Holly Smith has discovered her inner control freak.

The owner and head chef at Kirkland’s Cafe Juanita is one of the participants on this season’s The Next Iron Chef on the Food Network. Smith said that the experience helped to affirm her reasons for becoming a chef.

“I enjoy the control I have in my life as a cook,” said Smith. “I like that control. You can build your own little world with food. But (the experience of being on the show) has been surprisingly fulfilling so far – once you surpass that control freak thing.”

Control is at a minimum on the show, as 10 contestants vie to earn the title Iron Chef by having to prepare dishes on the spot through challenges the judges and producers set up.

“It was a fun experience and I got to meet some really nice people,” said Smith, who’s specialty is Nothern Italian dishes. “It was a lot of stress at times and kind of hard to adapt.”

The show was taped during the spring and Smith was sworn to secrecy about being chosen.

“It took a block of time,” said Smith. “Everyone thought I was going back home to see my parents. I have an amazing staff and you can do a lot of things over the phone.”

One of the biggest thrills for Smith was the fact that she got to meet Olympic gold medalist Brian Boitano. The former figure skating star also has a show on the Food Network.

“I thought he was a hoot,” said Smith.

This is not the first time that Smith had been contacted to be on a reality cooking show. When Top Chef Masters’ producers contacted her about being on their program she turned them down.

“They kind of loosened me up for the concept of doing a TV show,” said Smith, who is 42. “I would have loved to do either show. But it was more about timing.”

Smith has not gotten used to the idea of being a celebrity. She recently received a picture from a friend in Washington, D.C. showing her and the other contestants in an advertisement on the side of a bus. Smith said that she is glad she has not seen the bus in Seattle.

But the attention has already had an impact on her restaurant. The first episode ran on Sunday evening at 9 p.m.

“It has been great from a business owners’ aspect,” said Smith, who opened Cafe Juanita in April of 2000. “We have had three calls this morning (Friday) alone from people who have found out about us because of the show.”

Being in Kirkland, Cafe Juanita does not get some of the exposure that other top restaurants closer to Seattle receive.

“People would tell me that we would never get anyone from Seattle,” said Smith. “I remember tracking 206 numbers when we opened. We have been fortunate to get a good share of the press but it is tough.”

Smith has received a lot of acclaim from outside of the greater Seattle area. But she is cautious about the fame and bringing in more customers.

“We believe in what we do,” said Smith, who has a staff of 27. “We are very cautious about booking tables. We don’t want people to have to wait. But it is cool if it expands our base. There will not be any T-shirts or cookbooks at our front door.”

One of the scariest and yet most exciting times for Smith was when she opened her restaurant.

“Talk about terrifying,” said Smith. “We did it pretty much on a shoe-string budget.”

Smith got interested in cooking while working at restaurants and going through college to earn a Political Science degree.

“We used to get to bake in the morning and I loved it,” said Smith. “That was where I found my inner control freak.”

She moved to Seattle from Maryland in 1993 with her now ex-husband.

“It was this or Ithica New York and I didn’t want my cooking to become vegan,” joked Smith.

The biggest thing that Smith learned form the show was that in order for cooking to be fun it has to come from a happy place.

“My passion for food is based on ingredients and the fact that I love to feed people,” said Smith.

The TV star may be serving more people in the future thanks to the Food Network. And loosing some control.

Cafe Juanita is located at 9702 N.E. 120th Place behind the Juanita Village shopping area. For reservations go to www.cafejuanita.com or call 425-823-1505.