Padma Lakshmi details ‘difficult’ dating life as a single mom

Padma Lakshmi While raising her teenage daughter and continuing to develop her culinary career, she put dating on the back burner.

“It’s really hard to navigate, you know, as a single mother Lakshmi, 55, tells us exclusively that I’m lucky to have a full career like the one I have and still be able to date. US Weekly While promoting Americas Culinary Cup. “I think dating at my age is unstable.”

this Americas Culinary Cup Host and Executive Producer She admits that as she gets older, she’s “more cautious” about letting new people into her world.

“I don’t know, do I let this person into my house? Do I ask them to do a background check? Like, you know, I’m not sure,” Lakshmi said. “I know it seems rude, but you know, I’m very risk-averse, so it’s hard“.

The professional chef confirmed she’s “still single,” then teased, “I’ll leave it at that.”

Lakshmi noted that in addition to being a little wary, she was also “busy as hell.” Americas Culinary Cup After publishing her latest cookbook, Padma’s All-America: Stories, Travels, and Recipes from Taste the Nation and Beyond: A Cookbooklast November.

She also told us She’s busy “taking care of my family, my mother, my daughter,” but that doesn’t mean Lakshmi is never done with romance.

“I think when the right time and the right people come along, things happen,” she concluded.

Lakshmi with her only child, 16-year-old daughter Krishna predecessor Adam Dalewho she dated after her divorce Salman Rushdie 2007. Lakshmi and Dale, 56, dated from 2009 to 2012 and rekindled their romance in 2017. They split permanently in 2021.

While Lakshmi sparks romance rumors top chef alum Melissa King Fall 2025, us Confirmed in November 2025, they are “just close friends“.

Meanwhile, Lakshmi told us Earlier this month, she focused on becoming a mother businesswoman More important than anything else these days.

“For a teenager, no two days are the same. So I never know, you know, what she’s going to take home from school,” she shared about life as a single mother. “She’s so happy. I’m so lucky that she’s doing so well. And you know, it’s a joy to watch her grow every day.”

Talking about work, Lakshmi says Season 1 Americas Culinary Cup It has become like her second child.

“The most important thing[I wanted to bring to the show]was really giving the chefs all the ingredients, weapons and utensils they need to eliminate all the tricks and gimmicks that sometimes (happen) in reality programming,” Lakshmi explains us. “To make it more exciting, we put obstacles in their path (as in other series). We ask them to cook with kiddie utensils or something like that. I just want to see what they can do when they’re just cooking.”

Lakshmi said that since the show only showcases the talent of the contestants, it has become the number one food competition show on television.

“I’m so proud of all my producers and chefs who, frankly, cook with heart,” she gushed. “You know, it was a gamble that we took a risk and said, ‘No, this is going to be about culinary purity.’ Luckily, people are watching.”

Lakshmi added that she “didn’t have a bad meal” due to the quality of the chefs in season one, which fans can tell from her reactions to the final dishes week after week.

Americas Culinary Cup Airing Wednesdays at 9 pm ET on CBS, the season finale will air on Wednesday, May 13.