The James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America is a cadre of the most accomplished food and beverage professionals in the country. Though they represent a diverse cross-section of the food and beverage industry—from chefs to journalists to farmers to business executives to scholars—each has been identified by his or her peers as having displayed remarkable talent and achievement. Every member of the Who’s Who has contributed in some substantial way to America’s constantly evolving culinary scene.



Begun in 1984 by Cook’s Magazine, the Who’s Who has been administered by the James Beard Foundation since 1990. Although the Who’s Who has been underwritten by different sponsors throughout its inception, the process of induction has remained the same: Each year a ballot of 20 possible candidates with bios is created and distributed to the entire Who’s Who group to vote on. Inductees are announced as part of the James Beard Foundation Awards festivities in the spring.



Read more about our Who's Who members on Delights and Prejudices, the official JBF blog!

2009 Inductees

David Burke
John T. Edge
Betty Fussell
Dorothy Cann Hamilton
Clark Wolf

2008 Inductees

Dan Barber
Anthony Bourdain
Nancy Oakes
Russ Parsons
Zanne Early Stewart
Steve Sullivan

The 2008 inductees into the James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America were announced on June 7 at a party hosted by Gourmet magazine. View Gourmet’s photo gallery >>>

1984–2007 Inductees

Len Allison (1984)
Jean Anderson (1994)
José Andrés (2007)
Colman Andrews (1984)
R.W. (Johnny) Apple (1999)
Richard Arrowood (1984)
Gerald Asher (1986)
Lidia Bastianich (1996)
Joseph Bastianich (2005)
Mario Batali (2001)
Ariane Batterberry (1993)
Michael Batterberry (1993)
Michael Bauer (2004)
Joe Baum (1985)
Rick Bayless (1995)
Paul Bertolli (1985)
Alexis Bespaloff (1989)
David Bouley (1991)
Daniel Boulud (1995)
Flo Braker (1997)
Ella Brennan (1984)
Dick Brennan (1984)
Ellen Brown (1985)
Cecily Brownstone (1994)
Giuliano Bugialli (1986)
Marian Burros (1985)
Frieda Caplan (1985)
Irena Chalmers (1988)
Narcisse Chamberlain (1994)
Donn Chappellet (1985)
Laura Chenel (1984)
Julia Child (1984)
Craig Claiborne (1984)
Tom Colicchio (2002)
Sue Conley (2006)
Darrell Corti (1989)
Marion Cunningham (1984)
Ariane Daguin (1994)
Jack Davies (1985
Joel Dean (1994)
Robert Del Grande (1987)
Giorgio DeLuca (1994)
Marcel Desaulniers (1984)
Anthony Dias Blue (1988)
Paul Draper (1984)
Greg Drescher (2005)
Alan Ducasse (2002)
Todd English (2004)
Dafne Engstrom (1984)
Mats Engstrom (1984)
Florence Fabricant (1989)
Barbara Fairchild (2000)
George Faison (1994)
Dean Fearing (1987)
Susan Feniger (1985)
Carol Field (2005)
Bobby Flay (2007)
Michael Foley (1984)
Larry Forgione (1984)
Pierre Franey (1986)
Ernest Gallo (1999)
Michael Ginor (2001)
Milton Glaser (1995)
Jerry Goldstein (1985)
Joyce Goldstein (1985)
Richard Graff (1984)
Randall Grahm (1989)
Gael Greene (1993)
Dorie Greenspan (2007)
Barbara Haber (1997)
Zack Hanle (1994)
Nancy Harmon Jenkins (1994)
Tom Haruya Chino (1985)
Marcella Hazan (1986)
Maida Heatter (1988)
Ken Hom (1991)
Jeff Hvid (1984)
Andrea Immer Robinson (2004)
Madhur Jaffrey (1995)
Jean Joho (2006)
Barbara Kafka (1984)
Madeleine Kamman (1986)
Thomas Keller (2000)
Hubert Keller (2003)
Graham Kerr (1997)
Paul Keyser (1984)
Christopher Kimball (1996)
Paul Kovi (1985)
Sibella Krauss (1985)
Albert Kumin (1992)
Corby Kummer (2005)
Gray Kunz (2006)
Emeril Lagasse (1989)
Paula Lambert (1998)
George Lang (1986)
David Lett (1987)
Rose Levy Baranbaum (2004)
Edna Lewis (1984)
Leon Lianides (1988)
Zelma Long (1996)
Sheila Lukins (1992)
Kermit Lynch (2006)
Sirio Maccioni (1987)
Deborah Madison (2005)
Nick Malgieri (1996)
Tom Margittai (1985)
John Mariani (1985)
Nobu Matsuhisa (2002)
Tony May (1989)
Fritz Maytag (1989)
Michael McCarty (1984)
Harold McGee (1995)
Moncef Meddeb (1985)
Richard Melman (1989)
Ferdinand Metz (1985)
Danny Meyer (1996)
Mark Miller (1984)
Bryan Miller (1991)
Mary Sue Milliken (1985)
Robert Mondavi (1984)
Michael Mondavi (1997)
Timothy Mondavi (1997)
Marian Morash (1984)
Sara Moulton (2002)
James Nassikas (1984)
Joan Nathan (2001)
Marion Nestle (2003)
Drew Nieporent (1992)
Patrick O'Connell (1984)
Bradley Ogden (1984)
Richard Olney (1986)
Carolyn O'Neil (1998)
Molly O'Neil (1999)
Jean-Louis Palladin (1987)
Charles Palmer (1998)
Robert M. Parker (1993)
Alex Patout (1987)
Cindy Pawlcyn (1988)
Jacques Pépin (1986)
Richard Perry (1984)
Joseph Phelps (1985)
Michael Pollan (2007)
Alfred Portale (1989)
Steve Poses (1984)
Frank J. Prial (2002)
Paul Prudhomme (1984)
Wolfgang Puck (1984)
Stephen Pyles (1985)
Jean-Jacques Rachou (1996)
Justin Rashid (1984)
Ruth Reichl (1984)
Seppi Renggli (1984)
William Rice (1984)
Michel Richard (1991)
Phyllis Richman (1985)
Alan Richman (1998)
Eric Ripert (2004)
Michael Roberts (1984)
Judy Rodgers (1984)
Michael Romano (2000)
Anne Rosenzweig (1987)
Lynne Rossetto Kasper (2001)
Julee Rosso (1992)
Jon Rowley (1987)
Alain Sailhac (2003)
Jesse Sartain (1985)
Shirley Sarvis (1987)
Jimmy Schmidt (1984)
Elizabeth Schneider (1994)
John Sedlar (1984)
Piero Selvaggio (1988)
Mimi Sheraton (1986)
Lydia Shire (1984)
Bill Shore (1999)
Nancy Silverton (1991)
Gordon Sinclair (1984)
Jeff Smith (1994)
Andre Soltner (1986)
Carl Sontheimer (1993)
Diana Southwood Kennedy (1986)
Joachim Splichal (1995)
Jeffrey Steingarten (2000)
Jane Stern (1992)
Michael Stern (1992)
Martha Stewart (1995)
Larry Stone (2000)
Adam Tihany (1997)
Jacques Torres (2003)
Jeremiah Tower (1984)
Jovan Trboyevic (1987)
Calvin Trillin (1986)
Barbara Tropp (1989)
Charlie Trotter (1996)
William Tuttle (1984)
Patricia Unterman (1984)
Norman Van Aken (2003)
James Villas (1985)
Alex von Bidder (1997)
Jean-Georges Vongerichten (1998)
Brendan Walsh (1987)
Alice Waters (1984)
Jonathan Waxman (1984)
Nahum Waxman (1984)
Ari Weinzweig (2006)
Patricia Wells (1992)
Jasper White (1984)
Anne Willan (1986)
Chuck Williams (1993)
Barry Wine (1984)
Paula Wolfert (1986)
Martin Yan (2001)
Izzy Yanay (2001)
Nina Zagat (1994)
Tim Zagat (1994)
Kevin Zraly (1988)
Gail Zweigenthal (1999)