The Daily Meal's 101 Best Restaurants In America For 2012 Panel

When it came time to begin the vast and complex task of identifying the country's best restaurants, we decided to field our distinguished peers for their opinions. Twenty-four panelists completed the survey based on our master list, however, some preferred to remain anonymous. Here are the illustrious members of our expert panel.

Patricia Sharpe, Food Editor, Texas Monthly

Dorothy Cann Hamilton, Founder & CEO, The International Culinary Center of New York

William Sertl, Executive Editor, BlackboardEats.com

Tim Carman, Food Writer, The Washington Post

Providence Cicero, Restaurant Critic, The Seattle Times

Karen Brooks, Food Columnist, Portland Monthly

Ronald Holden, Author of Northwest Wine Country, Wine Writer, Food Critic, and Travel Consultant

Penny Pollack, Dining Editor, Chicago Magazine

Narsai M. David, Food and Wine Editor, KCBS San Francisco

Dave Eckert, Producer & Host, Culinary Travels with Dave Eckert (PBS)

Robb Walsh, Three-time James Beard Award Winner, Author of Texas Eats

Jamie Shanker, Midtown Lunch Philadelphia

Dorothy Kalins, Director, Dorothy Kalins Ink

Anne Zimmerman, San Francisco Editor, BlackBoardEats.com; Author of An Extravagant Hunger: The Passionate Years of M.F.K. Fisher

Laurie Werner, Contributing Editor, Forbes Life; Writer, "The Travel Connoisseur" for Forbes.com