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Padma Lakshmi

Acting

Born September 1, 1970 · Madras, Tamil Nadu, India [now Chennai]

Biography

Padma Parvati Lakshmi (born September 1, 1970) also Padma, Lady Rushdie is an Indian American cookbook author, actress, and model. She has been the host of the US reality television program Top Chef since season two in 2006. In 2010, Top Chef was nominated for an Emmy Award and won for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program.

Filmography32 titles

Selena + Chef

2020as Self

Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry

as Self - Guest

Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi

as Self - Host

Sharpe

1993as Madhuvanthi

Whose Line Is It Anyway?

2013as Self

Big Mouth

2017as Priya (voice)

RuPaul's Drag Race

2009as Self - Guest Judge

30 Rock

2006as Padma Lakshmi

Star Trek: Enterprise

2001as Kaitaama

Family Guy

1999as Padma Lakshmi (voice)

Life in Pieces

2015as Stephanie

Hot Ones

2015as Self

America's Culinary Cup

2026as Self - Host

Good Mythical Morning

2012as Self

Top Chef

2006as Self - Host

Saturday Night Live

1975as Self - Cameo (uncredited)

Clean Slate

2025

The Daily Show

1996as Self - Guest

Match Game

as Self - Panelist

Project Runway

2004as Self

The Mistress of Spices

2005as Geeta

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

2015as Self - Guest

The Ten Commandments

as Princess Bithia

Girl Most Likely

2012as Padma Lakshmi

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

2003as Self

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

2009as Self - Guest

Tamron Hall

2019as Self - Guest

Hollywood Squares

2025as Self

The View

1997as Self

Sherri

2022as Self - Guest

Her Name Is Chef

2021as Self