Patricia Field with Vanessa Williams, America Ferrera, Michael Urie, Becki Newton and T Magazine's Horacio Silva at TimesTalks: An Evening With "Ugly Betty" at The Times Center in New York City. Photo: Jemal Countess, Getty Images

America Ferrera, dressed in a smart Marc Jacobs black jacket and Alice + Olivia pants, eyed the cheeseburger platter -- but did not approach.

The New York Times, on account of having the comfort-food joint Schnipper's as a tenant in its brand new headquarters, had catered the green room of its "Ugly Betty" event Tuesday night with French fries, cookies, restaurant-made potato chips, three flavors of milkshake and two plates of steaming burgers.

But the cast -- Ms. Ferrera was joined by actors Michael Urie, Vanessa Williams, Becki Newton and legendary costumer Patricia Field -- was trim and tan from recent filming in the Bahamas and avoided the carb fest. (Your correspondent, however, stuffed his face.)

Indeed they had all dressed up for the "TimesTalks" panel discussion -- Newton looking stunning in a cocktail dress by Prabal Gurung, Urie in a Dries Van Noten suit and Field in The Blonds jeans and Chanel.

Of course statuesque former Miss America Vanessa Williams silenced the room when she walked in wearing a one-shoulder black number, which immediately drew compliments. "Talbots," she said breezily. "For real!"

Moderated by T Magazine online director Horacio Silva, the evening discussed the history of "Ugly Betty" as well as its two-hour season four premiere, to be broadcast on ABC Oct. 16.

Ferrera seemed very pleased that Betty was finally going to get her braces off and dress a little more stylishly with her promotion at the fictional Mode Magazine, ushering in a Betty/editor combination look Ferrera describes as "Bettitor."

Quite petite and put together in person, and no more than a size 8, Ferrera might have had mixed feelings when a rather hefty lady in the audience thanked her for representing larger women on TV.

And there was a rocky moment when the series' ratings, which have not been climbing, were mentioned.

But as audience members stood up one after another to tell the cast how much the show meant to them and their families, it was clear that "Ugly Betty" remains very much in fashion.

While not online as of this writing, you can look for the "Ugly Betty" TimesTalk to be posted on the Times' YouTube channel.