Pamda Lakshmi Talks 'Chef' and Nudity

See, we really do read Playboy for the interviews.

The lovely Padma Lakshmi finds herself in the pages of the gentlemen's magazine this month, taking part in the mag's famous 20 Questions while also posing for a tasteful lingerie session as well. All topics, from Top Chef to food to sex to her role in the amazingly bad Glitter. Below are some choice highlights, and read the full interview on Playboy (perhaps not if you're at work and they're not as cool as Bravo about such things):

On Her Cooking Skills: "I can cook, but I’m not a chef and I don’t want to be. I never aspired to run a restaurant. What I am is an excellent taster. I have an incredibly sensitive palate, which is why I can do what I do. If you saw me chop an onion, you would be highly unimpressed. But if I taste a dish, I can usually replicate the ingredients. And if I kissed you, I could probably tell what you had for lunch."

On Good Sex: "Sex is good when the attraction is good. It’s not a technical skill. If my mind is engaged, the body will follow."

On Men vs. Women in the Kitchen: "Of course I’m generalizing, but I think when men cook it tends to be an event. I don’t mean professional chefs, but I think men can sometimes cook as a statement. It’s like, 'I’m making this food for you. It’s an accomplishment.' Whereas when women cook, they do it as a service: 'I’ve produced something that I hope you’ll love and I hope is comforting, nourishing, yummy, sensual and decadent.'"

On Posing Nude: "In fact, I canceled on Helmut Newton at first. And no one ever canceled on Helmut. I got cold feet. He called to book me again six or seven weeks later. This time he said it wasn’t going to be nude—just topless. He said I could put my hair in front, which I did. What he was most interested in was my scar."

Want more Padma? Tune into Top Chef every Wednesday at 10/9c!