Unlike boring Desperate Housewives restrictions where they can only spend like $150 on a necklace and $250 on a pair of shoes, Top Chef‘s been doing the budget game since square one.

Now that the show is on it’s fifth season (tonight at 10/9c!), Padma’s been talking about what’s going to change on the show with the economy in its current shape, and essentially, it’s not much:

You know, I think we have addressed it without knowing how timely it would become because, if you notice, a lot of our challenges have a really tight budget. We do it by making parameters of, you have this much money, but you have to feed this many people. So that’s always a struggle. Every challenge is about balancing your food budget. Every single one.

Bring on New York’s Top Chef! I live for the challenges, and nothing will seem amiss at all. Squeeee, I can’t wait.