Padma Lakshmi Shares How She Co-Parents Daughter During the Holidays

The holiday season is finally upon us, and with that comes festive attire, splendid treats, and lots of oriented family time. One person who adores this time of the year is former Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi, who recently opened up about how she co-parents her daughter, Krishna, with her father, Adam Dell, during the holidays.

Padma Lakshmi on co-parenting over the holidays

Taking to her Instagram on November 23, Padma shared a series of photos featuring her and Krishna over the year celebrating Thanksgiving. One snapshot showed the mama bear holding her little one as a toddler mounting over a perfectly cooked turkey.

Padma Lakshmi Shares an Update on Her Dating Life

In the caption, Padma informed her followers about how she and Adam rotate spending time with their daughter during the celebratory season. “Usually [Little Hands] and I do a big Thanksgiving dinner…with all our loved ones,” she wrote about Krishna. “Some years when she has been with her dad, I just go to Paris and have a ball. No turkey, no relatives.”

The mama bear continued to explain that “this year,” it would only be she and Krishna at dinner, a decision solely requested by the teenager. “We are both exhausted and when I asked Krishna what she wanted to do this year, she said, ‘Can it be just us? Can we not do a big dinner and just chill and rest, mom?’” she concluded in her Instagram post.

Padma Lakshmi arrives at the Global Citizen's Power Our Planet: Live in Paris on June 22, 2023 in Paris, France. Photo: Victor Boyko/Getty Images for Global Citizen

Padma Lakshmi discusses hosting holiday parties in her home

Padma may have spent the November holiday with just her little one, but that doesn’t mean the author doesn’t love a good dinner party. In fact, she expressed the joys of hosting her friends and family at her residence during a recent chat with FOOD & WINE.

“I like to entertain because I like to cook, number one,” she told the publication. “And to me, the act of cooking is an act of nurturing.”

Cooking may be the way to one’s heart, but Padma noted that she is selective on who she allows in her domain, as it’s a chance to connect with her personally.

“When I invite somebody to my house, it's because I want them in my life and I want them to feel at ease,” Padma explained. “It's because I want to get to know them better, and I especially want them to get to know me — the real me, the nonpublic me — a little bit better.”

Padma Lakshmi leaves Top Chef

Padma Lakshmi Is Leaving Top Chef: Read Her Emotional Goodbye

After a lengthy stint on Bravo’s Top Chef, Padma formally announced her departure from the show in June 2023. The longtime host of the series broke the news in an emotional statement on Instagram.

“After much soul searching, I have made the difficult decision to leave Top Chef,” she started the statement. “Having completed a glorious 20th season as host and executive producer, I am extremely proud to have been part of building such a successful show and of the impact it has had in the worlds of television and food.”