Vani Hari, AKA the Food Babe, has amassed a loyal following in her Food Babe Army. The recent subject of profiles and interviews in the New York Times, the New York Post and New York Magazine, Hari implores her soldiers to petition food companies to change their formulas. She's also written a bestselling book telling you that you can change your life in 21 days by "breaking free of the hidden toxins in your life." She and her army are out to change the world.

Eater.com founder Ben Leventhal is going to start blogging on GrubStreet.com—a rival food blog! New York food bloggers haven't been this abuzz since the Great Momofuku Fire of '63. [The Feedbag]

While we're on the subject of emotional restaurateurs, who've already got their hands full dealing with Times food critic Frank Bruni, let it be known that they don't give a damn what the foodbloggers say. You might already be familiar with celebchef Mario Batali's "Why I Hate Food Bloggers" manifesto on Eater last summer. Now he adds, in Jay Rayner's forthcoming book The Man Who Ate the World, that said bloggers can "suck [his] dick."

LOCKHART STEELE — You might not have heard of the new foodsite Serious Eats yet, but at the rate that noted food journalist Ed Levine is stockpiling blog talent, you probably will sooner or later. (Or, if you choose to keep reading, now! Thirty-second backstory: Levine, recognizing that his vision for a next-generation version of foodie message board Chowhound would require some serious tech and editorial chops, brought in Blogger.com founder Meg Hourihan as a consultant a few months back alongside popular food bloggers such as Adam Kuban and The Amateur Gourmet, each of whom contribute to the site and participate in an ad network on their personal blogs. Serious Eats formally launched earlier this month.)