Yesterday I revealed Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s new footlong cheeseburger and that got me thinking to one of the best commercial’s ever.  This commercial was so great that every time it came on I would stop whatever I was doing – even breathing – so I could savor every moment of it.  Just ask Rob, cause many a time I’d stop a conversation mid-word cause my brain immediately went to ‘the zone.’  Of course I’m talking about the Hardee’s commercial with Padma Lakshmi.

Just to clarify:  yes, I’m a guy and she’s hot and that’s pretty much it.  Think less of me if you want, but I know why my sister and girlfriend go to see every Twilight movie.  Besides, for a Hardee’s commercial this one’s pretty tame, and that may be a large part of the reason it appealed to me so much.  Nothing wrong with a woman in a sundress eating a giant bacon cheeseburger.  Nothing at all.

Anyway, remembering Padma led me to check up on the next season of Top Chef which which just started a couple of weeks ago.  New season is called Top Chef D.C. and is on Bravo Wednesday nights at 9.  Padma Lakshmi returns as the host and that’s reason enough to watch – a role with got her an Emmy nomination in 2009.  If you like cooking challenge shows this is one of the better ones.

Oh, and if you were thinking she’s just a pretty face hosting a show about food you’ve fooled yourself cause she’s actually written two cookbooks – the first of which was awarded the Best First Book at the 1999 World Cookbook Awards in Versailles.  She also hosted a show on the Food Network called Padma’s Passport before joining Top Chef.

Plus  she was also in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, so you know she’s gotta have some geek cred too.  Just sayin’.