Fun fact: The model-author-activist Padma Lakshmi dates venture capitalist Adam Dell, who was a year behind me in Hebrew School. (He is the brother of Michael Dell of Dell Computers). Adam seemed like a nice guy when we were little.
Anyway, I mention that because Family on the Edge has started watching Padma’s new show Taste the Nation. Originally, I thought I was going to be viewing a cooking show, and I approached the program with a lot of skepticism accordingly. (I am not a big fan of cooking shows.) But Padma does a very good job of exploring the history and culture of different ethnic groups here in the United States, while showcasing their cuisine. My favorite program so far has been episode 6 which focused on Persian food and highlighted one of my favorite Los Angeles restaurants Shamshiri.
Padma explores the immigrant experience very sensitively and brings groups into relief that you might not have heard much about – like the Gullah Geechee of South Carolina. Taste the Nation is much more than a cooking show; it’s an anthropologic experience.