[VIDEO] Gail Simmons, of "Top Chef" Fame, Has Thoughts On Her Career (and Yours)

In the first installment of our “Culinary School to Career” video series, Simmons shares her thoughts on everything from staying true to yourself in food media, to why culinary training in a “food city” is important.

Watch the below video or read on for all of Simmons’ advice gems. (Trust us, it’s worth it.)

The Joy of Working

When asked what she liked most about her work, Simmons’ answered without hesitation: “No two workdays are alike.”

She explained that in addition to the several months a year that she spends on the "Top Chef" set, she also cooks at festivals; speaks on panels; develops recipes at home; makes appearances at events around the country; writes articles and books at her computer; and now, produces scripted TV.  

“It wasn’t necessarily a career that I intended,” she says, “and that’s what makes it so invigorating.”

As to her career's trailblazing qualities, she says she’s proud to have set an example for students at ICE.

“To come back … and speak to a group of students about my culinary journey — and hope to inspire and mentor them — is really special,” says Simmons. “I’m happy to give back to a place that was such a foundational part of my journey.”

Go Your Own Way

She’s careful, however, to point out that being inspired by her career shouldn’t mean trying to replicate it.

“Everyone needs to figure out how to find their voice. You can’t try to be anyone else,” she says.

Why? Because, Simmons explains, “Your set of circumstances are particular to you.”

“You come to the table, pun intended, with your own history, with your own background,” she says. (And here, an aside on Simmons: If you’ve ever seen or heard her speak extemporaneously, you know she has a very quick mind and loves a pun and/or play on words.)

“Figuring out your own point of view, what sets you apart and allows you to speak authentically, is the path … and it’s how you will make your mark in food media,” she says.

But Really... Is Culinary School Worth It?

In Simmons’ telling, ICE was critical to finding her culinary voice.

“To me, coming to culinary school was like finally finding the thing that I knew I wanted to be part of … I loved donning my uniform and sitting down to learn a lesson, and then letting it come to life in three dimensions by being able to cook what I’d learned — and taste it, of course.”

“I feel like my horizons expanded so much from that experience,” she says.

But what did she learn in terms of tangible skills? Our enquiring minds wanted to know.

“I took away a million things that I use every day,” she says, “not just the basis of cooking, but working in a group, my knife skills, obviously, and my understanding of the history of the culinary world, which I think is really important.”

Elaborating on why culinary school is important when you work in food media, she adds, “It provides a foundation, like a fundamental understanding of the greater world of food. It helps to position you and your perspective so that you can then speak the language of food and write about it with better authority.”

Culinary school graduates often agree on this point. The question then becomes, “Why ICE?” In short, why this school and not another?

Location Matters

“I chose ICE specifically because I wanted to go to culinary school in the heart of New York,” Simmons explains. “I thought that was such a big part of the experience — of navigating New York City … the epicenter of the culinary world in America, and I just loved that I could be in the center of the action.”

ICE’s post-graduation support is another benefit of studying at its NYC campus, which is one of two locations in America’s culinary capitals. (ICE also has a campus in Los Angeles.)

According to Simmons, ICE has created an “incredible sense of trust with the culinary community, not only because of the amazing amount of alumni that have come from this school, but because it has such a solid reputation [that] chefs at all levels and in all places around the country respect and admire graduates — and they trust that if [you’ve] gone through the program, you know what they’re doing.”

If that isn’t an endorsement, we don’t know what is.

As always, it was lovely chatting with Gail. Watch her video and bookmark the ICE blog for future food media stories. 

* Experience varies by student, with outcomes contingent on factors including graduate aptitude, job market, place of residence and work history, among others.