Listmania continues (David Letterman's cultural legacy, perhaps, along with Velcro suits) but this time The Daily Meal has come up with something more compelling than a list of Top 10 Cupcakes. Theirs? America's 50 Most Powerful People in Food.
It's a good list, as it would be: The Daily Meal is headed by Saveur co-founder Colman Andrews. It's a list filled with “agribusiness moguls” and government officials and public figures, chefs and restaurateurs and journalists. They've also included “a few men and women whose connection with food is less than obvious, too (and explained why they're there). And #1 on our list doesn't fit neatly into any one slot — though it's somebody the reader is apt to know very well.” Of course. Otherwise what fun would it be.
Is Jonathan Gold on the list? Of course he is. As he pointed out to us himself, he's one above Martha Stewart. Turn the page for the complete list. Did they miss anybody? Include somebody you'd disagree with? And we'd love to know what you think of their (cute? sincere? Socratic, even?) pick for #1.
(P.S. Hugh Grant, #3, is not the British actor, but the CEO of Monsanto. Just in case you were wondering.)
50. Adam Rapoport
49. Jeffrey Jordan
48. Ingrid Newkirk
47. Martha Stewart
46. Jonathan Gold
45. Dan Bane
44. Danny Meyer
43. Josh Viertel
42. Barry Estabrook
41. Nobu Matsuhisa
40. Dan Barber
39. Ruth Reichl
38. Michael Pollan
37. Mario Batali
36. David Dillon
35. Susan Ungaro
34. Lockhart Steele
33. Catherine M. Cassidy
32. Daniel Boulud
31. Rich Melman
30. Tom Colicchio
29. Irene Rosenfeld
28. Michael Bloomberg
27. Lisa Sharples
26. Indra Nooyi
25. Tim & Nina Zagat
24. José Andrés
23. Arturo Rodriguez
22. Maria Rodale
21. Oprah Winfrey
20. Grant Achatz
19. Thomas Keller
18. Gregory R. Page
17. Donnie Smith
16. Guy Fieri
15. James Sinegal
14. Rachael Ray
13. Wolfgang Puck
12. John Mackey
11. Michael R. Taylor
10. Jim Skinner
9. Sam Sifton
8. Mike Duke
7. Brooke Johnson
6. Alice Waters
5. Steve Jobs
4. Michelle Obama
3. Hugh Grant
2. Thomas J. Vilsack
1. You
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