Gail Simmons

Gail Simmons

Keynote Speaker: Culinary Expert, Food Writer, & TV Personality; Best Known as the Host of Bravo's "Top Chef"

  • Travels From:
  • Speaking Fee:
    Live Event Fee: Contact us for details
    Virtual Event Fee: $30,000 - $50,000
    More Fee Info
  • Categories:

Gail Simmons Biography

Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer, and established television personality. She has been a permanent judge on BRAVO’s Emmy-winning series "Top Chef" since its inception in 2006, now entering its 21st season. In addition to "Top Chef," Simmons has hosted a variety of shows, including "Top Chef: Just Desserts," "Top Chef Amateurs," and "Iron Chef Canada." Additionally, she co-hosts "The Good Dish." Simmons also served as the head critic on "Top Chef Duels" and co-hosted "The Feed" on FYI, A+E's new lifestyle network in 2014.

Simmons published her first book, "Talking With My Mouth Full: My Life as a Professional Eater," in February 2012. Her first cookbook, "Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating," released in October 2017, was nominated for an IACP award for best general cookbook. As a food writer, Simmons joined Food & Wine magazine in 2004, where she directed special projects until 2019. She worked closely with the country’s top culinary talent and acted as a liaison between the marketing and editorial teams on events and chef-related initiatives.

Outside of her television and writing career, Simmons has made significant contributions to the culinary community. She frequently makes appearances at major culinary festivals such as the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and the New York City Wine & Food Festival. In addition to her appearances, Simmons is an active supporter of several nonprofit organizations, including Common Threads, City Harvest, Hot Bread Kitchen, and Children in Conflict. She serves on various boards, including City Harvest and the American Institute of Wine & Food. In 2014, Simmons 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," premiered in Fall 2016 on the Food Network. Simmons was appointed Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Babson College from 2013 through 2019, where she mentored student entrepreneurs, helping them develop food-related social enterprises.

Currently, Simmons hosts "Iron Chef Canada," "Top Chef Amateurs," and co-hosts "The Good Dish." She also frequently appears on daytime television shows including NBC’s "Today," ABC’s "Good Morning America," and CBS’s "The View." In recognition of her influential career, the New York Post named her the #1 Reality TV Judge in America, and she has received the Award of Excellence by Spoons Across America for her efforts in empowering healthy eating among young people.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Gail Simmons and other top speakers and celebrities.

Gail Simmons Speaking Topics

Talking With My Mouth Full

When Gail Simmons first graduated from college, she felt hopelessly lost. All her friends were going to graduate school, business school, law school . . . but what was she going to do?

Fortunately, a family friend gave her some invaluable advice-make a list of what you love to do, and let that be your guide. Gail wrote down four words:

Eat. Write. Travel. Cook.

Little did she know, those four words would become the basis for a career as a professional eater, cook, food critic, magazine editor, and television star. Today, she's the host of Top Chef: Just Desserts, permanent judge on Top Chef, and Special Projects Director at Food & Wine magazine. She travels all over the world, eats extraordinary food, and meets fascinating people. She's living the dream that so many of us who love to cook and eat can only imagine.

But how did she get there?

Based on her new bestselling book, Talking with My Mouth Full, Gail shares follows her unusual and inspiring path to success, step-by-step and bite-by-bite. It takes the reader from her early years, growing up in a household where her mother ran a small cooking school, her father made his own wine, and family vacation destinations included Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East; through her adventures at culinary school in New York City and training as an apprentice in two of New York's most acclaimed kitchens; and on to her time spent assisting Vogue's legendary food critic, working for renowned chef Daniel Boulud, and ultimately landing her current jobs at Food & Wine and on Top Chef. She created a career that didn't even exist when she first started working toward it.

With memorable stories and insights about the greatest (and worst) dishes she's eaten, foodie trends and beyond, Gail's presentations are a true feast.

Gail Simmons Videos

Gail Simmons: How Top Chef Has America's Perspective on Food
Behind-the-Scenes Tour Of "Top Chef" Set With Gail Simmons & Richard Blais
Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, & Gail Simmons Dish

How do I book Gail Simmons to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Gail Simmons for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Gail Simmons, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Gail Simmons or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Gail Simmons for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Gail Simmons, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a virtual event is $30,000 - $50,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Gail Simmons, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Gail Simmons speak about?

Gail Simmons is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Television & Film, Celebrity Chef, Food & Beverage, College, Women and Female Leadership.

Where does Gail Simmons travel from?

Gail Simmons generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Gail Simmons?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Gail Simmons for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Gail Simmons for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Gail Simmons or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Gail Simmons is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Television & Film, Celebrity Chef and Food & Beverage. The estimated speaking fee range to book Gail Simmons for virtual events is $30,000 - $50,000. Please contact us for live event fees. Gail Simmons generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Carla Hall, Richard Blais and Antoni Porowski. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Gail Simmons for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 04/11/2024.

Gail Simmons Speaking Topics

  • Talking With My Mouth Full

    When Gail Simmons first graduated from college, she felt hopelessly lost. All her friends were going to graduate school, business school, law school . . . but what was she going to do?

    Fortunately, a family friend gave her some invaluable advice-make a list of what you love to do, and let that be your guide. Gail wrote down four words:

    Eat. Write. Travel. Cook.

    Little did she know, those four words would become the basis for a career as a professional eater, cook, food critic, magazine editor, and television star. Today, she's the host of Top Chef: Just Desserts, permanent judge on Top Chef, and Special Projects Director at Food & Wine magazine. She travels all over the world, eats extraordinary food, and meets fascinating people. She's living the dream that so many of us who love to cook and eat can only imagine.

    But how did she get there?

    Based on her new bestselling book, Talking with My Mouth Full, Gail shares follows her unusual and inspiring path to success, step-by-step and bite-by-bite. It takes the reader from her early years, growing up in a household where her mother ran a small cooking school, her father made his own wine, and family vacation destinations included Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East; through her adventures at culinary school in New York City and training as an apprentice in two of New York's most acclaimed kitchens; and on to her time spent assisting Vogue's legendary food critic, working for renowned chef Daniel Boulud, and ultimately landing her current jobs at Food & Wine and on Top Chef. She created a career that didn't even exist when she first started working toward it.

    With memorable stories and insights about the greatest (and worst) dishes she's eaten, foodie trends and beyond, Gail's presentations are a true feast.

Gail Simmons Videos

Gail Simmons: How Top Chef Has America's Perspective on Food
Behind-the-Scenes Tour Of "Top Chef" Set With Gail Simmons & Richard Blais
Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, & Gail Simmons Dish
Keynote Speech

Gail Simmons Reviews

  • Once we got Gail, we had an amazing time. The only reason I gave a 4/5 is because of Rachel Bloom cancelling 10 days out. All American went above and beyond to help us secure someone else, but it was not a smooth process overall due to the hiccup.
    Combined Jewish Philanthropies - Feb 01 2017

Gail Simmons News

  • How do I book Gail Simmons to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Gail Simmons for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Gail Simmons, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Gail Simmons or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Gail Simmons for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Gail Simmons, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a virtual event is $30,000 - $50,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Gail Simmons, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Gail Simmons speak about?

    Gail Simmons is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Television & Film, Celebrity Chef, Food & Beverage, College, Women and Female Leadership.
  • Where does Gail Simmons travel from?

    Gail Simmons generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Gail Simmons?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Gail Simmons for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Gail Simmons for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Gail Simmons or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
BOOKING INFORMATION REQUEST
GAIL SIMMONS

We are happy to assist you with your interest in booking a speaker or celebrity for your event, your organization, and the type of talent you would like to secure, and an agent will be in touch shortly.

Fill out the form below to or call us at 1-800-698-2536 if need immediate assistance.

Tell us about your event!

We respond to most inquiries within 4 hours. Under special circumstances, it may take up to 24 hours.


This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.