Padma Lakshmi Reveals Her Secret to Being a Working Mom to Her Lookalike Daughter

A lot of Bravo fans know Padma Lakshmi as the ultrasmart, chic, and cool under pressure host and judge of Bravo's Top Chef. But in her kitchen at home, she's known as mom to her tween daughter, Krishna, who she affectionately refers to as Little Hands on social media.

Viewers have witnessed Padma's journey to motherhood since she was already several seasons into her Top Chef hosting gig when she confirmed her pregnancy in 2009, and Little Hands has also spent her entire life with her mom on set. When Padma spoke to Bravo Insider, she shared what it's been like for her daughter to grow up on the Top Chef set.

"I mean, she feels a great proprietorship over Top Chef. She’s grown up on set. So, she feels like she’s part of the crew," Padma said in a phone interview conducted several months ago before Season 18 of Top Chef filmed.

Padma often keeps fans in the know on what her life at home with her 11-year-old daughter is like, including their most recent addition of a dog. And if you think that Padma makes being a busy working mom look easy, she joked, "I don’t do it all at once [laughs]. I may do a lot, but I don’t do it all at once, you know. So, you just have to understand what the short-term priorities are and what the long-term priorities are."

Padma not only posts cute moments between her and her daughter but also those spent with her daughter's dad, Adam Dell. "So this is what fatherhood looks like...... Little Hands and Big Foot. Father's Day 2020," she wrote last year alongside a dance video of the father-daughter pair. "But seriously, thank you so much for always being there for [our daughter] Krishna and for me."

Earlier this year, Padma penned a sweet birthday message to her daughter. "11 years ago I gave birth to you and my life completely changed for the better. It wasn't without its challenges, but becoming your mother has been the privilege of my life. I am a better human because you exist. You are a miracle, a blessing and yes also a bit annoying sometimes. But I am so lucky to have you-a funny, kind, talented, tenacious young girl who is opinionated, strong willed, smart and beautiful inside and out. I look forward to watching you grow and growing with you. You are the joy I never knew I needed in this life. I am honored to be your amma," she wrote, closing out the message with, "It’s you and me all the way."

Padma isn't just an incredible role model of female empowerment for her daughter, but she is a powerful voice for women everywhere and often uses her platform to raise awareness for important issues. For Padma, speaking up is a vital part of her job.

She even had advice for other women out there looking to embrace that: "I think doing what you can to use your voice or your power, not only is a good thing for others, but it’s a good thing for you. Because it gives you a purpose that is outside of your own interests. And that is when work becomes really valuable. It’s very gratifying. As much as I hope that my work for immigrants has helped, I think I’ve gotten the most out of it. Because I feel fulfilled. And I feel like I’m doing something worthwhile. And I think that’s all anybody can try and do."

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