Gail Simmons
Gail Simmons
Gail Simmons is a Canadian food writer and cookbook author. Since the show’s inception in 2006, she has served as a permanent judge on BRAVO’s Emmy-winning series Top Chef. Simmons was previously the head critic on Top Chef Duels and host of Top Chef: Just Desserts, Bravo’s pastry-focused spin-off of the Top Chef franchise. She was also co-host of “The Feed,” which aired in 2014 on FYI, A+E’s new lifestyle network. In addition to her work on Top Chef, Gail...
NationalityCanadian
ProfessionChef
Date of Birth19 May 1976
CityToronto, Canada
CountryCanada
I sit at this really weird crossroads. My job requires me to take in calories. I take care of myself. I eat healthy. I exercise a lot. But then I have to go to events in cocktail dresses and look fancy, and people want to interview me about what I'm wearing, and then I'm compared to people who are wearing size 2 all the time.
I wish I could say I was one of those people who loves working out, but I don't; it's just not that fun. But I make an effort to work out aggressively three times a week.
When I diced vegetables, it was painstaking work to make sure that every single piece looked the same: 1/4-inch cubed for small, 3/4-inch cubed for large. It's a matter of practice and precision.
My husband works in the music industry and he's always the first to know about great new bands, so I end up seeming really with it because I'll be listening to an up-and-coming band before everyone else hears about it.
I also have a soft spot for spicy chicken wings. They are always best eaten at dives and sports bars, like Wogie's in the West Village, New York City, near my house.
There are days when I literally have to eat 17 plates of food - it's intense. It's about moderation. You just need a few bites to get the gist of a dish.
I'm a healthy weight for my height, and I like how I look on most days.
I would not say I'm an aggressive shopper. I want to be; I aspire to be an aggressive shopper. I am a meek, meek shopper.
Patience was not something that came naturally to me, but in cooking it is the quintessential skill.
The less you do to beautiful food, the better it's going to taste. You don't need to mess with it all the time.
There's not a single chef I know of that does not think about the politics of the food they're serving.
When I'm cooking for myself, I find that I eat almost completely vegetarian, although I'm not vegetarian.
I love The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, an Auberge Property in Bluffton, South Carolina. Its a spectacular corner of the world, with massive old trees lined with Spanish moss, and alligators swimming in the river.
I always want my guests to be happy and impressed.