She has a full plate

Type her name into the Food Network's website search engine today and dozens of her recipes pop up. There's one for mi goreng, an Indonesian fried noodle dish; another for her version of keema, an Indian spiced ground veal and beef dish; and all of it more far-reaching and, well, challenging, than anything attempted by the current stable of Food Network stars.

Despite her bountiful and broad-based food experience, she still struggles with being taken at face value.

"It's the curse of being beautiful," said Colicchio, "Top Chef's" head judge, "but she really does know a lot."

Colicchio said her expertise became instantly apparent when they met. "We had dinner before shooting began on 'Top Chef,' and it was clear she knew what she was eating and how to talk about it. When we're judging, I want someone to challenge me, and she's very articulate, so we can spar."

"Top Chef" has never been hotter. The series is up 28% in adults 18 to 49 versus last season and averaging almost 3 million total viewers (more than most episodes of "Gossip Girl"), making it cable's No. 1 food show.

"Never did I think it would become this big, huge thing, but I'm very proud to be a part of it," said Lakshmi. "It's like this big little show -- people have either never heard of it, or they're obsessed."

Lakshmi speaks in the same languid way she does on "Top Chef." Yes, the acting bug is still there and she's got a couple of scripts she'll get to but probably won't have time for, and the jewelry she's designing with a friend is coming. (She's wearing a potential piece now, a copy of a gold Indian necklace she owned and updated.)

"The jewelry will get done, you know, sometime," she said. "This isn't exactly your Heidi Klum kind of interview is it?"

But she gets visibly excited when talking about making laksa, a hot and sour soup popular in Southeast Asia; her upcoming line of chutneys; or anything concerning food.

"My greatest pleasure is to put a plate before you and watch you," said Lakshmi. "But you know it's true! I long to hear you say, 'Mmmmm.' "

It's Lakshmi who gets to do the eating on "Top Chef," which kicked off its fourth season in Chicago with a deep dish pizza-making challenge. "That was a low point," she admitted. She and guest judge Rocco DiSpirito "couldn't move after that one."

She stays a healthy weight during the show but says sampling dozens of dishes every other day puts on an average of 12 to 15 pounds a season. Her wardrobe, therefore, comes in two sizes.