Bangalore: There is a big gap between the sparkling world of modeling and cookery shows; but for this Indian American lady the transition from a model to a cookery show host is not a big deal.

Padma Lakshmi is a well-known internationally accepted model, who was the favourite of top designers such as Emanuel Ungaro, Ralph Lauren and Alberta Ferratti. She started her modeling career when she was just 18 and has appeared on the covers of many promonent magazines like RedBook, Vogue India, FHM, Cosmopolitan, L'Officiel India, Asian Woman, Avenue, Industry Magazine, Marie Claire, Harper's Bazaar, Town & Country and Newsweek.

She says, "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.’’

Along with modeling, Lakshmi started hosting cookery shows such as Padma’s Passport and Top Chef and she also published many cookery books."Easy Exotic", her first cookbook was named as the Best First Book in the year 1999 at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards conducted at Versailles. She was also nominated for Emmy Award as "Outstanding Host on a Reality-Competition in 2006.

She is a confessed foodie and tells that, “I've always had a well-developed palate. Even as a toddler I was rooting around the kitchen, tasting different things. I was always helping shell peas and peel potatoes.”

Padma is basically from an Iyengar Brahmin family based in Chennai, who did her schooling and higher education in U.S. She completed graduation in Theatre Arts from Clark University in Massachusetts.