Padma Lakshmi

Padma Lakshmi

Birthday: September 1
Birthplace: Chennai, India

Padma Lakshmi is the host of Bravo's Top Chef, introducing the challenges to the contestants each week and presiding over the judge's table.

Lakshmi established herself as a food expert early on in her career, having hosted two successful cooking shows and written two cookbooks.

Padma Lakshmi is the host of Bravo's Top Chef, introducing the challenges to the contestants each week and presiding over the judge's table.

Lakshmi established herself as a food expert early on in her career, having hosted two successful cooking shows and written two cookbooks.

She hosted Padma's Passport where she cooked diverse cuisine from around the world, and the documentary series Planet Food (broadcast on the Food Network and worldwide on the Discovery Channel), in which she journeyed to countries including Spain and India. Plus, Laksmi has hosted highly-rated Italian program, Dominica In.

The culinary television mainstay has also served as a contributing editor to American Vogue, Gourmet and British and American Harper's Bazaar.

On the acting end, Lakshmi appeared as Princess Bithia in ABC's mini-series The Ten Commandments, starred in the two-part mini-series Sharpe's Challenge opposite Sean Bean and guest-starred on 30 Rock. She may also be seen in the Paul Mayeda Berges film Mistress of Spices, among other credits.

A savvy businesswoman, she also owns 2 companies: her jewelry line, the Padma Collection, which has sold at retailers nationwide and secondly, Easy Exotic, a culinary product line. Easy Exotic features fine teas and teapots, high-quality natural spice blends, roasting rubs and sea salts, as well as hard goods.

Originally known as the first internationally successful Indian supermodel, Lakshmi began modeling while studying abroad in Spain via the exhange student program at Clark University, from which she earned a Bachelor's degree with honors in Theater Arts.

 

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Awards & Nominations

16 Nominations
Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Competition Program - 2023
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Host
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves
Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series Or Special - 2023
Outstanding Reality Competition Program - 2023
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Executive Producer
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves
Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Competition Program - 2022
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Host
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves
Outstanding Competition Program - 2022
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Executive Producer
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves
Outstanding Competition Program - 2021
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Executive Producer
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves, LP
Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Competition Program - 2021
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Host
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves, LP
Outstanding Competition Program - 2020
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Executive Producer
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves
Outstanding Competition Program - 2019
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Executive Producer
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program - 2018
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Executive Producer
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program - 2017
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Executive Producer
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program - 2016
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Executive Producer
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program - 2015
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Executive Producer
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves for Bravo
Outstanding Reality-competition Program - 2014
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Executive Producer
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
Outstanding Reality-competition Program - 2007
  • Nominee
  • Padma Lakshmi, Host
  • Top Chef
  • Bravo
  • Magical Elves

The Television Academy database lists prime-time Emmy information. Click here to learn more

Padma Lakshmi from Top Chef on the red carpet at the 75th Emmy Awards
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 75th Emmy Awards
Padma Lakshmi of Top Chef at the 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards Governors Gala
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 71st Emmy Awards.
Padma Lakshmi
Padma Lakshmi
Padma Lakshmi
Padma Lakshmi, Derek Hough
Padma Lakshmi
Padma Lakshmi and Adam Dell at the 69th Emmy Awards Governors Ball.
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 2017 Primetime Emmys.
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 67th Emmy Awards.
Padma Lakshmi of Top Chef at the 66th Emmys Governors Ball.
Padma Lakshmi arrives at the 66th Emmy Awards.
Padma Lakshmi on the Red Carpet at the 65th Emmys
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Padma Lakshmi
Padma Lakshmi
Padma Lakshmi arrives at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards
Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi and Gail Simmons pose in the press room at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia
Padma Lakshmi poses in the press room at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia
Padma Lakshmi poses in the press room at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the JW Marriott Los Angeles
(L-R) Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio and Christopher Meloni at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre
Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre
TV personality Padma Lakshmi and producer Dan Cutforth (C) and the cast and crew of Top Chef accept an award onstage at the 62nd
Fill 1
Fill 1
Padma Lakshmi from Top Chef on the red carpet at the 75th Emmy Awards
Camera

Padma Lakshmi from Top Chef on the red carpet at the 75th Emmy Awards 

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 75th Emmy Awards
Camera

Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 75th Emmy Awards

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi of Top Chef at the 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards Governors Gala
Camera

Padma Lakshmi of Top Chef at the 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards Governors Gala

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 71st Emmy Awards.
Camera

Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 71st Emmy Awards. 

Invision/ AP
Padma Lakshmi
Camera

Padma Lakshmi at the 70th Emmys Governors Ball.

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi
Camera

Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 70th Emmy Awards.

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi
Camera

Padma Lakshmi at the 2018 Creative Arts Ball. 

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi, Derek Hough
Camera

Padma Lakshmi and Derek Hough present an award at the 2018 Creative Arts Emmys. 

Invision/ AP
Padma Lakshmi
Camera

Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 2018 Creative Arts Emmys.

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi and Adam Dell at the 69th Emmy Awards Governors Ball.
Camera

Padma Lakshmi and Adam Dell at the 69th Emmy Awards Governors Ball. 

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards
Camera

Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 2017 Primetime Emmys.
Camera

Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 2017 Primetime Emmys. 

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.
Camera

Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.
Camera

Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 2016 Primetime Emmys.

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 67th Emmy Awards.
Camera

Padma Lakshmi on the red carpet at the 67th Emmy Awards.  

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi of Top Chef at the 66th Emmys Governors Ball.
Camera

Padma Lakshmi of Top Chef at the 66th Emmys Governors Ball.

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi arrives at the 66th Emmy Awards.
Camera

Padma Lakshmi arrives at the 66th Emmy Awards.

Invision/AP
Padma Lakshmi on the Red Carpet at the 65th Emmys
Camera
Invision/AP
g-CA-2012-Show-0063
g-CA-2012-Backstage-0024
g-CA-2012-Backstage-0026
g-GovBall-2012-0017
Padma Lakshmi
Padma Lakshmi
Padma Lakshmi arrives at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards
Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi and Gail Simmons pose in the press room at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia
Camera
Mathew Imaging
Padma Lakshmi poses in the press room at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia
Camera
Mathew Imaging
Padma Lakshmi poses in the press room at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the JW Marriott Los Angeles
Camera
Mathew Imaging
(L-R) Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio and Christopher Meloni at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre
Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre
Camera
Mathew Imaging
TV personality Padma Lakshmi and producer Dan Cutforth (C) and the cast and crew of Top Chef accept an award onstage at the 62nd
Camera
Mathew Imaging
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