Once part of Mexico, El Paso, Texas, defines the region's identity and the complexity of America's political landscape; Padma eats her way through this border city while discovering the origins of one of America's most beloved cuisines.
Many think hot dogs, hamburgers and pretzels are quintessentially American, but their origins are actually German; in Milwaukee, Padma meets descendants of early German immigrants who hold onto their heritage by celebrating and reclaiming it.
Padma asks family, friends and those she admires how they hold onto Indian culture and pass it down to the next generation; In New York City, she cooks the dishes that remind her of her original home and tastes Indian foods near her current home.
The Gullah Geechee people of South Carolina are fighting to preserve the traditions passed down from their ancestors, West Africans forced into slavery; Padma catches and cracks crab with friends, all working towards reclaiming their heritage.
Chinese food is a popular cuisine but the flavours have been simplified over time.
Padma tastes her way through Los Angeles, sampling one of her favourite cuisines: Persian food; the community opens up about the misconceptions some Americans have about Iranians, one kebab at a time.
Padma Lakshmi
Host
Producer
David Shadrack
Sarina Roma
