You might not know that Donatella Arpaia, the acclaimed chef, restaurateur, and TV personality, was once an attorney in her early 20s. But after practicing law for about three months, she sat at the bar inside her brother's restaurant and realized there was no place she'd rather be.

Now, more than 20 years later, the 47-year-old Arpaia has positioned herself as one of the most powerful figures in food. She's best known for her role as head judge on Food Network's Iron Chef America and The Next Iron Chef, and she's also a regular contributor to NBC's Today. Her fast-casual Italian restaurant, Prova Pizzabar, is in the midst of expansion, and her award-winning meatballs, along with a signature line of kitchen solutions, are sold on HSN.