Eva Longoria at an inauguration party in January (Paul Morigi/WireImage)For those interested parties, the way to Eva Longoria’s heart may be through her stomach.
While many might think the 37-year-old divorcée would have turned into a bit of a food snob now that she’s opened her second restaurant and can brag about her cookbook being on the New York Times best-sellers list, the full-time entertainer (and part-time restaurateur) still has a sweet spot for everyday fare.
We caught up with the “Desperate Housewives” alum this week in Manhattan where she was announcing the finalists for Lay’s Potato Chips “Do Us a Flavor” competition. The three competitors – who came up with some unusual chip flavors, including Cheesy Garlic Bread and Chicken & Waffles – are vying for a chance to win $1 million.
As bags of chips were being given away to passersby outside the New York Stock Exchange, where we met with the star, we were curious: How many chips had Longoria sampled throughout the process?
Longoria and Michael Symon announcing the Lay's Do Us A Flavor finalists this week in NYC (Diane Bondareff/Invision …“Oh, way too many to count,” laughed the petite star.
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And while she certainly doesn’t look like she sits around snacking, “I’ve always liked chips,” admitted Longoria, who has been working with Ron Howard to direct a short film for Canon’s Project Imaginat10n. “I’m not much on sweets. I really prefer salty snacks – chips, nuts, olives, that kind of thing.”
Outside the work-necessitated chips binge, Longoria – who’s been a foodie all her life – is strict about her food intake.
“I actually do have a good diet aside from the chips,” the Eva’s Kitchen cookbook author told omg!. “I do diet and exercise. Some people think you can do one or the other, but it really goes hand in hand.”
Earlier this month, Longoria opened her second restaurant – SHe in Las Vegas, which followed Beso, under celebrity chef Todd English, in Los Angeles.
Longoria at the grand opening of SHe in Las Vegas earlier this month (Denise Truscello/WireImage)“SHe is a feminine take on the typical steak house,” explained Longoria, who got excited talking about the menu, which features “a mirror for women to reapply their lipstick” after their meals.
Her favorite dish?
“Oh my god – they make this great blackened scallops plate,” Longoria gushed. “I’m not a big scallop person, but it’s an amazing dish. It’s so good. Then we have this tuna tartare on these baked chips, which are just to die for. And the dessert menu is amazing.”
When asked which five people – living or dead – she would invite to her dream dinner party, the actress needed to think about it for a minute.
“Jesus Christ, Oprah, Hillary Clinton, the Dalai Lama, and Cesar Chavez,” she eventually answered.
The eclectic mix clearly speaks to her background as a Mexican American and her religious roots – as well as her political interests, which brought her to Washington, D.C., for President Obama’s inauguration last month.
Longoria with Victoria Beckham at Beso in 2012 (Getty Images)Following her interview with us and the busy day she had planned, including an appearance on “The View,” Longoria was off to another dinner party – one with her pal Victoria Beckham, who was also in the Big Apple, but for New York Fashion Week.
“I am going to see Victoria,” Longoria, who is single after her 2011 divorce from Tony Parker, excitedly revealed. “We’re getting together tonight to have dinner and catch up.”
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But not sit front row at Beckham’s fashion show?
“I didn’t even know it was Fashion Week,” Longoria confessed.
You can’t blame her for not knowing. She is pretty busy – making movies, running restaurants, and having dinner parties with Posh.
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