Padma Lakshmi’s New Cookbook Captures America’s Immigrant Soul

Photo: Penguin Random House

India-West News Desk

NEW YORK, NY -Padma Lakshmi’s latest cookbook, ‘Padma’s All American: Tales, Travels, and Recipes from Taste the Nation and Beyond’, was released on November 4, by Knopf. Priced at $40.00, the 352-page hardcover is being hailed as a comprehensive look at the immigrant and indigenous roots of American cuisine.

Lakshmi describes the deeply personal book as a ‘love letter’ to the people who create and evolve American food every day and to the dishes that give the country its vibrant palate. The collection is the result of seven years of travel, tasting, listening, and observing for her award-winning Hulu show, ‘Taste the Nation’.

“I never had to leave the country to taste the world’s flavors. Wherever you live, come along with me,” Lakshmi stated about the book, which chronicles her time on the road for both ‘Taste the Nation’ and ‘Top Chef’.

Lakshmi argues that food acts as a crucial lens, allowing readers to explore the influence of an eclectic array of cultures and see, clearly, how the nation truly eats. She uses her own experience, having arrived in New York City in the 1970s and witnessing the development of immigrant cuisines that were uniquely their own yet quintessentially American.

The cookbook compiles over 100 recipes from the numerous immigrant and indigenous communities she visited across the country, alongside several cherished recipes from her own family, which she adapted for the home cook.

The dishes span more than 20 different cuisines, from Afghani to American Indian. Examples include simple weeknight recipes like ‘Coconut Rice’ and ‘Tostones’, as well as more involved ones such as ‘Amazonian Tamales’ and ‘Qabuli Pulao’. The book also features recipes like ‘Mysore Pak’, perfected through calls to her aunties, and ‘Biracial Latkes’. Other mouth-watering selections include ‘Plum Chaat’, ‘Jollof Rice’, ‘Yogurt Tahdig’, and ‘Strawberry-Cardamom and Cream Cake’.

The book has received widespread praise for its cultural depth and practical recipes. ‘The Wall Street Journal’ called Lakshmi “the perfect person to help us understand how immigrants are changing the way Americans eat.”

‘Library Journal’ gave the book a starred review, describing it as a “love letter to the diversity of the United States, written through food,” and noting that Lakshmi gives voice to those whose daily lives are full of spices and specialties. ‘Booklist’, also in a starred review, praised the “unforgettable immigrant stories” that broaden and enrich readers’ culinary repertoire.

Other renowned chefs and writers also lauded the book. Anne Lamott stated, “No cookbook has ever made me cry. Until now,” while Yotam Ottolenghi commented that the book “celebrates what makes the food in this country so special—the people who’ve come from all across the globe and brought their culture with them.”

‘Padma’s All American’ is filled with profiles and stories from the people who inspired the dishes, reflecting Lakshmi’s vision of what it means to be—and eat like—an American. The book is available from various retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Target.