The award-winning host of Top Chef was acknowledged by TIME magazine for her work producing cookbooks and television shows and as an activist for civil rights and women’s health. Lakshmi, who was born in Chennai, India, suffered a car accident at the age of 14, which injured her hip and shoulder before she went on to become a model, television star, and Top Chef contestant. Her tribute in the magazine was written by Ali Wong, an actress and comedian. She wrote: “Padma is an incredible writer, and that really shines through when she speaks. She’s articulate and has a strong point of view. When I was a guest judge on Top Chef, I was shocked by how honest and unafraid she was of being disliked. She’s brave in that way. I’m always in awe of Padma because, yes, she really is that beautiful, talented, and charismatic. She’s iconic.”
Worth the Trip
The five best Indian restaurants in this year’s top food & drink travel destinations
Maureen Petrosky
The world is back open for travel and culinary destinations are making every top ten list. From Japan to Paris and on to Dublin and Australia, travelers are always seeking good eats. Lucky for us, amazing Indian restaurants polka dot the globe. Foodies with wanderlust look no further. While this year’s top travel destinations include luxury hotels and world-class museums they also include some of the best Indian Cuisine on the planet. So pack your bags and come hungry- here’s our list of Indian restaurants definitely worth the trip.
London, United Kingdom
Dishoom
With so many amazing spots to choose from for stellar Indian cuisine in London, it’s hard to choose just one. From the Michelin-starred Chutney Mary’s to Amaya and Kahani there’s a plethora of high-end dining experiences. Or head to Drummond Street, considered “Little India” for your pick of authentic South Asian food choices. But Dishoom in either Kings Cross or Covent Garden never disappoints. It’s an amazing meal any traveler can count on.
5 Stable St, London N1C 4AB, United Kingdom
Paris, France
New Jawad Longchamp
Like London, Paris is brimming with all sorts of Indian Cuisine and much of it is drool-worthy. But for Pakistani-inspired cuisine in a jewel box setting check out New Jawad Longchamp. Close to the Eiffel Tower, this makes for an easy spot to stop and indulge in more Paris culinary magic.
30 rue de Longchamp, 75116 Paris France
Dublin, Ireland
Pickle
Irish cuisine has come a long way from meat and potatoes and highly esteemed Chef Sunhil Guy is proving it. He and his team are dazzling diners with a mash-up of local Irish produce and Northern India spices for a meal you won’t soon forget. Pickle is not far from St. Stephen’s Green in the Portobello neighborhood and lives up to, if not exceeds the hype.
43 Camden Street Lower, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin 2, D02 N998
Melbourne, Australia
The southern state of Victoria has become a food and wine lover’s destination. With a hot springs resort and world-class wine, and yes amazing Indian cuisine to boot, Melbourne makes our list. There are endless options for curry ranging from expensive to takeaway, but Horn Please is our pick for any traveler. Solo or with your family you will be delighted at the bold interior design serving up Holi feels and fabulous food that has earned a cult following.
167 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North, 3068 VIC
Tokyo, Japan
Downtown B’s
Don’t let the size fool you. This tiny dining room has hosted celebrities and locals alike. Serving up delicious home-cooked Indian food with a heavy helping of hospitality. 3-4-2 Roppongi, Minato Ward, 106-0032; 03-3586-2645; reservations recommended, takeout available
Food-Drug Interactions
Could your favorite foods be messing with your meds?
More than 131 million people in the United States—nearly 70% of adults—use prescription drugs. While food doesn’t affect all medications, many foods and drinks can affect how medications are absorbed and metabolized in the body, which can impact the effectiveness of your medication and, in some cases, cause negative side effects. Here are a few common food-drug interactions you should know.
Grapefruit
| Avoid if you take… | Why you should avoid |
| ● Some statins, including atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin, and simvastatin (Zocor)● Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) including nicardipine, felodipine, and nimodipine (Nymalize)● Antiarrhythmics including amiodarone (Pacerone)● Estrogen-containing medications including drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol (Yasmin, Ocella) and estradiol (Estrace)● Some anxiety medications including buspirone● Some opioid painkillers including oxycodone (Roxicodone, OxyContin) and methadone (Methadose)● Some oral corticosteroids including budesonide (Entocort EC, Ortikos)● Some immunosuppressants including cyclosporine (Sandimmune), tacrolimus (Prograf, Envarsus XR, Astagraf XL), and sirolimus (Rapamune). | Grapefruit and grapefruit juice can increase the levels of these medications, which can cause various issues depending on the medication, including increased side effects. |
| ● Antiplatelet medication Clopidogrel (Plavix) | Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may increase the likelihood of blood clots by lowering clopidogrel levels in the body. |
| ● ADHD medications including amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall), methylphenidate/ dexmethylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin, Focalin), lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (Vyvanse). | The acid in grapefruit and grapefruit juice, as well as other citrus fruits and foods containing vitamin C, interrupts the absorption of ADHD medications, which can make it ineffective. |
Leafy Greens
| Avoid if you take… | Why you should avoid |
| ● Blood thinners including warfarin (Jantoven and Coumadin) | Foods containing vitamin K, including broccoli, cabbage, kale, spinach, swiss chard, seaweed and other leafy greens, promote blood clotting. Consuming these foods can counteract the blood-thinning benefits of these medications. |
Dairy Products
| Avoid if you take… | Why you should avoid |
| ● Certain antibiotics including tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones● Osteoporosis medications including bisphosphonates like risedronate (Actonel), alendronate (Fosamax), and ibandronate (Boniva) | Dairy products can interfere with the absorption of these medications, making them less effective |
Potassium-Rich Foods
| Avoid if you take… | Why you should avoid |
| ● Blood pressure-lowering ACE inhibitors including captopril (Capoten) and moexipril (Univasc) | Consuming potassium-rich foods like bananas, avocados, and tomatoes while taking ACE inhibitors can cause high potassium levels in the body, which can lead to potentially dangerous heart arrhythmias. |
Homage to Indian Spices
Michelin star celebrity chef Vikas Khanna reveals why Indian cuisine can hold its own against any in the world and demonstrates how simple it is to cook up something delicious with just one or two spices.
So many foundational cooking concepts are rooted in India. For example, the idea of bread-making is genius, and that comes from India. Pickling and fermenting food has been part of Indian history for 400 years. And then there’s the thing Indian cooking does so well—using spices. The array of spices used in Indian cooking didn’t happen accidentally or by default—there’s a whole science to it. Indian cuisine is the only cuisine in this world, which is based on Ayurveda as a foundation. When you’re a vegetarian, how do you make just vegetables work for your metabolism; where does that heat come from? This is the brilliance of the ancestors. How they incorporate spices so cleverly for the metabolism and the taste.
Simplicity of Spice
I roasted a purple yam in the oven with just a little oil. After I chopped it, I tossed it in black pepper and a little bit of dried ginger powder, its aroma was immediately so powerful. The spices make all the difference. Even if you’re making mashed potatoes in a very basic way with heavy cream and potatoes, just adding a pinch of cumin to it changes the entire texture of the whole dish and the flavor.
