Padma Parvati Lakshmi (Tamil pronunciation: [ˈpɐd̪maː ˈlɐkʂmi]; née Vaidynathan; born September 1, 1970) is an American television host, model, author, entrepreneur, and activist. She rose to prominence by hosting the Bravo cooking competition program Top Chef (2006–2023). Lakshmi is the creator, host, and executive producer of the docuseries Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi, which premiered in 2020 on Hulu. For her work with these two series, as an executive producer and as a host, she has received 16 Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
Books in order of publication:
Easy Exotic – 1999
Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet – 2007
Love, Loss, and What We Ate – 2016
The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs: An Essential Guide to the Flavors of the World – 2016
Tomatoes for Neela – 2021
Padma’s All American: Tales, Travels, and Recipes from Taste the Nation and Beyond: A Cookbook – 2025
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