'Top Chef' Judges and Co-Stars Respond to Fatima Ali's Death

On Friday, January 25 Top Chef season 15 contestant Fatima Ali lost her battle with cancer at the age of 29. The young chef shined brightly both in the kitchen and as a human being with her witty, endearing personality earning the Bravo reality competition's "Fan Favorite" title last year. Ali, who was born and raised in Pakistan, operated her VanPakistan booth at Brooklyn's Smorgasburg before being cast first on Chopped and later on Top Chef. While fans learned of Ali's previous battle with Ewing's sarcoma through her backstory segments watching the show, it was during the airing of Top Chef when Ali revealed that her cancer had returned. Then, after treatment, she was told she had beat it, only to have that declaration reversed a few months later with a dire prognosis: Ali would only have about a year to live.

Ali took her health complications in stride, penning a piece for Bon Appétit about her intentions to make the most of her final months. Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi showed an immediate outpouring of support, as did the rest of her tight-knit season 15 castmates, including Adrienne Cheatham who started a fundraising campaign to help Ali live her best year yet.

In that spirit, many of her fellow Top Chef Colorado alums would continue expressing their love for Ali after her passing. Here are what the Top Chef judges and season 15 chefs had to say about the passing of their dear friend Fati:

Bruce Kalman

Kalman broke the news to many via an Instagram post on Friday afternoon.

Padma Lakshmi

Gail Simmons

Tom Colicchio

Nilou Motamed

Tyler Anderson

Adrienne Cheatham

Laura Cole

Joe Flamm

Rogelio Garcia

Tanya Holland

Brother Luck

Melissa Perfit

Tu David Phu

Joe Sasto

In an Instagram Story, Sasto posted a photo of he and Ali with the caption "We lost one of the great ones today."

Chris Scott

Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins