For Padma Lakshmi, travel and food have always gone hand-in-hand. The Emmy-nominated television host, bestselling author, and culinary expert has spent much of her career exploring the relationship between culture and cuisine, discovering how the way people eat can reveal just as much about a destination as its landmarks. And despite having already traveled extensively, she maintains that there is still plenty of the world left to discover. Her latest adventure brought her to Rajasthan, India, where she was photographed for the 2027 Pirelli Calendar, a project celebrating the country and its cultural heritage. For Lakshmi, who was born in India, the experience was particularly meaningful. We caught up with Lakshmi to discuss the destinations she would revisit for the food alone, the unexpected meal that changed her perspective on Istanbul, and why she believes every trip should change the way you see the world. Plus, she shares her surprisingly extensive packing essentials and the one city she thinks everyone should experience at least once. Galavante: You were photographed in Rajasthan for the 2027 Pirelli Calendar. What did it mean to be part of the project, particularly with the shoot taking place in India? Padma: It’s always a really big…