The TV That Made Me: Padma Lakshmi

Asked about the impetus for getting back into the game of culinary TV competition, Padma Lakshmi credits the president of CBS Entertainment, whose network premiered America’s Culinary Cup on March 4. "Truly, it was Amy Reisenbach who lured me back, allowing me to create a show together with amazingly creative people," she says. Lakshmi is the show’s creator, an executive producer and its host. "I’ve learned so much over the years, and I wanted to do something fresh and updated to shake up the competition landscape."

This new series marks Lakshmi’s 20th season as host of a reality competition series. What is it about the format that keeps her coming back?  

"It’s compelling to see people strive to be the best at what they do, and I’d like to have a hand in shaping how our culture understands food," she says. "Chefs in this country have been through a lot with the pandemic and economy, and this project is my love letter to them. America’s Culinary Cup is positioned to be the pinnacle of excellence in the culinary world. The Olympics of professional cooking in America is how I hope our show will be looked upon."

With the conversation moving to TV viewing habits, as well as childhood and recent favorites, emmy editor Stephan Horbelt asked Lakshmi to share some of the TV projects that help define her.

My first favorite show as a kid: The Sonny & Cher Show

I had just come to the States, and it was the earliest show that I remember really looking forward to watching. I remember my grandma who was visiting, knocking on a neighbor's door where I was playing to say, "Hurry back, it's almost gone." Obviously, Cher was not South Asian or Indian, but she looked vaguely more like me than anyone else on TV. I think she is Native American, partly. She looks similar to the women that I knew with long, dark, jet black hair — and I was fascinated with her and her costumes.

The show that was formative for me as a teen: A Different World

It was the first thing that made me want to go to college, beyond the fact that I knew I had to go to college or else my family would kill me. It just made college life look so fun and something I had to look forward to. Before that, I don't think I had really tuned in at all to college life. I just remember really loving that show and loving Lisa Bonet in general.

The last show I watched: Heated Rivalry

I've been trying to catch up, because I watched the first two episodes with my daughter, and then it's been such a topic of discussion. I think the critics at large of The New Yorker even were talking about it last week, so I was like, "OK, I better catch up." So, I watched a couple more episodes, and I just have two more to go. I'm finally past the gay porn now.

The TV chefs that sparked my love of food: Julia Child, Graham Kerr, Jeff Smith

My mother didn’t subscribe to cable until I went to college, so I only had PBS. I used to watch old reruns of Julia Child. I used to watch Graham Kerr, The Galloping Gourmet, and I also watched The Frugal Gourmet [Jeff Smith].

I think The Frugal Gourmet had a big impact on me, because he would pick a country, like Spain, and he would cook all the dishes — the greatest hits of Spanish cuisine. And while he was cooking, he would tell you the history of that country. He would say, “The reason Granada is named for the pomegranate is because the Moors brought pomegranates with them. The reason that you have cumin is this, and in 1492, Columbus is setting sail and brings back tomatoes. Queen Isabella is expelling the Jewish people.” So, he'd give all this history, which was wonderful. And it really made an impression on me, clearly, because I think, from Planet Food to Taste the Nation, it's where my heart is most in food programming.

The last show I binged: Severance

I thought it was fabulous, and I'm so glad the actors from that show won Emmys, because I think they were very deserved. I didn't watch it when it first came out, so I just binged it over several weeks from start to finish, both seasons at once. In fact, during Covid, I did the same thing with Game of Thrones. One week, in the dark, I just watched from the first episode to the last episode. I literally would only leave the room to eat and go to the bathroom, and then I was back at it.

Shows I love that may surprise people: Hoarders, Forensic Files

I'm fascinated by off-the-wall shows like Hoarders. I like Forensic Files for the same reason. They make my jaw drop. I tend to watch [Forensic Files] on airplanes. Yeah, I don't watch it at home. It's not something I bring into my house. But I binge it when I'm on a JetBlue flight. Or when I was filming, I’d come home, and it takes me a while to come down from the adrenaline and excitement of filming and being really immersed in that. You sometimes are filming odd hours, so I need something to bring me down a little bit. And so, one season I discovered Hoarders.

The show I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never seen: Breaking Bad

I've met Bryan Cranston a couple of times, and I've seen him in other things. And I love him as an actor, and I know he was phenomenal in this role. But I just don't want to think of him like that. I think it's a lot of depravity as it goes on, from what I've been told by people who have watched it. I don't know. For whatever reason, I just never got into it. Downton Abbey, same thing.

There's just so much good television out there that I'm still catching up. I discovered New Girl only when it was on Netflix. I never watched it when it was airing on Fox. But then I started watching it with my daughter a few years ago. Now I've watched every episode several times. Same thing with Lucifer, that show where the devil comes to Los Angeles. I love that actor. He's so charming. You can't stop watching.