Michael Pollan is an American author, journalist, activist, and professor of journalism. He is the son of author and financial consultant Stephen Pollan and columnist Corky Pollan. He has written a number of books, essays and articles on food. His first book “Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education” is considered a manifesto for both gardeners and environmentalists. His book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” was named by The New York Times as one of the five best non-fiction books of the year in which it was published. His “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual” emphasizes the need for a healthy and sustainable diet. The James Beard Foundation named it winner for the best food writing. His principle is “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants”. His other books are “A Place of My Own”, “In Defense of Food”, and the latest “In Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation”. The documentary, “Food, Inc.”, for which he was a consultant and co-star, received an Academy Award nomination. He also appeared in the PBS program based on “The Botany of Desire”. He is a Professor of Journalism at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, and is a contributing writer to The New York Times Magazine. His writings have received numerous awards.