Padma Parvati Lakshmi

Born on September 1, 1970
Padma Parvati Lakshmi is an Indian American cookbook author, actress, and former model who has described herself as the first well-known model from India. She has been the host of the reality television program Top Chef since season two.

While Padma Lakshmi's innate sensuality stands on its own, her characteristic scar makes her that much more alluring. Few models become known because of a slight flaw. Padma's scar is her signature trait and she wears it like a beauty mark, adding a jolt of asymmetry to an otherwise perfect figure. Her nude shots from her Helmut Newton days could make any man create a new god in her honor to worship on a daily basis.

With rich, cocoa-colored skin, lingering jet-black hair, chiseled cheekbones, and razor-sharp eyebrows atop dramatically black eyes, Padma Lakshmi represents all the good things to be found in women: mystery and sensuality with a touch of international class. Plus, a body so exquisite it makes you want to navigate it like the Ganges River.

Padma Parvati Lakshmi quotes
"The best part of modeling was traveling and increasing my knowledge of world cultures. "

"All the pictures that have been taken of me are artistic. Even if they were provocative or revealing, I don`t think they were vulgar. "

"I write cookbooks and I`m an actress - two things that aren`t always compatible, at least for the waistline. "
- Padma Lakshmi

Modeling
Lakshmi's career began at age 20, when she was discovered by a modeling agent in Spain while sitting in a café. As she has stated, “I was the first Indian model to have a career in Paris, Milan and New York. I’m the first one to admit that I was a novelty.” Despite Lakshmi's comment about her being a pioneer as a model of Indian descent, her career follows in the footsteps of Persis Khambatta, a former Miss India, who modeled for Revlon.

Movies and television
Lakshmi had a comical supporting role as the lip synching disco singer Sylk in the 2001 American movie Glitter with Mariah Carey. She starred with Amitabh Bachchan and Jackie Shroff in the 2003 Hindi action box office failure Boom as Shiela Bardez, one of a trio of super models accused of stealing diamonds. Lakshmi was last seen on screen as Geeta with Aishwarya Rai and Dylan McDermott in Paul Mayeda Berges' 2005 film The Mistress of Spices. She will be starring[citation needed in Deepa Mehta's upcoming film, Komagata Maru which was earlier titled Exclusion.

Awards
Lakshmi was named number 66 on AskMen.com's "The Top Most Desirable Women of 2008" list.

Her first cookbook Easy Exotic was awarded Best First Book at the 1999 World Cookbook Awards at Versailles. She was host of the Food Network series, Padma's Passport, which is part of the larger series Melting Pot, in 2001. She has also been a guest host on parts of the British culinary tourism show Planet Food, hosting the segments on India and Spain. Her second cookbook Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet was released October 2, 2007.

She has appeared on the magazine covers of
Cosmopolitan - January 2002,
L'Officiel India - October 2004,
– December 19, 2004,
- Spring 2005,
- October 2005,
Newsweek - March 6, 2006,
Asian Woman– May/June 2006,
Avenue - July/August 2006,
Industry - February/March 2007.
Lakshmi posed nude for the May 2009 issue of Allure magazine.
In the spring of 2009, she appeared on television in a commercial for Hardee's, promoting the new Western Bacon Thickburger

Name Padma Lakshmi
Nickname:Paddy
Height 5' 9" (175 cm)
Eye Color Brown - Dark
Hair Color Black
Date of Birth September 1, 1970
Birthplace Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Star Sign Virgo
Occupation TV Personality
Assets:Gorgeous Indian model, who can cook
Hookups:
Kyle Carp, Salman Rushdie
Padma's Blog
Padma Lakshmi official website http://www.padmalakshmi.com/
Padma Lakshmi's MySpace http://www.myspace.com/padmalakshmi