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What Twitter does best is offer a look inside the skittering brains of the folks we admire, the ones we want to know more about. So, you've watched Adam Richman subject his body to untold abuse on Man v. Food—don't you want to know which Nas album is his favorite? Thank you, Twitter.
There are loads of foodies—chefs, food writers, critics, and everything in between—who could fill up your feed. But you want the best. The ones with the best jokes, the most insight, the most surprising recommendations. We've got you.
Here are the 25 foodies to follow on Twitter.
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Christine Teigen
Christine Teigen
Handle: @chrissyteigen
Followers: 105,611
Why You Should Follow: There are a number of reasons why you might be familiar with Christine Teigen. But you should know her for So Delushious!, her light-hearted food blog. Catch up with Teigen as she prepares chipotle chicken with crispy potato and garlic cakes for her man, John Legend. Her Twitter is full of great photos and frequent jokes.
Adam Richman
Adam Richman
Handle: @AdamRichman
Followers: 214,050
Why You Should Follow: To illustrate the phrase "guilty pleasure," you could just pop on an episode of Man v. Food. We often feel a mix of emotions while watching—a little horror, some astonishment, a lot of respect—until we snap out of the trance four hours later. He engages with his followers on the regular and has revealed a love for Nas' Illmatic. That's enough for us.
Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain
Handle: @NoReservations
Followers: 781,662
Why You Should Follow: If you've watched him on TV or read one of his books, you know that Anthony Bourdain is nothing short of colorful. He brings the same brazen charm to his Twitter. Most recently, he used his allotted 140 characters to call out Paula Deen on her diabetes-medicine sponsorship ("thinking of getting into the leg-breaking business, so I can profitably sell crutches later"). Unafraid to speak his mind, Bourdain is that rare chef you should follow, not because of the culinary tips, but because he's genuinely sharp and entertaining.
Pete Wells
Pete Wells
Handle: @pete_wells
Followers: 25,271
Why You Should Follow: Last November, Wells became the chief restaurant critic at the Times. A man who "choked up" when Julia Child died, the former Dining editor isn't shy in with his Twitter account. Quick to chime in about politics as well as upstart restaurants, Wells is outspoken and confident in his opinions.
Grant Achatz
Grant Achatz
Handle: @Gachatz
Followers: 49,645
Why You Should Follow: Chicago's Alinea is widely recognized as one of the best restaurants in the world, a title bestowed not only for its quality but for its ambition. American chef Grant Achatz deserves the lion's share of the credit. In 2008, the James Beard foundation named Achatz best chef in the United States. His Twitter offers a glimpse into the life of one of the most innovative chefs in the game. Pay attention.
The Meat Hook
The Meat Hook
Handle: @themeathook
Followers: 4,948
Why You Should Follow: The best butcher shop in Brooklyn runs a solid Twitter. Wonderfully profane and full of images of beautiful cuts of dead pig (and all the other animals you want to feast on), The Meat Hook provides food porn of the hardcore variety. Tuck the kids in tight.
Eric Asimov
Eric Asimov
Handle: @EricAsimov
Followers: 28,016
Why You Should Follow: Without wine, dinners wouldn't be nearly as drunk. Eric Asimov, chief wine critic at the New York Times, knows this. And he wants you to know it too. Spend some time with his Twitter and the too-often confusing world of whites and reds will slowly become clear. You don't have to be afraid anymore.
Chris Schonberger
Chris Schonberger
Handle: @cschonberger
Followers: 408
Why You Should Follow: Schonberger, the man behind the best pieces on beers and bars in Time Out New York, is a hip-hop head, meaning his is the only account out where you'll find Cam'ron lyrics sprinkled in among thoughts on new brews and the best in drinking in Gotham. He reps Dipset and Six Point, which makes him our favorite.
Mary Effin Poppins
Mary Effing Poppins
Handle: @yomissb
Followers: 4,487
Why You Should Follow: This NYC-based 20-something chronicles her experience as a line-cook and food connoisseur in the city that, like her, seldom sleeps. Unlike some celebrity chefs, whose accounts must be groomed for public consumption, the account of Mary Effin Poppins is a trill window into the restaurant life. Follow for great food photography (her Instagram at @y_m_b is worth a follow too), insider tales of the restaurant biz, and her own recipes.
Adam Rapoport
Adam Rapoport
Handle: @rapo4
Followers: 9,810
Why You Should Follow: Rapoport is the editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit; he wears an eyepatch in his profile picture and hoists a drink to his lips. He's just as likely to tweet about basketball as he is to wax poetic about bacon. A former editor at Time Out New York, Rapoport made a name for himself where it counts: in the streets. Salute.
Beer Advocate
Beer Advocate
Handle: @BeerAdvocate
Followers: 232,829
Why You Should Follow: No website speaks with more certainty about beer than Beer Advocate. The site's Twitter is no different: real talk about the best in brewing. Sure, things get esoteric, but it all goes in the name of building trust and confidence. Believe in their credibility.
Andrew Kaplan
Andrew Kaplan
Handle: @onkappysplate
Followers: 2,003
Why You Should Follow: "Kappy," as he's widely-known, is the Director of Rachael Ray's nonprofit organization, Yum-o!. Dude loves food, loves writing about it and photographing it. Like Jamie Oliver, he's trying to get kids skinny. That said, he's not afraid to ride for Shamrock Shakes. For that alone, we're recommending you follow.
Mario Batali
Mario Batali
Handle: @Mariobatali
Followers: 251,617
Why You Should Follow: The formidable ginger and gifted cooker of Italian cuisine, Mario Batali is an unmistakable presence in the food world. And we're not just talking about his ponytail, shorts, and Crocs. Take a walk through Eataly (200 5th Ave.), his Italian-food megamall in Flatiron, and feel his influence. Batali is a boss. His Twitter offers insight into the life of one who guarantees the people around him are going to eat. One day he's in Cabo, the next day he's tweeting about always salting the water when boiling pasta. He's often in conversation with other people, so his account might look like an intimidating mess, but there are gems there for sure.
Daniel Holzman
Daniel Holzman
Handle: @chefholzman
Followers: 479
Why You Should Follow: Holzman is executive chef and co-owner of New York's the Meatball Shop. He started cooking at Le Bernardin at the age of 15. While you were perfecting different wanking techniques and convincing older siblings to buy beer, Holzman was putting in work. He takes meatballs seriously, and if you want to crack a joke about that, that's cool. It's encouraged even—the spot's website promotes ball jokes. But know that this sort of levity is a result of serious toil. Holzman is knee-deep in New York eats; follow his Twitter and you will be too.
Sam Sifton
Sam Sifton
Handle: @SamSifton
Followers: 79,682
Why You Should Follow: Recently retired from his postion as the New York Times restaurant critic late last year, Sam has taken quickly to his new position as the national news editor at the gray lady. Though this has rendered his account news-heavy, he hasn't completely abandoned his old beat. Once a foodie, always a foodie.
Marcus Samuelsson
Marcus Samuelsson
Handle: @MarcusCooks
Followers: 43,896
Why You Should Follow: No other celebrity chef possesses such a weirdly diverse background (born in Ethiopia, raised in Sweden), thus no other chef out cooks quite like Marcus Samuelsson, the man behind the oft-praised Red Rooster Harlem (310 Lenox Ave.). He holds the record as the youngest chef to receive a three-star review from the New York Times. His tweets shout-out recipes from other chefs he respects, as well as links to interesting food-related news. A very well-rounded account.
Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver
Handle: @jamieoliver
Followers: 200,5263
Why You Should Follow: Over the years, the young charmer known to many as "The Naked Chef" has become a key player in the war against crappy food and unhealthy lifestyles. More than just a chef, Oliver is a humanitarian. Raise up a fist for not eating like a moron and follow him.
Jordana Rothman
Jordana Rothman
Handle: @jordanarothman
Followers: 2,030
Why You Should Follow: This wise-cracking wordsmith tweets smart about edibles and potables, two things she chronicles in New York as the editor of Time Out's food and drink section. Enjoy the deft use of 140 characters—Rothman writes her ass off—and catch up on all the NYC spots you should have been eating at yesterday.
The Hood Chef
The Hood Chef
Handle: @TheHoodChef
Followers: 2,460
Why You Should Follow: The name says it all—The Hood Chef is too real. If you've never heard of the stoner cuisine specialist Savito, peep his YouTube series, where he cooks with only the essentials. The man drips charisma, sweats gully. He recently opened a restaurant called Funhouse Foodspot in Brooklyn (3714 13th Ave.), home of the Tiger Sangwich (garlic bread, chicken cutlets, turkey bacon, roast beef, fresh mozzarella, mushroom gravy, and roasted veggies). Go there. By eating his food and following him on Twitter, you'll come to understand living loco.
David Chang
David Chang
Handle: @davidchang
Followers: 35,406
Why You Should Follow: The untouchable Momofuko restaurant group, led by boss David Chang, is the name in New American Asian food in NYC. With nine restaurants to his name, Chang commands a small empire. The empire's expansion continues with Chang's forays into publishing (Lucky Peach, a food journal published by McSweeney's), television (Chang appeared as himself on David Simon's Treme), and his Twitter account, which covers everything from Larry Bird to R.E.M., his new restaurant in Sydney to his thoughts on cooking at large. Life of a bun pusher.
Matt Jennings
Matt Jennings
Handle: @matthewjennings
Followers: 4,309
Why You Should Follow: We put Matt on our list of foodies to follow on Instagram for a good reason—his shots murder. Don't have Instagram? Don't worry— he regularly tweets his food photos. And recently he tweeted the steps to dismember a lamb. That's bad-ass.
Joe Campanale
Joe Campanale
Handle: @joecampanale
Followers: 4,584
Why You Should Follow: Campanale is the co-owner of New York's dell'Anima (38 8th Ave.), the dependable Italian eatery known for its distinctive bruschette, easy-going atmosphere, and one of the most carefully selected Italian wine lists in the city. Campanale, the former sommelier at Babbo, is responsible for that. Peep his Twitter for great red and white recommendations, not to mention updates on his beloved Knicks.
Rick Bayless
Rick Bayless
Handle: @Rick_Bayless
Followers: 226,158
Why You Should Follow: Bayless has shaped Mexican food in America to a degree no one else approaches. When Mexican President Felipe Calderón and his wife Margarita Zavala dined at the White House with the Obamas, Bayless was the chef chosen to prepare the meal. How does one achieve such a standing? Work.
As a young man, Bayless studied cooking in Mexico. The results: a 26-part special on PBS on cooking Mexican food and the publication of Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico, a high-water mark in the history of Mexican cooking presented in text. Craig Claiborne, the famous restaurant critic, called the book "the greatest contribution to the Mexican table imaginable." He rides for the country of Mexico and its rich tradition of food; no where is this more evident than on his Twitter, where he posts images of food so good your eyes will bleed. Smoky Mazatlan shrimp? Drown in your own saliva.
Michael Ruhlman
Michael Ruhlman
Handle: @ruhlman
Followers: 96,750
Why You Should Follow: Michael Ruhlman is a writer who became a cook, which makes him a rare and special thing. His cookbooks—his recent manifesto, Ruhlman's Twenty, in particular—are indispensable. He uses his Twitter to answer questions about cooking; ask him something and he won't just answer, he'll probably follow back. Because he's nice like that.
Eddie Huang
Eddie Huang
Handle: @MrEddieHuang
Followers: 6,966
Why You Should Follow: Eddie Huang goes in. The owner of Baohaus (238 East 14th St.) is the most hip-hop chef to make it, and we're so proud of him. Unafraid to call b.s. on other folks caught up in the game, Huang is the model for a new sort of chef—brash, funny, and culturally in-touch. Witness his verbal darts on the regular via his Twitter, hands down our favorite food-related account.
For the series of restaurant reviews Eddie did for Complex, click here.