Michelle Obama, Yelp Ceo And Peta President Among Thedailymeal's Second Annual 50 Most Powerful People In Food

From the chefs and restaurateurs who introduce us to new culinary notions and innovative ingredients, to the agribusiness moguls who choose how and what to grow, to the governmental agency heads who oversee our food safety, TheDailyMeal presents its second annual ranking of America's 50 Most Powerful People in Food. The list celebrates tastemakers (literally) from the culinary sphere, as well as key figures from more unexpected fields like media, policy and business, who influence our palates daily.

"These are people who have the ability to change the landscape of the food world, influencing what gets produced and how we consume it," said Colman Andrews, editorial director, TheDailyMeal. "Our list has evolved since last year. Some people have fallen off the list or moved up or down, and some new key figures have been added. You might not recognize all the names-sometimes CEOs wield more might than culinary celebrities-but they all definitely affect the way we eat."

Among America's 50 Most Powerful People in Food:

- Chefs Grant Achatz (24), Alice Waters (26),Thomas Keller (31), and Tom Colicchio (38)

- Thomas Vilsack (2): Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

- Jeremy Stoppleman (3): Yelp Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer

- Michelle Obama (8): First Lady of the United States and Dietary Activist

- David Kirchoff (16): Chief Executive Officer of Weight Watchers International

- Julie Packard (20): Executive Director and Vice Chairman of Monterey Bay Aquarium

- Vicki B. Escarra (35): President and Chief Executive Officer, Feeding America

- Ingrid Newkirk (42): President and Co-Founder of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals

- Will Allen (50): Founder and CEO of Growing Power

The full list can be found at http://www.thedailymeal.com/50-most-powerful-food-folk-america.

About TheDailyMeal.com
TheDailyMeal.com covers all things food and drink, creating a complete food experience for cooks, food lovers, wine connoisseurs, discerning diners and everyone in-between. With original content from staff, industry insiders, tastemakers and the user community, features include restaurant and chef reviews, information on wine and cocktails, insight into seasonal ingredients, food travel recommendations and home entertainment advice, as well as a robust cooking section with techniques and recipes to suit any palate and every occasion. The site is headed by editorial director Colman Andrews and is the first property of Spanfeller Media Group, founded by Jim Spanfeller.