Evolutionaries

Frances Moore Lappé is an iconic activist thinker on society and democracy: which she explores through the universal lens of food. Her first book Diet for a Small Planet, published in 1971, has since sold over 3 million copies and helped shift the narrative of hunger. In 2008, it was heralded as one of “75 Books by Women Whose Words Have Changed the World” by the Women’s National Book Association.That same year the James B...

David Kinch is a chef ahead of our time. Long before the farm-to-table trend, David found inspiration in the seasons, the land, and the ingredients at hand. Coming into his own under the tutelage of great chefs–from New Orleans to New York, France to Japan– and finally settling in California, David’s culinary prowess and vision has earned him multiple James Beard awards. In 2016, Manresa, his first restaurant, received thr...

Peter Kaminksy wears many hats – writer, outdoorsman, journalist, cookbook author, television producer, the list goes on and on. He’s worked with the likes of Francis Mallmann and Daniel Boulud on cookbooks. He was a managing editor at National Lampoon. He created both the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize and the Library of Congress Greshwin Prize for popular song. Hear his story on this special edition of Evolutionaries.

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Brooklyn-born writer Mimi Sheridan is one of the most acclaimed critics food has ever seen. Before becoming the first female restaurant critic at the New York Times in 1976, she wrote for New York Magazine. Four decades later, she has written for almost every food publication that matters and authored 17 books, the most recent being 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover’s Life List. Mimi’s influence on critical f...

Michael Pollan has been celebrated, critiqued and worshiped. He’s a spirit guide for many in the world of food, he’s won numerous awards, and sparked lively debates with his writing. In 2010 he was named one of the worlds 100 most influential people by TIME magazine. He’s the author of six books: Second Nature, A Place of My Own, The Botany of Desire (which also aired as a two hour documentary on PBS), The Omnivore’s Dilem...

In a world filled with food writers who take themselves far too seriously, Ruth Reichl continues to be a breath of fresh air. Her creative take on storytelling and restaurant reviews turned food writing upside down. She’s authored a trilogy of best-selling memoirs, a novel and a cookbook. She was the last editor in chief of the now defunct Gourmet magazine. Before that she was the restaurant critic of both The New York Tim...

Mary Sue Milliken is often credited with helping define Los Angeles’s culinary landscape. Along with her partner Susan Feniger, she opened City Restaurant, Border Grill and Ciudad – all critically acclaimed restaurants in the Los Angeles area. She’s published five cookbooks is seasoned TV personality. Mary Sue was a food star before there were many. She’s never been afraid to take risks and her journey began in St. Claire,...

Published July 31st, 2014
Running time: 25 Minutes

Jason Hinds of Neal’s Yard Dairy, Borough Cheese Company and Essex St. Cheese Co. is a pioneer in the artisanal cheese movement. He helped develop Neal’s Yard Dairy into one of the most significant food retailers of our time. He started the Borough Cheese Company, which specifically focuses on selling Comté. He’s also co-founder of Essex St. Cheese Co., a cheese i...

Darina Allen is Ireland’s best-known chef and culinary ambassador. She’s the founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School, now the countries longest running cooking school and a globally- renowned institution that has hosted and taught some of the world’s greatest chefs (including Marcella Hazan, Alice Waters, and Madhur Jaffrey.) In addition, she hosted a cooking Television program Simply Delicious for nine seasons, which is cred...

Lidia Bastianich has two passions – family and food – and she’s managed to create an culinary empire using both. Lidia is the chef/owner of four acclaimed New York City restaurants — Felidia, Becco, Esca and Del Posto, as well as Lidia’s in Pittsburgh and Kansas City. Her cookbooks include Lidia Cooks From the Heart of Italy and Lidia’s Italy – both companion books to her Emmy-nominated television series, Lidia’s Italy, Li...

Ariane Daguin is the owner and co-founder of D’Artagnan – one of America’s largest specialty-meat-and-game distributors. D’Artagnan is one of the worlds most trusted manufacturer of pates, foie gras, all natural organic poultry and game. Ariane’s journey is a true American success story. The gascony born Daguin was born into a culinary family of great fame – but she longed for something different. She moved to New York wit...

Betty Fussell is an American success story – and one of the most celebrated and beloved writers in food. Over the last 50 years her writing has appeared in the New York Times, The New Yorker, Savuer, Vogue, Food & Wine and many more varied publications. Her memoir, Kitchen Wars was performed in Hollywood and New York as a one woman show by actress Dorothy Lyman. She’s written more than 11 books and has taught courses i...

Nathan Myhrvold is the former Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft, and co-founder of Intellectual Ventures. He tells us about his profound interest in cooking, and his difficult introduction into the world of becoming a chef. Nathan discusses the modernization of French cuisine, as well as the differences between modern cuisine and traditional fine dining. Then, he describes the development of his endeavors in writing Mo...

There’s perhaps no greater expert on the food and foodways of the African Diaspora than Doctor Jessica B. Harris. Jessica is the author of 12 cookbooks, and in her more than 3 decades as a journalist, she’s written book reviews, theater reviews, travel, feature, and beauty articles too numerous to note. She’s a founding member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, she’s decorated with awards and honors, and holds multiple deg...

John Besh is a chef with a passion for preserving the rich cuisine of New Orleans. He was profoundly active in providing meals for thousands of people devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and in 2011 he established the John Besh Foundation, which provides scholarships, grants, and loans to those in the New Orleans area with the drive to ignite change in their communities. Today, John owns nine restaurants which celebrate the c...

Lydia Shire is the enduring culinary talent behind some of Boston’s most celebrated restaurants. She’s universally acclaimed, having won a James Beard award for Best Chef Northeast, and the Women Chefs and Restauranteurs 2011 Golden Whisk Award. She’s known for her use of fat and offal, and her exuberant personality in the kitchen. Lydia grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts, and fell in love with food at a young age. This p...

Forty years ago Kermit Lynch seemed like an unlikely wine hero. A struggling musician with a fledgling handbag business no one, least of all himself, would have predicted his groundbreaking future as a wine importer and retailer in Berkley California. The American wine-drinking landscape has been forever changed by his work. Kermit is the recipient of two James Beard Awards and was knighted by the French government with th...

Colman Andrews is a preeminent American food writer that changed the way gastronomy is covered in media today. Along with Dorothy Kalins he founded Savuer Magazine. Working for Ruth Riechel, he was a contributing editor for Gourmet Magazine. In 2010, he launched his own food and drink website, The Daily Meal. He is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on Spanish cuisine, particularly that of the Catalonia region....