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Padma Lakshmi on how food shapes immigrant America
The Indian-American author and TV host discussed her show Taste the Nation and her new book at the university event.
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Staff Reporter - Wed, 21, Jan 2026
- 16:46 EST
- 7
Padma Lakshmi shared stories of the immigrant and indigenous food cultures behind the recipes in Padma’s All American. / Fairfield University
Indian-American culinary expert and television host Padma Lakshmi discussed her new book and how food is an expression of immigrant communities in America at Fairfield University.
Speaking at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts as part of the Philip I. Eliasoph Open VISIONS Forum, Lakshmi said her latest book, Padma’s All American – A Cookbook: Tales, Travels, and Recipes from Taste the Nation and Beyond, is built around preserving not just dishes but the people and histories behind them.
Also Read: Padma Lakshmi credits Indian grandparents for shaping career
“The hat trick of the book is that I wanted to retain the essence of the recipes and the communities they came from, while at the same time making them approachable,” she said.
Lakshmi said the project published in November 2025 took years to complete and combines recipes with nonfiction essays drawn from her travels.
“This journey took me seven years,” she said, adding that while the recipes appeared on her Hulu series Taste the Nation, the essays were written separately and most of the material grew out of spontaneous encounters, apart from the staged food photography.
As photographs from the book were shown during the discussion, Lakshmi recounted stories behind dishes ranging from Amazonian tamales to crab fried rice and pickled peanuts.
She also spoke about her advocacy work with the American Civil Liberties Union, which she described as among the most meaningful work of her life, and said the contributions of immigrants across generations are central to the American story.
Lakshmi also used the appearance to preview her next television project, a new cooking competition series set to premiere on CBS in March, titled America’s Culinary Cup. “I have assembled who I think are the best chefs in the country,” she said. “It’s a competition. There will be only one chef standing.”
Lakshmi later signed copies of her book for attendees in the lobby. The university said the event was part of the Open VISIONS Forum’s ongoing series bringing prominent voices in culture, politics and the arts to campus.
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