Twitter Can't Stop Talking About Padma Lakshmi's Controversial Taco Tweet

Since 2020, fans have been accompanying Padma Lakshmi on a tour of foods around the U.S. on "Taste the Nation." This suggests that Lakshmi, who is also a "Top Chef" host, is considered a reliable source of information on American food culture. Indeed, when Lakshmi took to Twitter on June 8 to proffer some hard facts about the entry barriers to selling tacos in Texas, people paid attention — to the tune of well over 2,000 likes in just a few hours.

Per Lakshmi's tweet, we learned that the right to sell a taco in Texas demands the securing of numerous government-issued permits and certificates. One must also maintain insurance and be prepared to receive surprise visits from government inspectors. Moreover, the right to sell a taco in Texas can be suspended for any number of reasons, including any infraction of an elaborate code of conduct with regard to food handling, food safety, and general cleanliness. 

It seems that Lakshmi is pointing to the considerable efforts by the government to ensure safety among the taco-eating public while still giving people their right to sell the food item. However, the post continued and Twitter knows Padma Lakshmi's statement is actually about something else.

When Padma Lakshmi took to Twitter on the afternoon of June 8, she shared a screenshot from Instagram that details many of the rigorous demands placed on those wishing to exercise their right to sell tacos in Texas. The screenshot also details the seemingly fewer demands placed on those who wish to exercise their right to buy guns and ammo in the state and asserts that it only requires cash, a pen, and a valid I.D. "Make it make sense," the culinary personality wrote.

In truth, buying a gun in Texas may be a bit more complicated and isn't supposed to be an option for recently released felons, among others, per the Texas Penal Code. Nevertheless, it would be possible for an 18-year-old in Texas to buy a gun, per CBS News, and Lakshmi's post makes it seem easier than selling tacos. Many people, including Uvalde native Matthew McConaughey, maintain that ending the bloodshed attributable to irresponsible gun ownership requires Texas to legislated stricter requirements for gun ownership than are currently in place (via The Texas Tribune).

Naturally, many on Twitter applauded Padma Lakshmi's statement, like one person who wrote, "I'd gladly trade the 2nd Amendment for an Amendment ensuring every American has the right to a tasty taco. This nation would improve the very next day." Others, however, are not convinced, with many commenters arguing the metaphor is flawed. No matter their stance, Lakshmi got people talking.