Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi (2020– ) User Reviews

Not the usual...

[robertprehatney · 9/10 · 20 June 2020]

Aside from the fact that Padma Lakshmi is gorgeous and i would watch her read the alphabet, this show has a mix that I have not seen before. Her role has expanded beyond the food - its history, its influence in American culture,the people that make the food American from original cultural roots. We as Americans are all immigrants with the exception of Native Americans and this show brings the melting pot into sharp focus and our roles in it. She is smart, has an offhanded comic streak, and is respectful and knowledgeable about the cuisines. I have only seen 2 episodes but I am hooked. Who has Preet Baharra as a guest? This show is perfect in the current climate of immigration fear. Anyone who says "Go back where you came from" - this country is empty.

Absolutely fascinating

[grasswhisperer · 9/10 · 20 June 2020]

I didn't know what to expect when I first started watching this series, but I have found each episode to be interesting, informative, and enlightening. It's above so many shows, whether cooking shows or those where people have gone around the world sampling different cultures, maybe because it is what is here-the melting pot of the world. I don't know if I expected to become so engrossed in what I was learning. It's not only the food but the histories of those who came to this country. I am so enjoying this series. I hope there will be another season.

Humanity Through the Lens of Great Food

[volpone-16518 · 9/10 · 1 August 2020]

As someone who watched years of celebrity chef shows on Food Network, Padma Lakshmi has brought food back to where it all begins, namely people. The approach to the show is incredibly gentle, heartfelt, and less about recipes than what people feel about the food. It looks at culture expressed through cuisine, but doesn't shy away from occasional "political" viewpoints (I'd personally call them "ethical" questions, but then it's difficult to separate nowadays), but it's never heavy-handed or judgmental, in spite of the underlying message of "We're all Americans, even if we weren't all born here, and we all contribute to what makes America great." In short: great food, great show.

Learned a lot and i want to eat all of it

[egcmobile · 9/10 · 23 June 2020]

First of all, deducting one star simply because Padma needs to get a tad more educated about immigration when it comes to generalizing politics. Republicans (myself a moderate one) are NOT against immigration, just ILLEGAL immigration. All of my great grandparents were immigrants in the late 1890's like millions of other people, and they faced so much prejudice and poverty once here (particularly the irish side). And many of my friends are immigrants, most of them Indian. I believe other people deserve the same chance my ancestors had, and we need to make immigration more reasonable, not some Mount Everest that few can conquer.

Maybe I'm a minority in this, but I envy people who have a defined culture. Being a white american of european descent, I feel like I have no real cultural connections or traditions, and throughout my life I've been very envious of people who have that kind of cultural experience.

Padma's reference to raising a first generation American child and how do you get them to embrace their ancestors' culture immediately brought my favorite book to mind: The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri (so-so movie, fantastic book). I've recommended it to countless people over the years, both Indian and American, and it has really opened hearts and minds in great ways, particularly in my field where people were fearful when the flood of L1/H1B visas were at their height. It will stay with you forever.

So I was pleasantly surprised when I started watching, because I didn't know the series would focus on a topic so near and dear to my heart.

Obviously I LOVED this show. I learned quite a few things and I think we need more shows like this which introduce us to the immigrant experience today (as well as the past, like the Milwaukee episode), and I think that using food as that common factor is the perfect vehicle.

I didn't find it preachy at all.

Padma comes across a bit too serious (to me) on Top Chef, so it was a ton of fun to see her in a more interpersonal setting and see her humor come out (that aspect was awesome, keep that up). I loved all of it, and I really hope it continues with future seasons. Kudos!

Excellent show

[webb-35351 · 10/10 · 27 June 2020]

I love how Padma addresses the culture and history so sensitively and relates to the people she meets. She has a lovely and respectful manner and comes across authentically. She really found her voice in telling these stories. It's beautifully produced and I thoroughly enjoyed every episode. I look forward to another season - there are so many more stories to tell.

Interesting show that doesn't just teach you about food, but cultures and history as well.

[BronnFlakes · 8/10 · 2 June 2021]

I don't think that I've ever seen Padma Lakshmi before this show, but I had a general idea of who she was. Gotta say, this show has made me love her! She's super down to earth and very charming, and she has a good voice for narration. Also, gotta say, she's looking freaking awesome for a fifty year old. This is a woman who knows how to take very good care of herself and it shows.

I really appreciate that this isn't JUST a food show, but it also delves into the cultures and history of the people behind the food Padma gets to eat and learn about.

My only complaint is that I wish the show was an hour long instead of just half an hour so that Padma could spend more time with the people she talks to, and so that some of them don't take up a third or more of the running time of an episode.

Wonderful images, thoughtful insights, great food.

[curtaincallmaui · 10/10 · 22 July 2020]

I have seen four memorable episodes of this extraordinary show. The cinematic quality of this show, makes it so far past everything I have seen. Apart from Padma Lakshmi's presence, nearly every frame is a paean to the location and the people she is with.

The other aspect of this show that is so wonderful is Executive Producer and Star, Padma Lakshmi. Her passion coupled with knowledge and obvious experience, along with her attention to detail, exposes the viewer to a truly unique experience. In the opening of the show she says you she is seeking to find what American food is. But, what she is doing, is introducing us to the fabric of our country, that on this anniversary of the birth of Emma Lazarus, during another dose of xenophobia, is not only instructional but soulfully, up-lifting.

I love watching her discover these flavors, and get right in there with the chefs to assist with the prep. The pleasure she expresses and her unabashed joy about what she is tasting and doing is absolutely infectious. I think she is headed for an Emmy, if I have anything to say about it.

I look forward to future episodes and hope she will come to Maui after this pandemic is over, where she will find places like Komoda's bakery (over 100 year old, opened in 1916), the food trucks, such as Geste Shrimp, Grandma's, Ulupalakua Ranch Store and so many others.

I am so grateful for this wonderful series. It is so much more than a food show.

Food is about Culture and Padma captures both beautifully

[dinoose · 10/10 · 21 July 2020]

I am a big fan of Padma and I never skipped a single episode of Top Chef. This series is very different in many ways as it truly captures the culture and history behind the food. I believe food is the highway to someone's soul and Padma does a remarkable job in capturing the culture and story of the chef as well as the food.

Now Im a fan of Padma lakshmi

[tejasudha · 10/10 · 5 July 2020]

Unlike other reviews here, I thoroughly enjoyed the show. This is not just about food, its about the culture that cultivated the food habits. Very engaging and Padma was very good.

Deftly Focussed Food Experience

[owen-watts · 7/10 · 10 October 2020]

Not your usual US cookery show and one that I grew increasingly fond of over the course of the first season. Padma is a charismatic host but always very wisely takes a backseat to whoever she's interviewing - the focus of each show is a different ethnic group in the enormous and sprawling United States. Refreshingly not confined to a whistle-stop tour of high-class fine dining but also a fairly admirably researched deep-dive into what these groups eat and a look at the history of their cultural identity via food.

The first episode caught me right away with a nuanced look at border states and Mexican cuisine and identity in the modern era. The whole series feels like a very strong reaction to anti-immigration rhetoric in a country made up of thousands of different diasporas and I genuinely felt like I learnt a great deal. The style of the show is a pleasant departure from US norms of nauseatingly fast editing and a general detached sense of embellishment and has the pleasingly elegant and granular texture of a documentary film.

What ties all this together is the effervescent Lakshmi - a person I'd never heard of before but is well-known for "Top Chef" in America. She's a tremendously strong and personable host and, much like the show itself, manages to mix the personal and the professional extraordinarily well. I'm oddly quite excited at the prospect of more of it and what else the format could go on to cover.

Love it!

[tmdewane · 10/10 · 21 June 2020]

Beautifully done. Padma Lakshmi takes on a journey of cultural appreciation through food.

Deja Vu

[vegasdeb · 6/10 · 8 July 2020]

Padma Lakshmi watched the 2014 documentary, "The Search for General Tso" and decided to "create" a groundbreaking travel/food show. Give credit where credit is due.

What?!

[LogicRak · 1/10 · 8 June 2022]

Thats exactly my reaction after started watching this.

Me being Indian, I was much excited about this show because of Padma Lakshmi who i know from 2008's TopChef. Ive been fan of cooking shows from that Series and PadmaLakshmi is one of the first "celebrity" chefs and host I came to know (yes before ramsay).

And After years of watching cooking shows on daily routine, I never seen any cooking show that used "R-card" more than this one.

Yes, there are some discriminations happening everywhere in the world but TVshows and movies that should bring us all together through entertainment, tries hard to segregate Instead .

I belong from a very low caste who are been treated as Untouchables for centuries. But why would I still steer the victim card when I dont even experience that anymore in this modern world. Why should that be discussed in a cooking show as showing me as a victim??

Ironically most of the people she discussed history and descrimination in Indian episodes are all Settled in their lifes in a good position and some are from Upper caste like Padma Lakshmi herself (she belongs to Brahmin family who brought caste heirchy. Brahmin= High caste Dalit= low/casteless).

And they are the ones to tell us to use the victimcard to propagate their shows. How Ironic!!!

Educational and Fun

[spsklar · 10/10 · 14 July 2020]

Really entertaining and easy to watch. All ages can enjoy

Food, Culture, History

[elizabethsadhu · 10/10 · 20 May 2021]

I love this show. I was drawn at first because it is about food and cooking. I stayed because it is so much more!

Each episode is thoughtful and informative. I love how when ingredients are shown, they are in English and whatever language the food is from. Chinese, Persian, Hindi, Navajo, etc.

Ms. Lakshmi dives deep and asks the hard questions.

The most relevant American food series

[majormuze · 10/10 · 19 November 2020]

After watching and rewatching and learning and loving the people and food and the history and stories told that cultivate the American experience and culture through food. This truly defines not only the American cuisine but the history of how it came being.

there's a reason why we're the melting pot

[lee_eisenberg · 9/10 · 18 October 2022]

I don't remember when I first heard of Padma Lakshmi. Whatever it was, I've developed a strong respect for her after watching "Taste the Nation", wherein she travels across the United States, sampling the different cuisines and looking at how they represent the various peoples that comprise our population. In the process, Lakshmi also focuses on political issues affecting the assorted ethnic groups, and how a person can hold conflicting views about a topic (i.e., the man in El Paso).

All in all, it's a good introduction to our country's diversity, and how the cuisine reflects each culture. Padma Lakshmi is one fine individual. I recommend the series. It's sure to make you hungry. Enjoy!

The Politics can be off, but good food

[steve0810 · 8/10 · 20 June 2020]

The food looks good and show is informative. However, the political aspects can be slightly misleading. For example: Most Republicans aren't against immigration. They are against ILLEGAL immigration. The immigrants on the show appear to have visas and are following the proper channels. Most Republicans would be great with that. Again, the food looks good and Padma is always entertaining

A full plate of tastiness and thoughtfulness -- more, please!

[karisheff · 7/10 · 3 November 2022]

While this show is uneven -- some episodes are beautiful through and through, some are stiff -- it's a breath of fresh air next to most of the programming on that ubiquitous food channel... it's a shame that there aren't many more shows like this one.

Recently at a food festival in NYC, Padma was on stage and mentioned that it was difficult to get this show green lit -- she said she presented it to at least a half dozen networks and platforms, and everyone passed, until Hulu said "yes." And this shortsightedness by the networks was a decade into her Top Chef fame -- disheartening! But thank you to Hulu for finally seeing the light.

"Burritos on the Border" is a standout episode. Start there, and see if you want to dig in deeper.

Another lecture, not a great cooking show

[erincronin · 1/10 · 5 June 2021]

Just another wealthy Hollywood elite lecturing the masses about their political views instead of what could be a great cooking show. Lost interest immediately.

Decent

[RosesAreLilac · 5/10 · 21 November 2021]

This show is entertaining and goes into the deep, beautiful melting pot that makes America beautiful. But it's awkward seeing Padma flirt so point blank with nearly every man she comes across (with cheap jokes about genitalia). If that happened once or twice it'd be fine but multiple times per episode is actually awkward.

Great food poor message

[bigdmontreal-01710 · 1/10 · 2 February 2021]

Loved the food but hated the message, why does shohTe the country that gave her all her success. I. These times remember how you got to where you are and how you got there.

where's the rest of the story

[howboutthisone_huh · 4/10 · 5 May 2023]

Somewhat slick food show like many on the train of celebrityhood but poorly researched and revisionist.

Google it yourself Before wwii, more than half of americans were involved in their own food production because food was such a big % of the cost of a family. When my aunt and uncle bought their house in calif back in the 50s the house was only about 600sq ft but it was built on a 1/2 acre+ because a section was reserved for a garden. They had a backyard and then another fenced area for a garden. That's been lost. There's nobody around anymore and nobody to care what ordinary life was for ordinary americans up until about 40, 50 years ago. Now it's all about other cultures and immigration and suppression that anyone that existed before that was somehow not representative of america anymore. I'm all for celebrating the heritage of other cultures and food traditions but not at the expense of my own just to satisfy someone's weak perspective of history.

Did they forget the food?

[From_the_Olive_Tree · 1/10 · 21 June 2020]

After seeing ads for Taste the Nation one might become excited to see Padma's newest food adventure; a journey across the states highlighting regional cuisines and melding traditions therein. However the cuisine we were promised takes a firm backseat to Padma's political lecturing. Before even a single recipe is shown, we see grim bystander footage of a racially-motivated mass shooting and an explanation of its impact on the community. The subsequent episodes are no better in this regard. While there is certainly a home for that sort of content, does it belong here?

Too much editorial, and lacking food content

[jfh-72320 · 5/10 · 26 June 2020]

First. I don't dislike Padma. That said, this series has a few too many editorial, and political, undertones. She seems to interject some political opinions and talks less about food. Just stick with food.

Also, while I think Padma is a good host on another major cooling show, she's not a chef. She is a food writer and cookbook author. That means she writes about food she eats, and compiles recipes in a book.

Too many times, on cooking shows, you have people who have never been a good chef. I don't understand why we listen to self proclaimed experts whose only claim to fame is they eat, and write about it. Most have never cooked. I can write about what I eat, so I guess I'm a critic too?

Padma is no exception. Show me your Michelin stars, then I'll listen