Padma Lakshmi, a familiar face on American cooking shows since the early 2000s, recognizes that her audience primarily understands her through the language of food. Following the 2016 election, feeling compelled to act and dismayed by anti-immigrant sentiment, she converted her drive for change into a new television series—a program that spotlighted the culinary traditions of immigrant and Indigenous populations throughout the United States.
The Hulu docu-series Taste the Nation, which debuted in 2020, chronicled Lakshmi—an immigrant who came to the U.S. from India as a child—as she journeyed across the nation, seeking to understand the cultures that have influenced American food for many years. The appropriately titled series featured the former host of tasting Mexican food in Texas, Thai meals in Nevada, and Greek dishes in Florida. She described it as her “Trojan horse,” a program that employed food to spark curiosity about America, its inhabitants, and its past.
Despite the recent announcement that Taste the Nation would not be renewed for another season, its impact will continue through the creator’s third and latest , Padma’s All American: Tales, Travels, and Recipes from Taste the Nation and Beyond, set to be released on November 4th. In the context of a second Trump Administration that has mandated and in large American cities, she has characterized the book as a “love letter” to immigrants.
“I hope the book serves as a constructive method to oppose the widespread animosity,” Lakshmi, who is an artist ambassador for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), stated in a recent telephone conversation. She believes that by broadening our culinary experiences, “we’ll be more receptive to interacting with our neighbors,” and better positioned to close the increasing “gap among all kinds of Americans.”
TIME interviewed Lakshmi regarding her focus on immigrant narratives, her method for writing Padma’s All American, and what audiences can anticipate from her forthcoming culinary competition series, America’s Culinary Cup, which will debut on CBS on Wednesday, March 4.
This conversation has been modified and shortened for conciseness.
TIME: Taste the Nation found some of its inspiration from your advocacy with the ACLU concerning immigrants’ and women’s rights. Do you find it surprising how relevant the program remains half a decade after its initial broadcast?
Lakshmi: It causes me sorrow. When younger individuals inquire, “How can I participate? What actions should I take? Where do I begin?” my consistent advice is to select an issue with which you share a personal connection, as this enables you to address it with greater depth. My motivation for creating Taste the Nation was to connect my activism with my professional television endeavors. I believed it offered a constructive approach to suggest, “Why don’t we simply gather and share a meal? Why not cross the street and acquaint yourself with your neighbor?”
Padma’s All American is due to be released imminently. What are your emotions about this?
I am eager for its eventual public release, yet I also feel some apprehension because, while I am aware that these culinary styles are flourishing in numerous communities, they represent dishes that many Americans might not recognize, having not explored those immigrant-rich areas. While many of these recipes don’t demand extensive technical skill, they might feature certain ingredients that some Americans could find somewhat daunting.
What advice would you offer to individuals who harbor such feelings?
Transform it into an exploratory experience for yourself and your loved ones. On a weekend, venture into an unfamiliar neighborhood. Visit a Latin market, or an Asian market, then prepare a dish at home for the first time with a companion. My aim is to expand people’s gastronomic perspectives, and I believe a significant method for achieving this is by uncovering all the magnificent cuisine present within our own nation, introduced by successive waves of immigrants.
You frequently discuss food from a familial perspective. What is the significance of this for you?
Because one cannot prepare meals for those they don’t care for. You cannot cook for individuals you do not perceive as human. I doubt the food would turn out well. Preparing a meal for another—whether family, a friend, or an associate—represents such a straightforward, fundamental act of care.
The book features numerous photographs and anecdotes involving your daughter, Krishna. What does it signify for you to be able to impart your passion for food with her?
Honestly, many evenings I am occupied with work. My nanny often prepares wonderful dishes, and then [Krishna] will descend and comment, “Oh, I just got Taco Bell.” She is a typical American adolescent. Nevertheless, it was profoundly touching during the selection of photographs for this book, to observe her significant development. Raising a child instills an awareness of time that I unquestionably lacked prior to becoming a mother.
The book contains more than 100 recipes. What was your process for determining which ones to incorporate?
My primary intention was to create this for the domestic cook, as that reflects my own upbringing. I am not a professional chef, nor do I aspire to be one. I aimed to consider typical American individuals—such as nurses, educators, accountants, and florists—who might wish to prepare something distinctive to impress acquaintances, or to offer a unique dish for their Independence Day celebrations. None of [the recipes] demand any prior culinary skill.
The book also incorporates profiles of individuals initially showcased on Taste the Nation: including a Gullah Geechee chef from South Carolina, a Peruvian dance instructor in New Jersey, and an Iranian restaurateur in Los Angeles. What aspects of their personal narratives particularly captivated you?
I aimed to present a representative selection of the individuals I encountered during my travels. When one journeys across this nation by road and deeply integrates into communities—a feat not always simple; I was fortunate to achieve this through a television program—one gains significantly more understanding. This applies not just to that specific community, but to our entire country.
You will have a new cooking competition program, America’s Culinary Cup, debuting next year. What elements are you eager for audiences to witness?
I am particularly keen for people to discover the various challenges, and to observe the caliber of world-class chefs we have [participating]. Offering a million-dollar prize certainly attracts many individuals to come forward.