In season two of “Taste the Nation,” award-winning cookbook author, host, and executive producer Padma Lakshmi, takes viewers on a culinary adventure across American soil, exploring the rich and diverse communities that have so heavily shaped what American food is today. Over borscht, cornbread, pasteles, and more, Padma uncovers the roots and relationship between our food, our humanity, and our history – ultimately uncovering stories that challenge notions of identity, belonging, and what it means to be American.
CREDITS: Executive produced by Padma Lakshmi along with Part2 Pictures’ David Shadrack Smith
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
Episode 201 ‘Ketchup or No Ketchup’ – Puerto RicoPadma gets to the heart (and stomach) of Puerto Rico’s fight for independence by examining a surprisingly controversial topic: does ketchup belong on the beloved Puerto Rican dish pasteles?
Episode 202 ‘From Kabul With Love’ – Washington, D.C.
On the heels of America’s longest war coming to an end, Padma joins the Afghan American community in DC as they welcome new arrivals over feasts that remind them of the Afghanistan they left behind, and what can be built anew.
Episode 203 ‘Padma and the Beanstalk’ – Appalacia
Appalachia is reinventing itself through its most beloved resource – food. Padma eats her way through the Mountain South, unearthing the inventive recipes, humble ingredients, and complex history – and picks up some banjo playing along the way.
Episode 204 ‘The Borscht Identity’ – New York City, NY
Padma heads to New York’s Brighton Beach and the East Village to learn why the debate over who really created borscht symbolizes a larger fight for Ukrainian identity.
Episode 205 ‘Fufu for the Win’ – Houston, TX
Padma’s spice meter is put to the test by comedian Yvonne Orji and others when she travels to Houston, home to the largest Nigerian population in the US, where she gets an insider experience of Nigerian food and pride.
Episode 206 ‘Ube in the Bay’ – Daly City, CA
Sizzling silogs, sour sinigang… and sweet spaghetti? In South San Francisco, Padma enjoys Filipino food and discovers how the younger generation of Filipino Americans are the latest disruptors in the Bay Area.
Episode 207 ‘Greeks on the Gulf’ – Tarpon Springs, FL
Padma eats her way through the seaside city of Tarpon Springs, Florida, which may as well be a Greek Island. From sponge diving to Avgolemono, she takes a deep dive into the Greek time capsule that is Tarpon Springs….
Episode 208 ‘On the Tip of my Kreung’ – Lowell, MA
In the symbolic heart of America’s industrial past, Padma travels to Lowell, Massachusetts and sees how Cambodian immigrants (and their cooking) have become the backbone of this New England town.
Episode 209 ‘Halal from Dearborn’ – Dearborn, MI
Padma visits Dearborn, a.k.a the Arab American “bubble”, during Ramadan, the holiest period of the year for Dearborn’s thriving Muslim community. Cruising in muscle cars and diving into local eateries, Padma discovers the abundance of sweets, treats, and savory meats.
Episode 210 ‘Ciao New York’ – New York City, NY
Padma reminisces about her years in Italy, where she experienced the spirit of la bella vita, the beautiful life. Now, hungry for some life balance, she’s turning to her Italian American friends in NY to reveal their secrets, starting with pizza.
SOCIAL: @hulu and @padmalakshmi | #TasteTheNation
