This isn’t exactly new news but it is new to us, and since the show is just about a month out we thought we’d give a heads up that Lisa Ray, who starred with Sheetal Sheth in back-to-back lesbian-themed filmsI Can’t Think Straight and The World Unseen, has been tapped to host Top Chef Canada Season 2, according to News Wire Canada.

Not unlike Bravo’s wildly popular reality series Top Chef, Top Chef Canada pits the cream of the chef crop against each other in a battle for taste buds and a grand prize of $100,000 and a $30 K GE Monogram kitchen, according to News Wire.

Ray, a Toronto native and model and actress who has turned in terrific performances in Bollywood Hollywood and Fire director Deepa Mehta’s beautiful Water, replaces host Thea Andrews, who recently gave birth to her second child.

"I am a big fan of the Top Chef series and thrilled to help spotlight some of the amazing culinary talent right here in my hometown," Ray said, News Wire reports. "I'm looking forward to a challenging yet delicious season."

Top Chef Canada is not Ray’s first foray into hosting as she cohosted Star Biz on Star Movies, according to Bolly.Sawfmnews.com.

"It's amazing to have Lisa Ray as part of the Top Chef Canada family.  Lisa has sampled cultures and cuisines in her travels around the world and she brings that experience and sense of adventure to the judges' table each week," says Mark Lysakowski, Supervising Producer, Insight Productions, which produces the show.

Diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma – cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow--Ray began blogging about her experience overcoming the disease. She has since announced she is cancer free and has raised funds and awareness for those with the disease.

Top Chef Canadaairs March 12, on Food Network Canada. 

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