Padma Lakshmi’s Genius (& Easy) Way to Relax Before Hosting a Party

Top Chef host Padma Laksmi has tips for making strangers become friends in minutes and for taking the chaos out of party prep. Now she’s sharing exactly what she does to unwind before hosting.  

Lakshmi, 48, chatted exclusively with PureWow about her upcoming Kellogg’s Baking Challenge gig and dished on her pre-hosting routine.

The reason Lakshmi never greets guests at the door feeling frazzled? She ensures she’s finished cooking at least 30 minutes before guests arrive, so she can have some me-time.

“I have a hot bath and a half a glass of Champagne or something. I’ll put perfume on my wrist and I’ll even sit on my couch and read a magazine I haven’t been able to get to,” she shared.

Lakshmi went on to explain the logic behind her quiet time before hosting, saying, “I create that time in the schedule for me because a party at my house is supposed to be something that I, too, enjoy.” If a host doesn’t work in that relaxation time, they’re liable to stress, and Lakshmi says the mood of the host dictates the mood of the party.

In that case, we’ll take another glass of bubbly.