# Padma Lakshmi on Returning to the Culinary Competition World Through Her Own Lens

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/nice-talk-with-nikki-ogunnaike-6918201/padma-lakshmi-on-returning-to-the-culinary-competition-world-through-her-own-lens
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/nice-talk-with-nikki-ogunnaike-6918201/padma-lakshmi-on-returning-to-the-culinary-competition-world-through-her-own-lens.md
Podcast: [Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike](https://stenobird.com/podcast/nice-talk-with-nikki-ogunnaike-6918201)
Published: 2026-04-02T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/FUFET6026821297.mp3
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/FUFET6026821297.mp3
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Duration seconds: 2531

## Resource

Many people first came to know Padma Lakshmi during her 19-season tenure as host of Top Chef, but now she’s returning to the world of competition cooking shows as the the host, creator, and executive producer of America’s Culinary Cup. The new CBS series features some of the biggest names in the food industry and boasts the largest monetary prize awarded in culinary competition show history. Today on Nice Talk, Lakshmi discusses how the one-million-dollar prize pot came to be, what it’s like to create a show from scratch, and how she approaches getting dressed for on-screen appearances. Plus, she shares her dinner party hosting tips and her favorite restaurants in New York.

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## Transcript

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