In 1961, Julia Child introduced the American public to an entirely new, joy-infused approach to cooking and eating, and set in motion a food renaissance that is still in full bloom today. Over the last six decades, food has become an increasingly more diverse, prominent, and joyful point of cultural interest. This book discusses in detail the current golden age of food in contemporary American popular culture. Entries explore the proliferation of food-themed television shows, documentaries, and networks; the booming popularity of celebrity chefs; unusual, exotic, decadent, creative, and even mundane food trends; food's rising stardom in books, magazines, websites, blogs, podcasts, and museums; and cultural celebrations of food such as festivals and mascots and in music. It provides depth and academic gravity by tying entries to broader themes and larger contexts- such as in relation to a food-themed reality show or discussing the show's popularity in relation to an economic event.