Adamari Lopez and Chef James together in Univision
Alicia Civita/The Latin Post

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The halls of Univision's national headquarters in Miami have witnessed countless television legends cross paths, but few reunions carry the emotional weight of this one: beloved Puerto Rican host and actress Adamari López and Venezuelan chef and TV personality James Tahhan, known to viewers as Chef James, are now working under the same roof again.

Their reunion took place this week as Chef James officially joined the cast of Siéntese Quien Pueda, a midday entertainment talk show that airs at 1 p.m. ET. Though the two aren't co-hosting the same program, López, who now anchors Desiguales at 3 p.m. ET, couldn't hide her excitement about working alongside her longtime colleague once more.

"Oh, what a wonderful thing," López told ENSTARZ and the Latin Times during the third-anniversary celebration of Siéntese Quien Pueda. "You all know that James has always been an amazing co-host, and I feel lucky to share space with him again. We may not be on the same show, but we're just next door to each other. So I'm really, really happy to reconnect with such a great colleague."

Chef James matched her enthusiasm. "This beautiful soul... I had the chance to work with her for so many years, and now seeing her every day again feels like déjà vu. It's really nice," he said.

A Morning Show Bond

López and Tahhan became household names in U.S. Spanish-language television thanks to their roles on Telemundo's popular morning show Un Nuevo Día (formerly ¡Levántate!). López joined the team in July 2012, and the pair spent nearly nine years together on the air, developing a chemistry that made them favorites with audiences across the country.

Chef James was the first to leave, exiting the show in September 2020. López's departure came nearly three years later, in April 2023, ending an 11-year tenure with Telemundo. Today, they find themselves not just back in the same building, but technically on the same team. Both shows, Siéntese Quien Pueda and Desiguales, are produced by We Love Entertainment for Univision.

Joining them in this new chapter is Chiquibaby (Stephanie Himonidis), another familiar face from Un Nuevo Día, who now also co-hosts Siéntese Quien Pueda. The trio represents a new kind of crossover success in the competitive world of Spanish-language TV, where once-rigid network boundaries are slowly dissolving.

Afternoon Shows, Better Pay

In a light-hearted but telling remark, Chef James added: "They pay us better now."

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His comment underscores a powerful shift in Spanish-language broadcasting. For years, the idea of jumping ship from one network to another, especially from Telemundo to Univision or vice versa, was almost taboo. Talent often risked being blacklisted for life. But the tide has changed.

It's increasingly common to see actors, anchors, and TV hosts working across networks or reuniting at different media companies. What's less common, though, is for so many former colleagues to find themselves hired for different shows under the same production umbrella, and airing back-to-back.

That's exactly what's happening here. Not only are López and Tahhan reunited, but several other Telemundo veterans. Carolina Sandoval, Lucho Borrego, and Jorge Bernal are also part of the Univision family through We Love Entertainment. The production house was also responsible for Suelta la Sopa, a successful entertainment gossip show that aired on Telemundo.

This new constellation of talent suggests a trend toward cross-network collaboration and perhaps, as Chef James joked, improved pay and work-life balance. With afternoon time slots replacing those early morning wakeups, and longtime friendships rekindled, it seems this new chapter in Univision's programming is serving up more than just ratings: It's delivering heartwarming reunions.

Originally published on Latin Times