Padma Lakshmi Lands New Series in Hulu Food Push

Hulu has added another big food project to its upcoming Hulu Kitchen vertical, signing Padma Lakshmi to her own series.

It’s the first solo food vehicle for Lakshmi, the cookbook author and TV producer who’s accumulated quite a bit of authority in the space since she started hosting Bravo’s Top Chef in 2006. There’s no name for the series, but it will find Lakshmi traversing the U.S. to showcase different culinary traditions and meals.

“Each episode starts with a single dish that represents and connects to a community’s history and traditions, and explores the evolution of that immigrant community through that cuisine” reads the description. “From family recipes and street food to high-end restaurants, each dish explored is a symbol of a unique journey and story that provides viewers a window into where communities came from and the tale of how they set roots in America.”

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It’s the latest order for the ambitious Hulu Kitchen. The food-focused vertical, which is seeing the streamer get into original food programming and not just acquisitions, has already ordered a slate from Vox Media — including a new show starring David Chang and Chrissy Teigen. Though some food originals are expected to premiere by year’s end, the vertical isn’t expected to launch in full until 2020.

Hulu is not alone in its food push. Netflix has been particularly aggressive in the space, and forthcoming shortform streamer Quibi seems to be making food a priority as well.

A half-hour format, Lakshmi’s 10-episode series will be produced by This Is Life With Lisa Ling producers Part2 Pictures and Lakshmi’s Delicious Entertainment, Inc.