308: Padma Lakshmi on Reinventing Food Competition TV With America's Culinary Cup

Padma Lakshmi joins host Sharon Tharp on The Exclusive to discuss creating and executive producing America's Culinary Cup, the ambitious new food competition series she designed to challenge the conventions of reality television. The Emmy-nominated host opens up about taking creative risks, eliminating many of the genre's most common tropes, and why she refused to sequester contestants during production.

Lakshmi also reflects on reinventing the cooking competition format, creating a high-end environment for chefs to perform at their best, the strategic elements inspired by shows like Survivor, and the lessons she's learned from decades in television. Plus, she shares candid thoughts on leadership, imposter syndrome, and stepping into a larger creative role behind the camera.