Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi

Host Padma Lakshmi takes audiences on a journey across America, exploring the rich and diverse food culture of various immigrant groups, seeking out the people who have so heavily shaped what American food is today.

Genre: Adventure, Reality-TV

Cast:Padma Lakshmi , Ali Wong , Maz Jobrani , Madhur Jaffrey , Naz Deravian , Michael Twitty , Cecilia Chiang , Vera Chan-Waller , Preet Bharara , Brandon Jew , Amy Duan , Scott Chang-Fleeman , Eric Nam , Willie Zabar , MarÃa Mercedes Grubb , Crystal Diaz

1Season 1

S1.E1 ∙ Burritos at the Border

Thu, Jun 18, 2020

El Paso was once part of Mexico. Its border location defines the region's identity and the complexity of America's political landscape. Padma eats her way through the city while discovering the origins of America's most beloved cuisines.

2Season 1

S1.E2 ∙ The All American Weiner

Thu, Jun 18, 2020

Hot dogs, hamburgers, pretzels...many think these foods are quintessentially American, but their original are actually German. In Milwaukee, Padma meets descendants of early German immigrants who hold onto their heritage.

3Season 1

S1.E3 ∙ Don't Mind if I Dosa

Thu, Jun 18, 2020

Padma asks family, friends and those she admires how they hold onto Indian culture and pass it down to the next generation; In NYC, she cooks the dishes that remind her of her original home and tastes Indian foods near her current home.

4Season 1

S1.E4 ∙ The Gullah Way

Thu, Jun 18, 2020

The Gullah Geechee of South Carolina are fighting to preserve the traditions passed down from their ancestors, West Africans forced into slavery; Padma catches and cracks crab with friends, all working towards reclaiming their heritage.

5Season 1

S1.E5 ∙ What is Chop Suey Anyway?

Thu, Jun 18, 2020

Chinese food is one of the most popular cuisines in the USA, but the flavors have been simplified over time; in SF, Padma explores how Chinese immigrants and Chinese-Americans are broadening people's understanding of this cuisine.

6Season 1

S1.E6 ∙ Where the Kebob Is Hot

Thu, Jun 18, 2020

Padma tastes her way through Los Angeles, sampling one of her favorite cuisines: Persian food; the community opens up about the misconceptions some Americans have about Iranians, one kebab at a time.

7Season 1

S1.E7 ∙ The Original Americans

Thu, Jun 18, 2020

What is the original American cuisine? Padma travels to Arizona to eat food that is indigenous to this land. She tries some dishes and explores how Native Americans seek to reestablish a connection to the past to protect their future.

8Season 1

S1.E8 ∙ Dancing In Little Lima

Thu, Jun 18, 2020

Peruvian cuisine hasn't quite had its moment on the American food scene, but Padma knows the power of a great bowl of ceviche; she visits Paterson, N.J.,, a Peruvian enclave, for a deeper look at this vibrant culture.

9Season 1

S1.E9 ∙ The Pad Thai Gamble

Thu, Jun 18, 2020

Las Vegas is home to one of the largest groups of Thai immigrants in the country, many of whom were women who came here after marrying American soldiers during the Vietnam War. Padma hears their stories over food.

10Season 1

S1.E10 ∙ Zen and the Art of Poke

Thu, Jun 18, 2020

Padma dives into Japanese culture, ubiquitous in Honolulu, to understand just how far their cultural footprint reaches. She slings fish and rolls sushi where a century and a half ago Japanese immigrants first docked on Hawaii's shores.

11Season 1

S1.E11 ∙ Happy Challah Days

Thu, Nov 4, 2021

Padma noshes her way through eight decadent nights of Chanukah on New York's Lower East Side. Along the way, she explores the origins of Jewish-American identity and learns about the true meaning of Chanukah

12Season 1

S1.E12 ∙ Truth and the Turkey Tale

Thu, Nov 4, 2021

Thanksgiving -- the all-American feast. Or is it? Padma visits Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard to deconstruct the holiday narrative and learn more about the lifeways and food of original Americans -- the Wampanoag Nation.

13Season 1

S1.E13 ∙ Mojo-ho Christmas

Thu, Nov 4, 2021

If you're smelling pork in the air, it must be close to Nochebuena. Join Padma as she connects with the Cuban community of Miami to learn about their food, history, and the recreation of their homeland on American soil.

14Season 1

S1.E14 ∙ K-Town Countdown

Thu, Nov 4, 2021

Lunar New Year -- a time to look forward while celebrating the old and the new. Join Padma as she dives into Los Angeles' Koreatown, soaking up a delicious mix of fabulous flavors and toasting a communal birthday.

1Season 2

S2.E1 ∙ Ketchup or No Ketchup

Fri, May 5, 2023

Padma gets to the heart (and stomach) of Puerto Rico's fight for independence by examining a surprisingly controversial topic: does ketchup belong on the beloved Puerto Rican dish pasteles?

2Season 2

S2.E2 ∙ From Kabul with Love

Fri, May 5, 2023

On the heels of America's longest war coming to an end, Padma joins the Afghan American community in DC as they welcome new arrivals over feasts that remind them of the Afghanistan they left behind, and what can be built anew.

3Season 2

S2.E3 ∙ Padma and the Beanstalk

Fri, May 5, 2023

Appalachia is reinventing itself through its most beloved resource--food. Padma eats her way through the Mountain South, unearthing the inventive recipes, humble ingredients, and complex history--picking up some banjo along the way.

4Season 2

S2.E4 ∙ The Borscht Identity

Fri, May 5, 2023

Padma heads to New York's Brighton Beach and the East Village to learn why the debate over who really created borscht symbolizes a larger fight for Ukrainian identity.

5Season 2

S2.E5 ∙ Fufu for the Win - Houston, TX

Fri, May 5, 2023

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6Season 2

S2.E6 ∙ Ube in the Bay - Daly City, CA

Fri, May 5, 2023

Lakshmi visits the San Francisco Bay Area for local Filipino-American food. She visits Cafe 86, Sarap Shop, and Abacá. Leslie Solorzano shared a recipe for "Sinigang"; and Balikbayans singer, Ruby Ibarra's music strengthens the community.

7Season 2

S2.E7 ∙ Greeks on the Gulf - Tarpon Springs, FL

Fri, May 5, 2023

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8Season 2

S2.E8 ∙ On the Tip of my Kreung - Lowell, MA

Fri, May 5, 2023

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9Season 2

S2.E9 ∙ Halal from Dearborn - Dearborn, MI

Fri, May 5, 2023

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10Season 2

S2.E10 ∙ Ciao New York - New York City, NY

Fri, May 5, 2023

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5Season 3

S3.E5 ∙ Fufu for the Win

Fri, May 5, 2023

Padma's spice meter is put to the test by comedian Yvonne Orji and others when she travels to Houston, home to the largest Nigerian population in the US, where she gets an insider experience of Nigerian food and pride.

6Season 3

S3.E6 ∙ Ube in the Bay

Fri, May 5, 2023

Sizzling silogs, sour sinigang...and sweet spaghetti? In South San Francisco, Padma enjoys Filipino food and discovers how the younger generation of Filipino Americans are the latest disruptors in the Bay Area.

7Season 3

S3.E7 ∙ Greeks on the Gulf

Fri, May 5, 2023

Padma eats her way through the seaside city of Tarpon Springs, Florida, which may as well be a Greek Island. From sponge diving to Avgolemono, she takes a deep dive into the Greek time capsule that is Tarpon Springs.

8Season 3

S3.E8 ∙ On the Tip of my Krueng

Fri, May 5, 2023

In the symbolic heart of America's industrial past, Padma travels to Lowell, Massachusetts and sees how Cambodian immigrants (and their cooking) have become the backbone of this New England town.

9Season 3

S3.E9 ∙ Halal from Dearborn

Fri, May 5, 2023

Padma visits Dearborn's thriving Muslim community during Ramadan, the holiest period of the year. Cruising in muscle cars and diving into local eateries, Padma discovers the abundance of sweets, treats, and savory meats.

10Season 3

S3.E10 ∙ Ciao New York

Fri, May 5, 2023

Padma reminisces about her years in Italy, where she experienced the spirit of la bella vita. Now, hungry for some life balance, she's turning to her Italian American friends in NY to reveal their secrets, starting with pizza.