Gail Simmons

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 a permanent judge on BRAVO’s Emmy-winning series "Top Chef." Gail joined Food & Wine magazine in 2004, where she directs special projects, working closely with the country’s top culinary talent and acting as liaison between the marketing and editorial teams on events and chef-related initiatives. During her tenure, she has been responsible for overseeing the annual Classic in Aspen, one of America’s premier culinary events. Prior to working at Food & Wine, Gail was the Special Events Manager for Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurant empire.

Born and raised in Toronto, Gail moved to New York City in 1999 to attend ICE. She then trained in the kitchens of legendary Le Cirque 2000 and groundbreaking Vong restaurants and worked as the assistant to Vogue magazine’s esteemed food critic, Jeffrey Steingarten.

In 2014, Gail and her business partner Samantha Hanks, founded Bumble Pie Productions, an original content company dedicated to discovering and promoting new female voices in the food and lifestyle space. Their first series, “Star Plates” — a collaboration with Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films and Authentic Entertainment — premiered in Fall 2016 on the Food Network.

In addition to her work on "Top Chef," Gail makes frequent television appearances on NBC’s TODAY, ABC’s Good Morning America and The Chew, among others. In 2024, NBC tapped her to Executive Produce 'Taste,' a half-hour sitcom about an embattled legacy food magazine, that's slated to premiere in 2025.  

Simmons is regularly featured in such publications as New York Magazine, Travel + Leisure, GQ, People, Entertainment Weekly, US Weekly and Los Angeles Times, and was named the #1 Reality TV Judge in America by the New York Post.