Monday, 30 August 2010 05:52 Dine & Cook Staff Report

Bravo's "Top Chef" cooked up one of the biggest Emmys' upsets last night, beating out the heavily favored "The Amazing Race" in the reality-competition category.

This was no simple feat for the food-based reality TV show, "The Amazing Race" has dominated the category since it was put in place eight years ago.

Standing clearly stunned on the stage after the announcement was made, "Top Chef" Executive producer Dan Cutforth said, "It's something we never expected, and I have nothing prepared to say."

The win is the first Emmy for the producers of the cooking series. The cooking competition show won its first Emmy in 2008, and has been nominated 13 times, including three this year.

According to the LA Times, "The Amazing Race" had such a lock on the reality-competition category that some rival nominees suggested that the CBS series be placed in another reality category. It was even suggested that the producers of "The Amazing Race" withdraw from consideration in order to give other series a chance to win an Emmy.

Backstage at the Emmys, "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi told reporters that she assumed "Amazing Race" was going to win again.

"In fact, I was really, really mean to the host of 'Amazing Race' on the red carpet," she said. "I told him I was taking him down."

On Twitter, judge Gail Simmons wrote, "Still tongue-tied 4 hours later!"