Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi to Star in Hardee's Burger Ad

"I grew up a vegetarian," says the host. "Then, because I grew up in the states, I started slowly eating meat. First it was bologna sandwiches, or pepperoni on pizza. As a teenager, [my friends and I] would always go have burgers. I would scarf them down!" Now, Lakshmi is putting her passion for meat into a new commercial for Hardee's Bacon Western Thickburger. The spot was directed by Chirs Applebaum [sic], who memorably brought a babe and a burger together in a 2005 ad starring Paris Hilton. "I think it's a beautiful love song to food," Lakshmi says of her new ad. "I think eating in itself is the act of great sensuality, so all you have to do is point the camera in the right direction."