Author & TV Host Padma Lakshmi -- lecture with audience Q&A discussion

Please join Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures as they welcome Padma Lakshmi
who will discuss her latest book, Padma's All American

Based on the award-winning Hulu series Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi.

“I never had to leave the country to taste the world’s flavors. Wherever you live, come along with me.”

This book is a love letter to the people who create and evolve American cuisine every day. It is also a road map to the foods that give America its vibrant palate.

When Padma Lakshmi arrived in New York City in the 1970s, she witnessed firsthand the cuisines of the immigrant communities around her: uniquely their own and yet quintessentially American. Here, in this very personal book—the result of seven years of traveling and tasting, listening and observing for her show Taste the Nation—Lakshmi compiles dozens of recipes from the immigrant and Indigenous communities she visits, as well as many from her own family, showing us what really comprises American cuisine.

For Lakshmi, food is a lens. Through it, we can explore the influence of an eclectic array of cultures—and come to see, clearly, who we are and how we eat as a nation. Padma’s All American gives us a kaleidoscopic view of the vast range of incredible dishes she delighted in tasting on her travels, from coast to coast, and everywhere in-between.
From Indian coconut rice and Peruvian tamales with chicken to Afghani dumplings with leeks and scallions—from Oaxacan mushroom tacos to a strawberry, cardamom and cream cake that will be your new favorite celebration treat—Padma’s All American is filled with mouth-watering recipes, adapted here for the home cook—along with profiles and stories from the people who inspired the dishes. Padma’s All American is a joyful book—a reflection of who we truly are as a nation, from one of our most essential culinarians.

Padma Lakshmi is an Emmy-nominated food expert, television producer, and New York Times bestselling author. She is the creator of the critically-acclaimed Hulu series Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi, and served as host and executive producer of Bravo’s Top Chef for nineteen seasons. She is co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America, a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador and an ACLU Artist Ambassador for immigrants’ rights and women’s rights. She is the author of Easy Exotic, Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet, The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs, her New York Times best-selling memoir Love, Loss, and What We Ate, and the best-selling children’s book Tomatoes for Neela.

Padma's All American is available to pre-order through bookseller White Whale Bookstore that will be set-up in the lobby with many books available for purchase by other authors that have been part of the Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures series.

TICKETS Because this lecture may sell out, it is recommended people purchase in person tickets by November 7. For online tickets (see below), it us OK to wait until the day of the lecture.
In person tickets start at $31 for the upper balcony (where it is easier for a group to sit together) Padma Lakshmi - Pittsburgh | Official Ticket Source | Carnegie Music Hall | Mon, Nov 10, 2025, 7:30pm | Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures Tickets may also be purchased by phone (412) 622-8866 or at the door starting at 6:30 PM

Online tickets are $31 Padma Lakshmi Online - Pittsburgh | Official Ticket Source | Online Event | Mon, Nov 10, 2025, 7:30pm | Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures The viewing link will be emailed on the day of the event. Viewers will have access to the recorded program for one week.

Parking While many visitors find street parking, the Carnegie Museum has plenty of parking which is conveniently located near the museum entrance at the corner of Forbes Ave & S. Craig Street. Here is a link with more info about parking and directions http://cmoa.org/visit/directions-maps-parking/