Padma Lakshmi, whose TASTE THE NATION just launched its second season, discussed her inspirations and Thanksgiving cooking techniques with Genevieve Ko, a senior editor for The New York Times Food section and NYT Cooking. Ko writes: “Ms. Lakshmi, 51, was born in India, and returned regularly after moving to the United States as a toddler. There, she ground spices and simmered dal with her grandmother and aunts, an experience that inspired her children’s book, TOMATOES FOR NEELA.” Viking Books for Young Readers published TOMATOES FOR NEELA on August 31, 2021.