Many people first came to know Padma Lakshmi during her 19-season tenure as host of Top Chef, but now she’s returning to the world of competition cooking shows as the the host, creator, and executive producer of America’s Culinary Cup. The new CBS series features some of the biggest names in the food industry and boasts the largest monetary prize awarded in culinary competition show history. Today on Nice Talk, Lakshmi discusses how the one-million-dollar prize pot came to be, what it’s like to create a show from scratch, and how she approaches getting dressed for on-screen appearances. Plus, she shares her dinner party hosting tips and her favorite restaurants in New York.

Lauren Sherman is a fashion correspondent for Puck, host of the podcast Fashion People, and author of the must-read fashion newsletter Line Sheet. Today, she’s here to discuss all things fashion month. Not only do Nikki and Lauren chat about their favorite moments from attending the fashion shows this season, but they also dive into what the collections say about the overall culture and economic trends within the industry right now. Lauren brings such a nuanced, unique perspective on fashion month, and you won’t want to miss this episode.

As soon as Yvonne Orji performed her first stand-up set during the talent portion of a pageant, she knew comedy would be her calling. Today, she’s a comedian with two HBO specials under her belt and an actor, known for playing beloved characters like Molly in Insecure. In this episode, Orji discusses how her Nigerian American background informed her view on money, why she likes to get dressed up to do comedy, and how she navigates her nerves before she goes on stage. This episode is nonstop laughs, so be sure to tune in.

Jordyn Woods wears many hats: she’s a model, the founder and CEO of her fashion line Woods by Jordyn, a content creator with over 11.6 million Instagram followers, the newly minted Chief Creative Director of the beauty brand Glosslab, and more. Today, she’s sitting down with Nikki as a part of our NBA All Star Weekend mini-series to discuss the big three—money, power and style. She discusses what it was like growing up adjacent to wealth, why logging off is her way of taking back power, and the behind the scenes of building her fashion line Woods by Jordyn. Plus, Jordyn and Nikki are in their bridal era at the same time, so they chat about plans for their respective upcoming weddings.

Malika Andrews is an Emmy Award–winning sports journalist and host of ESPN’s NBA Today, NBA Countdown, and WNBA Countdown. Not only is Andrews one of the most prominent sports journalists in the industry, but she’s also a trailblazer. In 2018, she became ESPN’s youngest sideline reporter, and in 2022, she became the first woman to ever host the NBA Draft—a position she’s held every year since. On this episode, Andrews tells us about her relationship with money growing up, why she only wears women-owned brands when covering the WNBA, and what advice she would give to her younger self about on-camera work.

Taylor Rooks is a two-time Emmy Award–nominated journalist and producer who currently hosts NBA on Prime Video and Thursday Night Football on Prime. In addition to being one of the most important voices in sports media, she’s the founder of the Taylor Rooks Foundation—an organization that supports communities by providing school supplies to teachers, helping people pay their utilities during the holidays, and more. On this episode, Rooks dives into why she believes both hard work and luck are necessary for success, her favorite on-air looks she's worn over the years, and the ways she advocates for herself financially. 

Courtney Mays is a renowned sports stylist and menswear consultant. She's known as a fierce advocate for size and gender inclusivity in fashion, and her client list includes big-name athletes like Chris Paul, Brittney Griner, and Sue Bird along with actors like Anthony Anderson and Winston Duke. On this episode, Mays tells us how she learned to ask for a raise, why she loves celebrating queerness through gender-fluid fashion, and what her clients have taught her about owning her identity. Plus, she shares her plus-size styling hacks and what you should tell your tailor for the perfect fit in whatever you bring in.

Amy Smilovic is the founder and creative director of the independent global fashion brand Tibi. In addition to helming her beloved brand, Smilovic also runs an educational "style class" on Instagram and is the author of two books: The Creative Pragmatist: An Intelligent Conversation About Personal Style and Almost Reckless: A Creative and Pragmatic Approach to Taking Risks, which is available for preorder now. On this episode, Smilovic gets into the tangible ways she's been able to trust her gut throughout her career, viewing items in your closet as ingredients, and her practical tips for how to layer in the winter without looking like a snowman. Plus, she lets us in on Tibi's plan for fashion week. 

Preorder Almost Reckless here.

Jennette McCurdy is the best-selling author of the memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died and her recent debut novel, Half His Age. Many people were first introduced to McCurdy when she was a child actor, but in her early 20s, she stepped away from her acting career to pursue writing. On this episode, she discusses the messy and uncomfortable power dynamics at play in her new novel, the deeper meaning behind some of her style choices, and why she didn’t feel financially secure until the success of her memoir.

Half His Age was released on January 20 and is available to order here: 
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/735278/half-his-age-by-jennette-mccurdy/

Erin Walsh is the stylist behind some of Hollywood's best-dressed celebrities, including Anne Hathaway and Selena Gomez. Now, after years of styling some of the biggest names on the red carpet, Walsh is sharing all her coveted knowledge in her new book The Art of Intentional Dressing: Your Essential Style Guide for Manifesting a Magnetic Life. On this episode of Nice Talk, she discusses all the details that went into creating this book, the closet-clean-out tips she swears by, and the surprising subliminal reason you may not be attracting a romantic partner into your life. (Hint: It has to do with your closet organization.)

The Art of Intentional Dressing hits shelves on May 5 and is available for preorder now: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-art-of-intentional-dressing-erin-walsh?variant=44044842074146