Padma Lakshmi's Emmys Ritual: "It Puts You In the Mood!"

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You'd think someone like Padma Lakshmi would have a fancy breakfast the day of the Emmys.
But no, the Top Chef host keeps it simple.
"I'm going to wake up and I'm going to have a big fat breakfast," Lakshmi told me Thursday at Audi's pre-Emmys party at Cecconi's in West Hollywood. "Probably a lot of protein like eggs and yogurt. Lots of coffee and juice. And then I'm going to have a lot of laughs and slap on some lipstick."
Laughs will include some at her own expense. "I like to have family heckling me while I'm getting my makeup done," Lakshmi said. "My mom usually comes out because my daughter is with me and it's fun."
PHOTOS: See Padma Lakshmi and more stars at last year's Emmys!

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She also teased that she has an Emmys "ritual." "I can't you what it is," Lakshmi said. "I mean some rituals are private. But it gets you in the mood. Yeah, puts you in the mood."
Top Chef is up for Outstanding Reality Competition Program for the eighth year in a row. It went home with the award in 2010.
Season 12 of Top Chef, which filmed in Boston, premieres on Oct. Shameless star Emmy Rossum will make an appearance and Top Chef winner Richard Blais will be on hand as a "recurring judge."