Padma Lakshmi left the world of Top Chef behind on Thursday night for a different kind of gig on the small screen. The TV personality popped up on the CBS sitcom Life in Pieces this week to play ... a waitress. Yes, that's correct.

"THE TABLES HAVE TURNED!!! Watch me try to sell some pretty funky dishes to some wary customers," she joked about the appearance. And she knows a little something about the difference between amazing and "pretty funky" food.

Padma may be best known for her work as a cook and Top Chef host/judge (BTW, Top Chef returns on December 7 at 10/9c, so don't forget to tune in), but she's also no stranger to the world of acting. She did, of course, star alongside Mariah Carey in the iconic flick, Glitter. More on that experience, below.