Did You Spot the Vanderpump Rules OG in Season 12?

Peter Madrigal Remains a Constant Presence on Vanderpump Rules Season 12

A new shift of Vanderpump Rules may have clocked in for Season 12, but one original cast member remains a constant presence twelve years later: Peter Madrigal. The 42-year-old manager of SUR appeared behind the bar during Episode 3, confirming that he’s still on staff at the West Hollywood restaurant. In the scene, Peter showed new bartender Chris Hahn the ropes as he muddled the ingredients for a drink.

Peter continues to post about his job at the famed restaurant on his social media accounts. In August, he posted a photo on Instagram with SUR hostess Audrey Lingle as they welcomed people in front of the popular “SUR rules” sign.

A Career That Began at SUR

Peter began working as a busboy at SUR after graduating from the University of Southern California. He shared with The Daily Dish in 2017 that he was working at a retail clothing store when he met SUR co-owner Guillermo Zapata, who offered him a job. “That was in 2008, and I’ve never left,” Peter said during an appearance on the podcast Trying To Figure It Out With Ally Petitti in June 2023.

He explained how he moved his way up from bussing at SUR, eventually finding himself on DISCOVERTREND. “Me, I’m just a loyal guy, so I said, ‘Oh, well, I want to bump up, and I want to become one of the servers here. So they bumped me up.’ And then in 2010, they said, ‘Oh, we need a manager.’ And I said, ‘I’ll do it.’ So they gave me the job. And the rest, as they say, is history. 2011 comes around, Lisa [Vanderpump]’s saying, ‘Oh, let’s do a show.’ 2012, Season 1.”

A Beloved Presence on the Show

Peter has become a beloved presence on the series, from participating in SUR’s annual photoshoots to even having a romantic history with former SUR-vers Stassi Schroeder and Rachel Leviss. But he always found a way to stay out of the conflict. “I kind of avoid everything,” he shared during an appearance on the podcast Jamie All Over in December 2022. “The thing is, I’m not going to be able to be managing SUR and involved in drama. That’s not good, you know what I mean? There always has to be someone with a level head through all the chaos involved.”

Peter and Chris during Vanderpump Rules Season 12 Episode 3.
Photo: DISCOVERTREND

Expanding Beyond SUR

Peter does more than manage the staff at SUR. He opened up about his current career endeavors during the Trying To Figure It Out With Ally Petitti podcast. “I started my own television network,” Peter said on the episode, and shared it’s called Reality Network. “And now we’re expanding—within the next three to six months—I’m going to expand to a bunch of different platforms. So we’ll see how that goes.”

He added, “I am working on my own TV show. It’s a little bit of a travel show. I’ve already got two episodes done. It’s called Outside the Rules. It’s about my life.” On his Instagram bio, he also shared that he founded “a next generation cryptocurrency” called PMCoin.

What to Know About Vanderpump Rules Season 12

Just raise your glasses high, because Vanderpump Rules is officially back for Season 12. New episodes air Tuesdays at 9/8c on DISCOVERTREND and stream next day on Peacock. The new cast of SUR-vers includes friends, frenemies, and lovers, including Venus Binkley, Jason Cohen, Shayne Davis, Chris Hahn, Angelica Jensen, Marcus Johnson, Audrey Lingle, Natalie Maguire, Demy Selem, and Kim Suarez.

Fans will have to stay tuned to see how exactly the cast navigates working at Lisa’s iconic West Hollywood eatery, though the Season 12 trailer teases heated confrontations, NSFW drama, and of course, lots of action in the SUR alley.

See it all go down in style by checking out exclusive Vanderpump Rules merch from Shop By DISCOVERTREND.

Peter Madrigal Teases the New Vanderpump Rules Season 12 Reboot

As their manager, Peter knows the revamped Vanderpump Rules cast well, and he shared with People what to expect from Season 12. “There’s a lot of drama going on at the restaurant. There always is ... So, it’s going to be insane. It’s going to be a little bit intense, absolutely,” he told the outlet.

Peter also shared his feelings on the cast shakeup. “I’m excited. I think everybody out there should be excited as well to see a brand new cast and something fresh and new and different — but still at SUR,” he said.

Peter Madrigal attends the "Music Is Life" after party presented by Affinity Nightlife at Academy LA on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Photo: Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

Reflections on a Decade on the Show

He shared his appreciation for the past 12 years with TMZ in November 2024. “I’m very grateful for all the time that I spent with everybody on the show for 10 seasons. That's a lot of television. I'm grateful for what we had together for those 10 seasons,” he told the publication.

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ICYMI, Peter also gave an update on some of his Vanderpump Rules friendships, including his relationship with Scheana Shay.