\/","title":{"rendered":"#Padma Lakshmi on rumors about ‘Top Chef’ winner Gabe Erales"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Padma Lakshmi on rumors about ‘Top Chef’ winner Gabe Erales<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

\n

Texas-based chef Gabe Erales won the title of \u201cTop Chef\u201d Thursday night \u2014 and it\u2019s already leaving a nasty aftertaste in the mouths of some fans of the enduring reality TV cooking competition. <\/p>\n

While some hyped his win on social media<\/a>, others found it problematic that the former executive chef of Austin\u2019s Comedor \u2014\u00a0who was fired in December for \u201crepeated violations<\/a>\u201d of restaurant policies \u2014 claimed the $250,000 grand prize.<\/p>\n

Bravo\u2019s Portland, Oregon-based finale of the show\u2019s 18th season featured Erales, 40, being crowned the winner, with fellow Texas chef\u00a0Dawn Burrell\u00a0from Houston and\u00a0Shota Nakajima\u00a0from Seattle as runners-up.<\/p>\n

It was announced that Erales was competing on \u201cTop Chef\u201d in February 2021. However, as the season progressed, rumors started cooking that he was canned from the Mexican eatery for violating restaurant policy\u00a0on harassment and discrimination.\u00a0Some social media watchdogs were not impressed after discovering the distasteful controversy.<\/p>\n

One outraged fan\u00a0said<\/a>, \u201cOK but for real #topchef not addressing Gabe being fired from his job and the allegations against him AT ALL is really irresponsible. I just discovered this today, and people like me have been watching and (not me) rooting for him all season with no idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another commented<\/a>, \u201cIs #TopChef<\/a> going to address the Gabe Erales issue? I love this show but people are coming forward with their stories and it\u2019s not looking good.\u201d<\/p>\n

As online speculation started to boil over, \u201cTop Chef\u201d host Padma Lakshmi served up her stance on Twitter.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs someone who has been sexually harassed, this topic is a serious one and merits openness,\u201d Lakshmi, 50, said<\/a>. \u201cWe filmed Top Chef in October of last year & were not aware of the allegations now coming out about Gabe. This should be investigated & the network should consider its best action.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Padma
Padma Lakshmi took to Twitter as fans started cooking up rumors: \u201cWe filmed Top Chef in October of last year & were not aware of the allegations now coming out about Gabe. This should be investigated & the network should consider its best action.\u201d<\/figcaption>
Nicole Weingart\/Bravo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cTo be clear, no one has alleged sexual harassment on the record or otherwise to Bravo\/Top Chef and we judges didn\u2019t have any indication of inapp<\/a>ropriate behavior from Gabe during his time on set,\u201d Lakshmi added<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Network reps for \u201cTop Chef\u201d declined to comment when asked if there would be any response to the fan backlash. However, an insider connected to the show directed The Post to an Austin-American Statesman<\/a> report revealing how the production team knew details about the firing, both from conversations with restaurant management and Erales. <\/p>\n

The local outlet said an anonymous \u201cTop Chef\u201d\u00a0source alleged that Erales admitted he engaged in a \u201cconsensual sexual relationship\u201d with a kitchen staffer \u2014 and later cut her hours based on work performance. The source also said producers performed a background check on Erales and looked into his behavior on set, but found nothing problematic. <\/p>\n

No specific allegations against Erales have been made officially \u2014 and the new \u201cTop Chef\u201d has publicly denied having sexual relationships with his staff at Comedor or any other restaurant.<\/p>\n

\"Gabe
Gabe Erales won the $250,000 grand prize for winning Season 18 of \u201cTop Chef\u201d on Bravo. The show was pre-taped in October, meaning Erales was let go from his executive chef job at Comedor after<\/em> the show had already named him the season\u2019s winner.<\/figcaption>
NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Operated by partners William Ball and chef Philip Speer, Comedor achieved accolades such as being named one of Esquire\u2019s best new restaurants<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Texas Monthly\u2019s\u00a0best new restaurant of 2020<\/a> under Erales.<\/p>\n

However, Speer told the Statesman that Erales was let go \u201cdue to violation of our policies and for behavior in conflict with our values.\u201d He later said more specifically that he repeatedly violated the company\u2019s ethics policy in the context of the harassment of women. Erales, who did not respond to an inquiry from the outlet back in December 2020 about his firing, finally confirmed his termination last week.<\/p>\n

Because the show was pre-taped months ago, Erales was let go from his executive chef job at Comedor after<\/em> the show had already named him the season\u2019s winner.<\/p>\n

The series<\/a> never considered re-shoots, according to the source, since \u201cscrapping the entire season would not be fair to the other 14 chef contestants and a production team that endured the challenges of the pandemic to produce the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n