Padma Lakshmi, a culinary diva who has made a living from judging the cooking skills of mere mortals on cooking shows, has apparently decided that hosting the Emmy-winning *Top Chef* isn’t enough. Surprise! She’s now materializing on stage delivering punchlines instead of plating entrees. Who knew the kitchen wasn’t the only arena she could conquer?
Residing in the concrete jungle of New York City, along with her daughter, Krishna, Lakshmi has decided to give stand-up comedy a whirl. This March, she strayed from slicing and dicing to perform her “Padma Puts On a Comedy Show” set at The Bell House in Brooklyn. A culinary twist on comedy—what could possibly go awry?
“It felt incredible, like no other feeling I’ve ever had in the world,” she told *The New Yorker*, probably while reminiscing about the time she bit into an exceptionally ripe avocado. She goes on to declare, “I don’t care about being the most beautiful woman in the room; I want to be the funniest person.” Let’s not start a debate about beauty contests, shall we?
Now, while her culinary show *Taste the Nation* hangs in limbo, contemplating its fate like a loaf of sourdough dough if it over-rises, Lakshmi isn’t shedding any tears. “I didn’t grow up wanting to be a food-competition-show host,” she explained, taking a bold stance that neither puts her on a pedestal nor a plate. Meanwhile, she embraces this transitional phase—an opportune moment to sharpen her comedic blade.
Who knew that the pressure of stringent show formats wasn’t conducive to comedic genius? Lakshmi revels in the blissful chaos of stand-up, enjoying the freedom from the rigid “regimen” and “structure” that sometimes comes with social media. Apparently, the world of impromptu wit is less daunting than an Instagram post showcasing a perfectly plated entrée that took three hours to execute.
“I’m starting from scratch,” she divulged, sounding ever-so-slightly like every motivational speaker ever. “I don’t do it on Instagram because I could f— my career in a second.” Truly, a wise observation, akin to a chef avoiding a fire alarm while flambéing. While she trades her chef’s hat for a comedy crown, she adds that she is learning to embrace her “wilder, wackier, zanier self.” Someone call the emergency services; apparently, a new Padma is on the verge of birth!
