Padma Lakshmi Biography 

Indian born television personality Padma Lakshmi is noted for her time as an international model and sometimes actress. She is most known, however, for her work with the highly rated, highly popular reality cooking series Top Chef.

Padma Parvati Lakshmi was born September 1, 1970 in Madras, India. Her mother was a nurse with special training in suicide prevention while her father was a Pfizer executive. She was their only child before they separated and eventually divorced. This occurred when she was only one year old. Both parents remarried, and it was reported that Lakshmi did not have any contact with her biological father until 1998.

Lakshmi obtained at least part of her initial education in Chennai, India. She then came to the States for her secondary education at Clark University. She graduated in 1992 with her degree in Theater Arts. Always a cerebral beauty, Lakshmi graduated with honors.

In addition to her work on film and television, many know Lakshmi for her 7 inch scar along her arm. This was obtained when she was just fourteen years old. Involved in a brutal car accident, the family was on their way back from a Hindu temple when the car was struck and flew over forty feet down a steep embankment. The paramedics eventually arrived, and each family member was removed from the car with the “jaws of life.” Despite the violent nature of the crash, there were no fatalities. Lakshmi survived with a broken right arm, a fractured hip, and the scar as a testament to the ordeal.

Lakshmi’s career in the entertainment world began when she was twenty. Discovered at a Spanish café, the young Lakshmi was recruited to become a model. Despite her assertion that she was the first Indian supermodel working the Paris/Milan/New York circuit, she was actually preceded by well-known model and actress Persis Khambatta.

Lakshmi’s career was highlighted by work for designers such as Ralph Lauren, Alberta Ferretti, Emanuel Ungaro, Roberto Cavalli, and others. She was also a favorite subject of photographer Helmut Newton.

As an actress, her onscreen debut came in 1998 with Il Figlio di Sandokan. The miniseries starred Kabir Bedi and Marco Bonini. Mainstream American audiences may know her, however, for her work on the dismally received 2001 film Glitter with Mariah Carey, Da Brat, Terrence Howard, and Eric Benet.

She is also noted for her work on another poorly received film, Boom. In this case, she shared the screen with Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, and Bo Derek.

One of her more successful roles was opposite Aishwarya Rai and Dylan McDermott in The Mistress of Spices. She had another visible role in 2006’s The Ten Commandments, which starred Dougray Scott and Naveen Andrews.

By far, her most noted television appearance, however, is as host of the popular reality television series Top Chef. Taking the job in its second season, Lakshmi currently co-hosts with Tom Colicchio.

Uniquely qualified for the job, Lakshmi is a noted author of several cookbooks. Easy Exotic hit the shelves in 1999, while her follow up, Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet just came out in October of 2007.

Outside of entertainment, she also works for the United Nations Development Fund for Women as an ambassador.

In her personal life, Lakshmi married noted controversial novelist Salman Rushdie on April 17, 2004. They were introduced to one another by Tina Brown. The marriage, however, only lasted until July 2, 2007. On this date, they filed for divorce.