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The Daily Dish

Padma Lakshmi Shares the Cherished Gift Eric Ripert Got for Her Kitchen

The Bravo's Top Chef judge gave a glimpse into her kitchen for Diwali — including one of her most beloved items. 

By Jenny Berg
Your First Look at Top Chef Kentucky!

Any time we get a peek inside Padma Lakshmi's New York City kitchen, we are instantly transported into... well, into the kitchen of our dreams, basically. Fun fact: Filled with trinkets from Padma's travels, the room is so visually appealing that it inspired the gorgeous gold packaging of the beauty products Padma once whipped up for MAC. (How about that?) And in her latest Instagram Story, the Bravo's Top Chef judge shared one more secret about the place in her home where all the spice-laden magic happens. 

On November 6, Padma let fans in as she partook in the rituals surrounding the Indian holiday Diwali, the festival of lights. Starting in her living room, Padma lit incense in the morning, and then headed into her sun-filled kitchen to light her oil lamp, which was a silver piece her grandmother gave her. Next, Padma lit another stick on incense in front of a crystal statue.

 

"Here is my kitchen God and I love him so much," she said. "So, I'm lighting a little incense for him too on Diwali. He was given to me by the great chef Eric [Ripert.] So, since this is Diwali I'm going to do a special prayer to him, too." 

Photos: @padmalakshmi/Instagram Stories 

Next, it was off to the garden to collect flowers for the dieties with her daughter. And we hope what will follow — along with a wonderful celebration for Padma and her family, of course — will be a motherlode of holiday food pics. 

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