Top Chef returns for Season 18 on April 1, will try to "reframe the conversation about Portland" in its first pandemic season

Variety

Bravo had always wanted to film in Portland and decided to proceed with its plans last September and October -- even after the Trump administration deployed federal troops to squash the protests ignited by the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. “Once we were committed, we all felt very strongly that Portland was such a perfect backdrop,” Bravo executive Matt Reichman, who oversees Top Chef, tells Variety. “We want to try and reframe the conversation about Portland, and bring it back to the amazing, special place it is, while also honoring what’s happening there.” The show was prepared for civil unrest, but it was taken aback by the Oregon wildfires in September. Meanwhile, to film amid a pandemic, the large crew was divided into separate zones working at separate times. “Like everyone else, all of us were anxious to get back to work,” says host Padma Lakshmi. “But we wanted to make sure that we can do the show, yes, keeping everyone safe — but also not diminishing the quality of the show that our audience is used to.” ALSO: Watch Top Chef's Season 18 trailer.