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Padma Lakshmi’s net worth started building when she hit the scene as a supermodel. However, she was quick to prove she was much more than just a pretty face. Lakshmi has gone on to become a cookbook author and a celebrated host and has even penned a memoir, Love, Loss, and What We Ate.
Of course, nowadays Lakshmi is best known for her long-term hosting gig on Bravo’s Top Chef. The Indian-born women’s health activist has hosted the show since its second season way back in 2006. After all these years in the spotlight, we need to know how much dough she’s made!
Here is everything you need to know about Padma Lakshmi’s net worth.
Related: Padma Lakshmi Shares How Taste the Nation Inspired Her Upcoming Cookbook
How did Padma Lakshmi become famous?
Padma Lakshmi has led quite an interesting life. Born in Chennai, India, she immigrated to the United States at the age of 4, first landing in New York City before settling in La Puente, California. Sadly, Lakshmi was the target of quite a bit of anti-Indian racism throughout her youth.
When she was 21 and studying abroad in Madrid, she was discovered by a modeling agent and launched her modeling career. Of her time modeling, she has said, "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."
Lakshmi had quite a prolific career as a model, working for some of the biggest designers like Armani, Versace and Ralph Lauren as well as appearing on covers for Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar and Allure (to name a few). She also began landing acting roles, including a role in 2001’s Glitter starring Mariah Carey. A part in the Italian miniseries Caraibi required her to gain over 30 lbs. After she lost weight, she published her first cookbook in 1999, a collection of low-calorie recipes taking inspiration from her Southeast Asian roots titled Easy Exotic.
The success of the book earned her entry into the world of food television, with the former model landing her own Food Network series titled Melting Pot: Padma’s Passport in 2001. This led to a similar hosting job for the British series Planet Food.
The period from 2006 to 2007 would turn out to be a major year for Lakshmi, with the publication of her new cookbook Tangy, Tart, Hot, and Sweet as well as the beginning of her hosting job on Bravo’s Top Chef. Lakshmi is probably best known for hosting the long-running food program since the show’s second season in 2006. She also created and acts as the host and executive producer of the Hulu series Taste the Nation, which debuted in 2020.
In addition to her work in media, Lakshmi is also an outspoken advocate and activist for immigrant rights, the restaurant industry and women’s rights. She co-founded the Endometriosis Foundation of America after a long battle with endometriosis herself, alongside her surgeon, Dr. Tamer Seckin, a leading mind in the fight against the disease.
Related: Padma Lakshmi Is SI Swim's Newest Model
What is Padma Lakshmi's net worth in 2023?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, in 2023 Padma Lakshmi has a net worth of $40 million. She has earned this money through her work as a TV host, author and cookbook author, model and actress.
How did Padma get into food?
Padma Lakshmi’s interest and appreciation of food began when she was a child. She grew up learning to cook Indian food with her grandmother, mother and aunts. She has said, “My grandmother, along with the other women in my family, gave me the foundation for cooking.”
As a model, she was granted the opportunity to travel the world, which helped to grow her palate. When she was required to gain over 30 lbs for a role in an Italian miniseries, her journey to lose this weight inspired her first cookbook, a collection of low-fat recipes from around the globe, aptly titled Easy Exotic: A Model's Low Fat Recipes From Around the World, published in 1999.
Her entry into the world of food as an expert began with the publication of her cookbook, which directly led to her first food-centric TV hosting gigs, like Melting Pot: Padma’s Passport and Planet Food. The publication of her second cookbook Tangy, Tart, Hot, and Sweet came around the same time as her big breakthrough in food TV, her hosting gig for Top Chef, which has cemented her as one of the biggest names in the food world.
Related: Padma Lakshmi's Easy Lassi Yogurt Ice Pops Are the Perfect Treat for Diwali
How many languages does Padma Lakshmi speak?
Padma Lakshmi speaks five languages: English, Hindi, Tamil, Spanish and Italian. As an avid world traveler, she has said, “Travel is just the best thing for educating yourself and becoming a more sophisticated, cultured person. It's an amazing way to see the world through the eyes of others … It's made me aware of parts of the world I would never have otherwise heard about, and more than anything, it's allowed me to see myself in a new light."
How much does Padma make on Top Chef?
It has been reported that Padma Lakshmi makes $50,000 per episode for her work hosting Top Chef. However, it is not known whether this was a starting salary or if she has received a raise since this number was released. For a 14-episode season, this would net Lakshmi $700,000. Considering the series is premiering its 20th season in 2023, that means she has probably made a great deal over the years (and probably has gotten more than a few raises since her first go-round).
How much does Padma make per episode?
Padma Lakshmi reportedly makes $50,000 per episode for hosting Top Chef. It is unknown whether this is her starting salary or if she has received a raise since this number was released. For a 14-episode season, which is around the norm for the show, she would stand to earn $700,000.
It is not publicly known how much Lakshmi earns for her series Taste the Nation on Hulu, though it is likely in the same range.
How much is Padma's ex worth?
Padma Lakshmi has had three notable exes. Her most notable ex may be her ex-husband, famed author Salman Rushdie, who she was married to from 2004 until 2007. Salman Rushdie is worth a reported $10 million.
Related: Padma Lakshmi Speaks Out After Ex-Husband Salman Rushdie Stabbed on Stage
Lakshmi also dated billionaire businessman Theodore J. Forstmann, who, when he passed away of complications from brain cancer in 2011, had a reported net worth of $1.8 billion. Lakshmi and Forstmann were together from 2009 until 2011.
Lakshmi also had a relationship with venture capitalist Adam Dell, with whom she shares a daughter, Krishna. Dell has a reported net worth of $200 million as of 2023.
