Padma Lakshmi is no stranger to good food. As the host of Top Chef and the newly released Taste the Nation, her expertise in cuisine comes after trying thousands of varied cuisines and different dishes.
In this episode of Food Diaries, the Emmy-winning TV host and cookbook author breaks down an entire day of eats in great detail—from sipping 12 cups of chai throughout the day to tasting countless Top Chef contestant dishes to winding down with homemade nachos.
But first, Lakshmi begins her day with a cup of tea early in the morning; she opts for a masala chai with whole milk and honey. She follows it with a second cup, though this time, she pairs it with a bowl of vanilla yogurt topped with cinnamon and sliced banana, or a big bowl of blackberries and cottage cheese, or avocado toast with cheese slices.
After breakfast, if she's filming, Lakshmi will have a few more cups of tea while getting her glam done and heading to set. In preparation for working on Top Chef, she mentions that tries not to eat too much beforehand, as the cheftestants will have plenty for her to eat.
"I want to give the contestants the full audience of my appetite," she says. "Especially in the first half of the season, I have to sometimes try 19 dishes in that Quickfire alone. I will sometimes have to take one bite or two. Depending on the challenge, it could be anything from Mexican food to doughnuts to ceviche."
Watch the full episode above to see what else she eats throughout the day.
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As an associate editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Chelsey keeps a finger on the pulse on all things celeb news. She also writes on social movements, connecting with activists leading the fight on workers' rights, climate justice, and more. Offline, she’s probably spending too much time on TikTok, rewatching Emma (the 2020 version, of course), or buying yet another corset.
