Available for cooking demonstrations, live and virtual personal appearances. Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer, and dynamic television personality. Since the show’s inception in 2006, she has lent her extensive expertise as permanent judge on BRAVO’s Emmy-winning series Top Chef. Now in its 17th successful season, Top Chef is rated the #1 food show on cable television. Gail also hosts Iron Chef Canada, the #1 show on Food Network Canada. She was head critic on Top Chef Masters, host of Top Chef Just Desserts, Bravo’s pastry-focused spinoff of the Top Chef franchise, and co-host of The Feed, which aired in 2014 on FYI.

In October 2017, Gail published her first cookbook, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating, with Grand Central Publishing. Nominated for an IACP award for Best General Cookbook, it features recipes inspired by her world travels—all made with accessible ingredients and with smart, simple techniques for successful family meals and easy entertaining. Gail’s first book, a memoir titled Talking With My Mouth Full, was published by Hyperion in February 2012.

From 2004 to 2019, Gail was the Special Projects Director at Food & Wine magazine. During her tenure she wrote a monthly column, helped create the video series #FWCooks and worked closely with the country’s top culinary talent on events and chef-related initiatives. From 2005 to 2009, she was responsible for overseeing the annual Classic in Aspen, America’s premier culinary event. Prior to working at Food & Wine, Gail was the special events manager for Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurant empire.

In addition, Gail makes frequent television appearances on NBC’s TODAY, The Dish On Oz, ABC’s Good Morning America, and the Rachael Ray Show, among others. She has been featured in publications such as People, New York magazine, Travel + Leisure, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly, Los Angeles Times, and was named the #1 Reality TV Judge in America by the New York Post. She makes regular appearances at the nation’s foremost culinary festivals, including the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Austin Food & Wine Festival and Charleston Wine & Food Festival.

In February 2013, Gail was appointed Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Babson College, a mentoring role where she works with student entrepreneurs, helping them develop food-related social enterprises. In April 2016, she received the Award of Excellence by Spoons Across America, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating children about the benefits of healthy eating. She is an active board member and supporter of City Harvest, Hot Bread Kitchen, Common Threads, Cycle Kids, and the Institute of Culinary Education.