Far and away the most influential restaurant critic in the country, Frank Bruni has fielded his share of controversy during more than five years at The New York Times. Coming to power in the blogger age, he's certainly one of the most prolific restaurant critics the paper has had, not to mention the most publicly debated by others who likewise wield a keyboard. He's put small restaurants on the map and helped remove behemoths. By heaping three stars on places such as the ultra-casual Momofuku Ssam Bar and just two on such fine-dining establishments as Gilt and, devastatingly, only three (down one from the Times' previous reviewer) on the now-defunct, once-impervious Alain Ducasse at the Essex House, he has redefined the paper's star system altogether and had a significant impact on our expectations of dining out. As part of the 2009 New York City Wine & Food Festival, Bruni will reveal something of the exacting standards to which he holds those whose work he critiques. He'll also regale us with stories from the field, offer thoughts about the future of the restaurant industry, discuss his most talked-about reviews and even sign his surprising memoir, "Born Round," in which he divulges some fascinating background about his history and relationship with food. The conversation will be led by Eater.com founder Ben Leventhal.