Celebrity chef speaker Padma Lakshmi, best known for her role as host on the Bravo reality television series Top Chef, is an Indian American cookbook author, actress, model and television host. Lakshmi started her career at age 18 when she was discovered by a modeling agent in Madrid. She went on to model for top designers such as Emanuel Ungaro, Ralph Lauren and Alberta Ferretti, and appeared on the cover of top magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Vogue India.

Lakshmi stepped foot in the chef world with her first cookbook Easy Exotic, which was awarded Best First Book at the 1999 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. She hosted a number of series on the Food Network where she shared many of her famous recipes. In addition to her career on the runway and in the kitchen, she has made a number of appearances in films and television series such as 30 Rock.

Padma Lakshmi has been the Top Chef host since season two in 2006. In 2009, she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program, but fell short to Jeff Probst from Survivor. In 2010, Top Chef was award with an Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program.

Due to her own struggles with the disease, Lakshmi co-founded The Endometriosis Foundation of America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing awareness, education, research and legislative advocacy against the disease. Padma Lakshmi is available for personal appearances, public speaking or satellite media tours.

APPEARANCES: 30 Rock, Chelsea Lately, Late night with Conan O’Brien, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Live! With Kelly, Project Runway

BOOKS: Tangy Tar Hot and Sweet: A World of Recipes for Every Day, Easy Exotic: Low-Fat Recipes from Around the World

TO WORK WITH PADMA LAKSHMI: Celebrity Speaker Padma Lakshmi can be hired for endorsements and events in roles such as public speaker, autograph signings, hosting, SMT’S, public relation campaigns, team building events and corporate hospitality.