The United States' cuisine is a delicious mix of different cultural influences, many of which are informed by chefs, food writers, and home cooks from all over the country. Here, we celebrate 45 individuals who have all left an indelible mark on the food scene in the US, shaping the way regular Americans cook and eat every day.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the USA's most inspirational chefs, counting down to the most influential of all.

We've based our ranking on the popularity and influence of each chef, and on the opinions of our well-traveled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.

The chefs who changed the way America eats, ranked