Padma Lakshmi: $40 Million

She might be worth some $40 million but when it comes to spending her fortune, Padma Lakshmi apparently has simple tastes. She is best known as the long-time host of “Top Chef” but the Indian-American author/actress also has several other revenue streams outside the world of television.

From writing several cookbooks to launching her own line of jewelry and cookware lines, Lakshmi has managed to leverage her fame into a pretty lucrative business empire. In October 2021, she teased fans to a sneak preview of her four-part holiday special on Hulu, “Taste the Nation.”