Padma Lakshmi Reflects on ‘Big’ SI Swim Moment With Pride

The television personality, author and mom was featured in the 2023 magazine after posing in Dominica.

Padma Lakshmi.Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Last year was one for the books for Padma Lakshmi. Not only did the second season of her Hulu series, Taste the Nation, premiere, but the 53-year-old author and television host also announced she was stepping away from her role on Top Chef. Additionally, the mom of one posed for the 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue, when she traveled to Dominica with photographer Yu Tsai. 

In a Dec. 28 Instagram post, Lakshmi reflected upon her magazine feature, which took her to the Caribbean with the SI Swimsuit team. Among the pics included in the reel, Lakshmi modeled a two-piece swimsuit by Heidi Fish, a yellow bikini by Ola Vida and a leaf-inspired set by Elizabeth Shevelev.

“Reminiscing on the big moments of this year,” she wrote in her caption. “Returning to my modeling roots with @si_swimsuit was most definitely one for the books!!”

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The video accumulated more than 29,000 likes since it was posted last week, and tons of comments from Lakshmi’s 1.4 million followers on the platform.

“You are incredible,” 2024 SI Swimsuit rookie Sharina Gutierrez gushed.

“Your beauty is truly hypnotic,” someone else added.

“Simply a stunning and supremely talented woman,” another fan noted. “You are living proof that beauty and brains are not mutually exclusive! 👏👏👏.”

Lakshmi shared her own sentiments on beauty during her on-set interview with the SI Swimsuit team last year. “I learned a very important lesson as a young woman that beauty is arbitrary, and so is fashion,” she stated. “What’s important is that you feel beautiful no matter what. And that you understand that sometimes your—I’m not going to say weaknesses—your obstacles, and overcoming them can often be your strength.”

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