Padma Lakshmi Would Want This To Be Her Last Meal

If you knew where and when you were going to take your last breath, would you go through the trouble of planning your last meal? It's a question The Guardian asked Padma Lakshmi for their column "My Last Supper," and she was able to answer in surprising detail. The idea of a last meal is not a new concept, but most of us don't sit around thinking about the final foods we want to eat. Still, there is some psychological research connected to what an individual chooses when they know it's the last time their favorite flavors and textures will pass through their lips. 

According to Psychology Today, experts analyzed last meal requests and discovered that people choose comforting and familiar foods when they request their final dishes. Forget all the daily recommended green, leafy veggies and fruits. Research shows that last meals are generally heavy on desserts, fried foods, and meats. Ice cream, pies, and cakes top the list. So, with that in mind, what would a famous chef like Lakshmi want her last meal to be? It's a rather impressive menu that will definitely make your taste buds go into overdrive. 

According to The Guardian, Padma Lakshmi would cook her own last meal at home in her apartment in New York City. She would be surrounded by all the items and memories that make her happy. True to the science, the star of Bravo's "Top Chef" would choose a fried food — fried masala chicken. She explains it would be "marinated in buttermilk, sea salt, and sugar, then battered with Indian spices and chilli." And naturally, Lakshmi would have sides that often accompany the dish like "rice, black beans, and spices." But Lakshmi goes against the current, saying she would also have a lot of vegetables. She said the menu would include "fire-roasted corn with chilli, lemon, and salt; sweet potatoes with cinnamon, maple syrup and butter, lots of black pepper; a mixed veg ratatouille with Indian spices; kale with green apple and pomegranate seeds." Delish.

But that's not all. Lakshmi shared she would also have a cheese board filled with creamy "manchego, ossau-iraty, wensleydale with candied ginger, some beautiful cheddar and a mimolette, with kumquat and ginger chutney." She would use her grandmother's recipe for the chutney, harkening to what is familiar. Lakshmi would serve dessert alongside the cheese board and would include "lychee and cardamom sorbet; and pochettes of cardamom creme anglaise with powdered sugar." Sounds like quite the spread, and one we'd love to eat.