Figures in Food: Gourmet Live's 50 Women Game-Changers

Have you seen Gourmet Live's list of 50 Women Game-Changers? While they've singled out some of our favorite women in food both past and present, we're a little surprised by who made the list — and even more by who didn't.

And don't worry, Julia Child is number one. But Julie Powell made it into the top 50 too.

To us, the list seems tipped a bit too far in favor of modern food figures on television (Rachael Ray, Paula Deen, Cat Cora) and the web (Ree Drummond of The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Clotilde Dusoulier of Chocolate & Zucchini, Pim Techamuanvivit of Chez Pim). Don't get us wrong; television chefs and food bloggers have undoubtedly been influential over the last decade, but it doesn't feel quite right to hail them as "the most important women in food" when true game-changers like Marion Cunningham, Deborah Madison and Molly O'Neill are nowhere to be found.

Still, we were pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of some personal favorites, like food writer Betty Fussell, Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian (the women behind the Edible magazines), and Japanese food expert Elizabeth Andoh. But as a definitive list, we're not so sure how this stacks up.

• See the full list: 50 Women Game-Changers

Who would you include or exclude from this list?

(Images: Amazon; Rachael Ray; Ree Drummond)

Comments (17)

Putting the Pioneer Woman on this list is a joke, right? Isn't she the one the posted a recipe on her blog about how to toast buttered bread in the oven? Not once but TWICE! With about 50 pictures to make sure you don't totally screw it up.
It's sad that Gourmet was not able come up with 50 women without resorting to someone like that.

Hate her or love her, Rachel Ray was one of the personalities that put Food Network on the map. Besides, who's voice is more annoying... Rachel or Julia?

@RainTheBrain, Paula Deen has a recipe on foodnetwork.com called something like "english peas" which is basically "can of peas, warmed, add half stick of butter."

So yeah, i don't think they were counting "recipe quality" in the tally.

I believe the topic was game-changers, not most liked. I'd definitely expect Rachael Ray to appear on a list like this; in my opinion she's been so influential on television's culinary landscape.

I'm surprised food blogger Shauna James Ahern wasn't included, actually. I mean, Ree Drummond might be popular and her recipes may be well-liked, but Shauna has really done a lot for those with Celiac Disease and their loved ones. Or what about Stephanie O'Dea's 365 Crockpot blog and subsequent book? I think it's helped bring slow cooking back to the forefront. Where's Heidi Swanson??

What about Deborah Madison or Laurie Colwin (whom I adore!)? Also surprised that Melissa Clark or Ruth Reichl herself are not on there (I find Clark's recipes in particular quite innovative).

Also, the list is pretty American-heavy.

Wow, it bums me out that Clotilde Dusoulier, Pim Techamuanvivit, Molly Wizenberg, and Ree Drummond (Nos. 18 - 21 on the list) outrank so many amazing culinary doyennes further down the list (Nancy Silverton, Paula Wolfert, Delia Smith, and Diana Kennedy are 23, 25, 35, 45 respectively).

I don't begrudge a few bloggers being on the list and they are relevant to the landscape these days but so many and so high up doesn't sit right. I'd rather see the list include other women who have contributed decades if not a full lifetime of amazing work to the field instead of (for some, sometimes spotty) work that just barely even covers a single decade.

Dorie Greenspan, Deborah Madison, Rose Levy Beranbaum, Molly O'Neill, Marion Cunningham, any of the Brennan clan (Ella, Dottie, Ti or Lally), Laura Chenel, Andrea Immer, Traci Des Jardins, or Claudia Fleming all would have been welcome additions. And they definitely needed to include Ruth Reichl on that list.

I will add that they did hit a lot of the big ones for me though and the top twelve seemed pretty much right on target.

Actually, Pioneer Woman (Ree) is actually the reason why I really got into cooking and reading other food/cooking blogs, such as this one. At 26, I may be a bit younger than others here ( I don't really have a clue), but I almost exclusively get all my recipe ideas from different blogs and websites. Just because someone doesn't cook incredibly complex recipes with impossible to find expensive ingredients doesn't make them any less of a cook, or any less important to other blossoming cooks. Every dish I have ever makde from PW has been a hit. I can't say the same about recipes from some of the other sources that the writers and readers here champion. PW definitely changed the game for me.

I'm with Slow Lorus re. not liking the food bloggers outranking the amazing contributors to culinary history; Ree Drummond doesn't even credit recipes that are not hers or from which ones she’s adapted them. Gets me very peeved.

@plethoraofpinatas - Rachel Ray is so much more annoying! Every time I hear her voice and that moronic "YUMMERS" I want to hit something. And her recipes are awful.

I'm with TexCausingAScene. I was 20 when I came across Pioneer Woman's blog and was living off hot pockets and raman noodles. Her step-by-step instructions really helped me out as a beginner cook and from her blog, I found other blogs. And from her recipes, I graduated on to Julia Child recipes, and now I'm cooking my way through Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc. She's kinda like a gateway drug. Starting you off nice and simple and leading you towards bigger and more complex things. I'm fairly certain that she's done this for countless people and at least as far as I'm concerned, she was a game changer.

This is a thought provoking list. I believe the editors did a great job. I'd rather reflect on what's there than whine about who's missing.

These are pioneers, at least many are, of a media and medium that each person that is looking at these words has chosen to participate in and hopes to derive benefit.

When I looked at the list and the reason they noted for each selection, I don't think they meant the list to be "culinary/chef greats" but rather a list of women who in one way or another had an impact to our society and how we view and follow cooking/food.

For example, Rachel Ray is on the list because she attracted many people that were new to cooking or that might be more intimidated by a trained chef's instructions. She was relatable to many so increased the popularity of cooking shows.

Same with Martha Stewart, she may not be a culinary genius but has made many view beautiful homes, presentation and entertaining as something achievable. She is also an example how licensing by a tv personality/celebrity in the industry can have serious legs in business.

If it's about current influence I'd reorder but the list seems mostly right. I'm missing Marion Cunningham though.

I have to say this list made me borderline angry.

Cheeze & Rice-The Pioneer Woman? Really? Gross.

I'm really surprised Smitten Kitchen isn't on this list. More than surprised, I'm disappointed. She's a good blogger, with none of the kitschy "ya'all" crap Rhee Drummond uses.

I agree that Julie Powell should be on this list. Though she turned out to be kind of a creep IRL she did renew the appropriate appreciation that Julia Child deserves.

@Margi83301 -- that part about Julie Powell being a creep...I wondered if that was why she was down at the bottom when I first saw the list. With all the other (IMHO, less ground-breaking but probably more personable) bloggers up high, Powell's #50 felt like a dig of some sort.

@TexCausingAScene and @Redstarburst I am with you both. I think we're in the younger age demographic here (I'm 23) and maybe that has something to do with it. I was a notoriously bad cook when I started college - I couldn't even make grilled cheese. Ree's blog helped me take baby steps towards making actual meals and her pictures and humor made it fun to read and follow. I remember being so proud of myself when I made her lasagna and my friends gushed over how delicious it was. I had just turned 20. I am now learning how to make my own croissants through Julia Child and am making much more involved and complex recipes from other chefs and bloggers. I am of the camp that thinks Ree is a game changer - but not in the way that people would think. We all need to start somewhere and Ree's blog is a transition from clueless toast burner to actual cook.