Gail Simmons

Gail Simmons is known to millions by her role as a regular judge and critic on Bravo’s Emmy-nominated, hit contest reality series Top Chef. Her favorite F&W recipes are pictured, at right.

Gail Simmons joined Food & Wine in 2004 and handles special projects for the magazine, acting as liaison between the marketing and editorial teams on magazine events and chef-related initiatives.

Gail lends her strong culinary expertise as permanent judge on BRAVO’s Emmy Award–winning series Top Chef, now entering its sixth successful season. The series is rated the #1 Food Show on cable television. In addition, she also makes frequent appearances on television and at events, and will be a speaker at this summer’s Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.

During her tenure at the magazine, she has overseen the annual Food & Wine Classic and held positions in the magazine’s merchandising department.

Prior to joining Food & Wine, she was the special events manager for Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurant empire. She began her career writing about food in Toronto, Canada and received her formal culinary training at what is now the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. Gail trained at both Le Cirque 2000 and Vong restaurants, and then worked for food critic Jeffrey Steingarten at Vogue. She has contributed to several cookbooks, including It Must’ve Been Something I Ate by Jeffrey Steingarten, Chef Daniel Boulud: Cooking in New York City and The New American Chef, by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page.

Gail lives in New York City with her husband Jeremy.