Padma Lakshmi

Padma Parvati Lakshmi is an American television host, model, author, entrepreneur, and activist. Born on September 1, 1970, in Madras (now Chennai), India, she is widely recognized for her work in television, most notably as the long-time host and executive producer of the cooking competition series Top Chef from 2006 to 2023, as well as the creator, host, and executive producer of the docuseries Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi.

Lakshmi spent her early childhood in India before immigrating to the United States to join her mother. She lived in Queens, New York, and La Puente, California. During her youth, she survived Stevens–Johnson syndrome and a severe car accident at age 14 that required surgery and left a seven-inch scar on her right arm. She graduated from William Workman High School in 1988 and later earned a bachelor's degree in theatre arts and American literature from Clark University in 1992.

She began her modeling career at age 21 after being discovered by an agent in Madrid. Lakshmi became the first Indian model to establish a career in Paris, Milan, and New York, working with major fashion designers such as Giorgio Armani, Gianni Versace, Ralph Lauren, Emanuel Ungaro, and Alberta Ferretti. She appeared on numerous international magazine covers, including Vogue India, Elle, Marie Claire, and Harper's Bazaar, and was frequently photographed by Helmut Newton.

Lakshmi transitioned into television and film in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She hosted Italian television programs like Domenica In and culinary shows such as Padma's Passport and Planet Food. She also appeared in films including Glitter, Boom, and The Mistress of Spices, alongside television roles on Star Trek: Enterprise, 30 Rock, and The Ten Commandments. Her work on Top Chef earned her 16 Primetime Emmy Award nominations across her career as a host and producer, as well as Critics' Choice Awards. In 2020, she launched Taste the Nation on Hulu, which received a Gotham Award, Critics' Choice Awards, and a James Beard Foundation Award.

Beyond broadcasting, Lakshmi is an author and businessperson. She has written two cookbooks, Easy Exotic—which won a Gourmand World Cookbook Award—and Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet. Her published works also include her memoir Love, Loss, and What We Ate, a reference book titled The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs, and a children's book, Tomatoes for Neela. Her business ventures include jewelry and home decor lines, culinary products, a cosmetics collection with MAC Cosmetics, and a lingerie line with Bare Necessities.

Lakshmi is also actively involved in advocacy. Diagnosed with endometriosis in her thirties, she co-founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America in 2009. She serves as an American Civil Liberties Union ambassador for immigration and women's rights and was appointed a United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador in 2019. Her honors include being named to Time magazine's 100 most influential people list in 2023, receiving the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and earning the UNCA Advocate of the Year Award. She speaks five languages: Tamil, Hindi, English, Spanish, and Italian.