Gail Simmons facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gail Simmons
Simmons at the 2017 Texas Book Festival
Born	(1976-05-19) May 19, 1976 (age 49) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater	McGill University
Occupation	Culinary expert, food writer, television personality
Spouse(s)	Jeremy Abrams (2008-present)

Gail Simmons, born on May 19, 1976, is a Canadian expert in food. She writes about food and creates cookbooks. You might know her as a judge on the popular TV show Top Chef. She has been a judge on this Emmy-winning series since it started in 2006.

Gail also hosted Top Chef: Just Desserts, a show all about pastries. She was also the main critic on Top Chef Duels. Besides Top Chef, Gail often appears on TV shows like Today and Good Morning America. Many magazines have featured her, including New York magazine and People.

Early Life and Education

Gail Simmons was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her family is Jewish and originally from Eastern Europe. She grew up with two older siblings.

Gail went to McGill University in Montreal. There, she studied anthropology and Spanish. Her mother, Renee, was also a food writer. She wrote for the Globe and Mail newspaper. Renee also taught cooking classes right in their home.

Gail's Career Journey

Starting in Food Journalism

Gail began her career by writing about restaurants. She wrote reviews for her university newspaper, the McGill Tribune. After that, she worked as an intern at Toronto Life magazine. Later, she wrote for the National Post newspaper.

To learn even more about food, Gail went to cooking school. She attended the Peter Kump New York Cooking School in New York City. She also trained at famous restaurants like Le Cirque and Vong.

Working with Food Experts

Gail worked for two years as an assistant to Jeffrey Steingarten. He was a well-known food critic at Vogue. Then, she spent three years managing special events. This was for chef Daniel Boulud's many restaurants.

In 2004, Gail joined Food & Wine magazine. She became their special projects manager.

Being a Top Chef Judge

Gail Simmons has been a judge on Top Chef since its very first episode. That was on March 8, 2006. She also hosted Top Chef: Just Desserts. This spin-off show focused on delicious desserts. It started airing on September 15, 2010.

Gail's Books and Videos

Gail wrote her first book, a memoir, in 2012. It's called Talking With My Mouth Full: My Life as a Professional Eater. A memoir is a book about someone's own life experiences.

She also has an online video series called The Pantry Project. In these videos, Gail teaches people fun ways to cook. She shows how to use everyday ingredients and some unusual ones too.

Other TV Appearances

Gail often appears on many TV shows. These include The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Fox & Friends. She shares her food knowledge with a wide audience.

Food Festivals and Events

Gail attends many important food festivals. In the U.S., she has been to the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. She also attends the New York City Wine & Food Festival. These events bring together top chefs and food lovers.

Helping the Community

Gail cares a lot about helping others. She supports Common Threads. This group teaches kids from low-income families how to cook healthy meals. She also helped start Food & Wine’s Grow for Good Campaign. This campaign raises money for farming programs in the U.S.

Gail is also on the boards of several organizations. These include the American Institute of Wine & Food and City Harvest. City Harvest helps rescue food that would otherwise go to waste. They then give it to people who need it.

Awards and Recognition

Gail was recognized in 2010 by The Jewish Daily Forward. She was named one of the "Forward 50" influential Jewish Americans.

Many media outlets have featured her. These include New York Magazine, Travel + Leisure, and People. The New York Post even named her the #1 Reality TV Judge in America in November 2012.

Gail's Family Life

Gail Simmons married Jeremy Abrams in 2008. Their wedding had a fun farmers' market theme. It was even featured in Martha Stewart’s Real Weddings magazine. Gail wore a beautiful Carolina Herrera wedding dress. She also wore her mother's veil, which was 42 years old!

Gail and Jeremy have two children. Their daughter, Dahlia Rae, was born on December 29, 2013. Their son, Kole Jack, was born on May 23, 2018.

TV Shows Gail Has Been On

Published Works

• Talking With My Mouth Full: My Life as a Professional Eater (2012)