Padma Lakshmi's Prank On Tom Colicchio Has Twitter Rolling

If you've ever watched an episode of "Top Chef" and thought, "wow, this seems really intense," you wouldn't be wrong. Just trying to get cast on "Top Chef" can be a lengthy and nerve-wracking process, and if you happen to be one of the lucky few who earns a spot? Let's just say you'll have your work cut out for you. "You're playing a game you haven't played before," Season 12 competitor Joy Crump explained to the Washington Post in 2014. "Everything you think you know, you don't know anymore." Sounds ... fun?

Being on the other side of the judge's table isn't exactly a walk in the park, either, despite how glamorous the job may seem. While the magic of television makes the jobs of Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, and Gail Simmons look quick and easy, the reality of their roles is much different. "They sit us down at the table and we talk for hours. We talk about every dish, the pros and cons," Simmons told Parade, noting that the judges' final decision comes down to "choosing the least good dish from a table of excellent dishes."

Discussions used to last eight hours and eventually got down to three or four, Simmons told Syracuse.com in 2019, so it shouldn't be surprising that the "Top Chef" judges sometimes look for little ways to entertain themselves in between conversations. Recently, Lakshmi and Simmons pulled a hilarious prank on their pal Colicchio that left Twitter in stitches.

On-screen, Padma Lakshmi and Gail Simmons may seem like they're all business, but off-camera, they're just a couple of pranksters. During the filming of a recent judge's table for what we assume is the upcoming Season 20 of "Top Chef," the ladies got together to snap a selfie on fellow judge Tom Colicchio's phone, which they proceeded to post to his Twitter account. The photo, which saw Lakshmi and Simmons making funny faces with their tongues out, caused a sea of laughter amongst Colicchio's followers, many of whom expressed their approval with the tears of joy emoji.

Eventually, Colicchio himself caught wind of the Twitter prank and explained the cause of it in a follow-up post. "This is what happens when you leave your phone open at judges table," he tweeted, leading to a second round of replies from fans. "I love it! I love that y'all not only enjoy your work, but the people you work with," user @ChampgneDiva said. "If I were you I'd make that the start screen on the phone," suggested @ScottWood761.

Of course, Lakshmi and Simmons also re-posted their grade-A prank on their respective Twitter accounts, with the latter saying they "couldn't resist." Perhaps this should serve as a warning to anyone who shows up to the "Top Chef" set in the future: Don't leave your phone unlocked and unattended around the judges.