It’s always jarring when a culinary pop culture staple of our day-to-day lives winds up taking a powder and vamoosing to supposedly greener pastures. After all, these are the anonymous and intimate friends to whom we spend the tail-end of our days and nights watching on the boob tube as they delight our tired gray matter with secret tips on how to make the perfect omelet or just how much salt you should add to that special Valentine’s Day pasta you’re whipping up for that special somebody. Most of these constants have come to us through the devices of The Food Network or Bravo (an occasionally, if we’re slumming it, via FOX) and their names are an honor roll of primetime chefs who translated their cooking into enjoyable half-hour to one hour television shows: Gordon Ramsay, Bobby Flay, Guy Fieri, Aarti Sequeira, Giada De Laurentis, Alton Brown, Duff Goldman and Jeff Mauro have all decorated a lot of people’s lives with more ‘secret recipes’ than you can shake a Julia Child cookbook at. Perhaps because these larger than life personalities do fill such a space in our lives, the news today from our pals over at Variety of losing one of those far-famed culinary names has hit harder than we initially expected it to.

 Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi has decided to depart the long-running hit cooking series, leaving behind a whole lot of sad viewers who have come to love her efficient and warm style of cooking and critiquing over the course of twenty seasons on the Bravo network.

In a press release, Lakshmi explained that “After much soul searching, I have made the difficult decision to leave ‘Top Chef.’ Having completed a glorious 20th season as host and executive producer, I am extremely proud to have been part of building such a successful show and of the impact it has had in the worlds of television and food…After 17 years, many of the cast and crew are like family to me and I will miss working alongside them dearly,” she continued. “I feel it’s time to move on and need to make space for ‘Taste the Nation,’ my books and other creative pursuits. I am deeply thankful to all of you for so many years of love and support. Sincerely, Padma.”

Anyone else officially depressed yet?

 In a separate press release, NBCUniversal stated that  “Padma Lakshmi leaves behind an incredible legacy on Bravo’s ‘Top Chef.’ Her impact on the Emmy, James Beard and Critics’ Choice Award-winning series is undeniable. We are grateful to Padma for being a consummate host, judge and executive producer, and for bringing her ingenuity and exceptional palate to each episode where she ate every bite of food on the series for over 17 years and 19 seasons. She will always be part of the ‘Top Chef’ and the NBCUniversal family and has a seat at the judges’ table anytime.”

Dry those bleary and wet eyes, Dear and Constant Reader: Though we might be losing the brilliant Ms. Lakshmi over on Bravo, we still have her sage advice on-hand over on the Hulu food series Taste the Nation to tide us over; best of luck to Padma Lakshmi in whatever endeavors she pursues in the future!