Is there anything that the beautiful and talented Padma Lakshmi doesn’t do and do well? As a model, actress, writer, chef, and television hostess, she has been a standout wherever she’s been and at whatever she has ever pursued. When she was an Indian exchange student in Spain, Padma Lakshmi was discovered by a modeling agent while sitting at a café. Between modeling assignments, she continued to study her school work and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts from Clark University. It was just the start of a career where it seems that every year she grows more in demand.

Always in demand as the first internationally recognized Indian supermodel, Padma Lakshmi has been sought by world famous designers Roberto Cavalli, Alberta Ferretti, Ralph Lauren, and Emmanuel Ungaro. But, there’s more than exterior beauty to her and she has made a name for herself as an actress. She appeared in Caribbean directed by Lamberto Bava and Sandokan: The Darkness and the Light directed by Sergio Sollima, both renowned Italian directors. And she played Mariah Carey’s rival as the diva Sylk in Glitter. She also played opposite Dylan McDermott in Mistress of Spices.

Her TV movies include work with ABC (in the mini-series The Ten Commandments as the Egyptian princess who raised Moses as her son after finding him in the bulrushes) as well as BBC America (Sharpe's Challenge opposite Sean Bean). Based on the novels of Bernard Cornwell, Lakshmi played a beautiful courtesan who rules Rajasthani province and protects it from Sharpe and the British Empire. She was hostess of Dominica In, a variety show performed live and at one time Italy's number one rated program and appeared on UPN's Star Trek: Enterprise.

Stopping to take a breath between modeling, acting and home life, Padma Lakshmi has developed another great talent, the combination of cooking skill and hostess charm. TV cooking shows have included her as hostess and judge of the weekly series Top Chef on the Bravo channel and hostess of Padma's Passport, based on her book Easy Exotic (the Food Channel). Easy Exotic is filled with low calorie, easy to make recipes from India, the Far East and other regions. She also was hostess for a documentary series called Planet Food (The Food Network and worldwide Discovery Channel).

As the author of cookbooks, Padma Lakshmi started with Easy Exotic (winner of International Versailles Event for best cookbook by a new writer) and then Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet. She also contributes cooking articles to magazines like American Vogue, Gourmet, and Harper's Bazaar. She says she loves to eat and is blessed with a metabolism that defies calories. In short, Padma Lakshmi is one of the world’s most outstanding women in looks, singing ability, acting ability, writing, and cooking. No wonder we admire her so much.