The Judges: They Think You Need More Salt

[Bastet]

There has been some general Do you like or dislike Padma? discussion in the recent episode thread, and my answer is like.  I generally only know her from this show and a few episodes of Taste the Nation, and the few things I know of her off camera comport with my impression of what I see of her on screen.  She's smart, interesting, interested in others, and has a nicely snarky sense of humor.  I certainly wouldn't call myself a fan, as I pay very little attention to her, but what I know, I like.

I also like that she doesn't hide her scar.  And, yeah, what's one little arm scar on a beautiful woman, but it's still something she was advised to obscure from the public as a flaw, and she said fuck that.  Also that she's willing to gain weight each year while eating calories and fat than normal, during filming.  Again, big woo that a model-thin woman "allows" herself to be slightly less model thin for a few months each year before forcing herself back into some crazy-ass ideal.  But she doesn't seem unhealthy about it.

I just don't see anything obvious about her to dislike (be indifferent to her, sure, but ugh, that Padma isn't something that registers for me).

[BlackberryJam]

Padma seems to get a lot of hate for how she dresses. While her style isn’t mine, what she’s wearing always seems appropriate for the venue. And she’s got a great body, and that body includes breasts. So if she’s dressing to show them off, okay.  

She’s reached a point in her life where she’s comfortable with her body, and not just with how she dresses, but with talking about it, including discussing how she was molested as a small child and raped as a teenager. I find her brand of confidence, humor, empathy and honest assessments as a judge a positive. 

I generally love Colicchio because he loves food and he loves chefs and he supports his industry. He isn’t out there tearing other chefs down to build himself up. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

I love Padma.   She shows actual emotion when the PYKAG someone that is well liked.  The way she stood by Fatima during her cancer battle, including going to her chemo appointments with her, tells me all I need to know about the kind of person she is.   You can tell she has a heart. 

I like Tom and Gail too.   

[ProudMary]

Padma has written a children's book, Tomatoes for Neela, which she describes in this short video. It actually sounds delightful and you can tell that Padma's excited about it!

 

[Bastet]

On 4/4/2021 at 2:18 PM, BlackberryJam said:

She’s reached a point in her life where she’s comfortable with her body, and not just with how she dresses, but with talking about it, including discussing how she was molested as a small child and raped as a teenager.

Yes, and about endometriosis, which I also have; it's great having someone with her platform out there talking about being effectively exiled from her life for several days each month and about the rampant dismissal from far too many doctors, even gynecologists.  As she has said, "Nobody wants to talk about this stuff," but she's out there talking about it, and that helps women who know there's something very wrong but keep getting told yeah, periods suck, deal with it.

And she's doing far more than talking about it; she co-founded an organization (The Endometriosis Foundation of America, EndoFound) which provides information and resources, runs outreach programs, helped launch a research center, and is working to change how the disease is addressed in med school.

[jpgr]

11 hours ago, Bastet said:

Yes, and about endometriosis, which I also have; it's great having someone with her platform out there talking about being effectively exiled from her life for several days each month and about the rampant dismissal from far too many doctors, even gynecologists.  As she has said, "Nobody wants to talk about this stuff," but she's out there talking about it, and that helps women who know there's something very wrong but keep getting told yeah, periods suck, deal with it.

And she's doing far more than talking about it; she co-founded an organization (The Endometriosis Foundation of America, EndoFound) which provides information and resources, runs outreach programs, helped launch a research center, and is working to change how the disease is addressed in med school.

I also had endo, and was in tears after listening to her narrate chapter 2 of her book. Such a good description of the impact and issues around endometriosis. I definitely applaud her for this work.

[CrazyInAlabama]

With Blais, my guess is he's trying to hard to be quirky, and get noticed, so he's always in everyone's face.      I don't know if that's what the producers tell him to do, or if he's just decided that quirky, and acting like a character, will get you asked back.    

[Vermicious Knid]

Padma will be voicing a character in the animated series Firebirds for Disney Junior, along with Weird Al Yankovic and José Andres. Oh, and it's also a musical.
 

Quote

“Firebuds,” from “Sofia the First” and “Elena of Avalor” creator Craig Gerber, follows a group of friends who are the children of first responders who work and play with talking vehicles to help their community....

The newly announced cast members include Lakshmi as Chef Pavani, Rauch as Beth Bayani, Nuñez as Chef Fernando, Andrés as Chef Al, Adlon as Principal Kagan, Yankovic as Latch, Lisa Loeb as Laura, Patton Oswalt as Duke the Duckbus, Nat Faxon as Throttle, Ali Stroker as Gliderbella, LaChanze as Jenna, Aimee Carrero as Marina Ramirez, Natalie Morales as Val Vega-Vaughn, Allison Case as Viv Vega-Vaughn, Rich Sommer as Mr. Wexell, Atticus Shaffer as Wayne Riley, Tatiana Lee as Ayanna and Lauren “Lolo” Spencer as Jazzy.

[Daisychain]

Very late to chime in.  I do remember many years ago thinking Padma was snotty.  My opinion has changed totally.  She's confident, she knows who she is, she is supportive of Top Chef contestants as been shown often.  She is extremely smart about food, food history, and culture.  What's not to like?  I wish I looked that good when I'm cooking!  She's terrific.

Edited to add:  about Padma's voice re: endometriosis, I thank her.  The older I get, the more I wonder why women don't complain loudly and daily about periods.  Women should get two days of paid-time-off every month.  It's unreal the misery that even "normal" periods cause.  Being a lady is pretty dysfunctional.

Edited August 20, 2022 by Daisychain

[ProudMary]

During this evening's episode of Jeopardy! Masters, Padma hosted a category on International Foods during the first round of the first game. It was a full category of five video clues, which ran early in the episode. If you're interested, Jeopardy! Masters is streaming on Hulu. It is Season 1, Episode 7-Game 13.

[ProudMary]

Courtesy of j-archive.com , here are the clues from Padma's appearance on Jeopardy! Masters.  Unfortunately, there's no way to see the photo that appeared with each clue, unless you watch the episode.

[tv echo]

'Top Chef' judge Gail Simmons says she's 'a clam pizza girl' ahead of talk at Hartford's Bushnell
By Layla Schlack   May 14, 2024
https://www.ctinsider.com/things-to-do/article/top-chef-gail-simmons-connecticut-forum-19457480.php 

Quote

"Top Chef" judge Gail Simmons is coming to Hartford's Bushnell Center for the Arts on May 21 to talk about "food, flavor and culture." The talk, organized by Connecticut Forum, will also feature celebrity chef and cookbook author Marcus Samuelsson and New York Times food reporter Priya Krishna, author of the cookbook "Indian-ish." Sam Sifton, a managing editor at New York Times and founding editor of New York Times Cooking, will moderate the discussion.
*  *  *
"I think that it's going to be a relevant conversation for this moment in food, what we're eating, why it drives us, our passions, why we all got into the industry in the first place and all of our journeys," Simmons said. "It'll be about what, what are the sorts of trends that we all are excited about and why we love to cook and how it touches other points in the world and in our lives."

For Simmons, these conversations overlap with her work on "Top Chef," which is currently in its 21st season.
*  *  *
"I don't think that you can ignore the impact that 'Top Chef' has had on the world of food," she said. "Food affects sustainability, climate change, agriculture, health and wellness, community, religion, you know, it touches every aspect of our lives. And I think that 'Top Chef' has brought that into everybody's living rooms." 

Simmons said this season of the show has been particularly fun because filming returned to the U.S., in Wisconsin, and because season 10 winner Kristen Kish is now the host, replacing Padma Lakshmi.

"Of all of (the past contestants)...I was closest to her," Simmons said. "My family has gotten close to her. She's close with my husband, close with my mother-in-law, and so it to me just felt like a sister coming in."

Edited May 15 by tv echo

[Yeah No]

14 hours ago, tv echo said:

'Top Chef' judge Gail Simmons says she's 'a clam pizza girl' ahead of talk at Hartford's Bushnell
By Layla Schlack   May 14, 2024
https://www.ctinsider.com/things-to-do/article/top-chef-gail-simmons-connecticut-forum-19457480.php 

Of course she's referring to New Haven based Pepe's Pizza's famous clam pie, which I also love!