Gail Simmons, trained culinary expert, food writer and dynamic television personality, returns as the host of season two of Top Chef Just Desserts, Bravo’s pastry- focused spin-off of the Emmy Award-winning Top Chef franchise.  Each week, she will introduce the challenges to the contestants and preside over the judge's table alongside Johnny Iuzzini, Hubert Keller and Dannielle Kyrillos.  Gail is also a regular judge on Top Chef, which recently wrapped its eighth season as well as Top Chef Masters which just finished its third season.

Gail joined FOOD & WINE in 2004 and handles special projects for the epicurean magazine, acting as liaison between the marketing and editorial teams on magazine events and chef-related initiatives, working closely with the country’s top culinary talent. During her tenure, she has been responsible for overseeing the annual FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen, America’s premier culinary event. Prior to joining FOOD & WINE, Gail was the special events manager for Chef Daniel Boulud’s restaurant empire.

Gail was born in Toronto, Canada and moved to New York City in 1999 to attend culinary school at what is now the Institute of Culinary Education. She then trained in the kitchens of legendary Le Cirque 2000 and groundbreaking Vong restaurants, and worked for esteemed food critic Jeffrey Steingarten at Vogue. Throughout her career, Gail 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’s first book, her very own memoir, titled Talking With My Mouth Full, is being published by Hyperion and will be released in early 2012.

Gail makes frequent television appearances on The Today Show, The CBS Early Show, Fox & Friends, among others. She has been featured in New York Magazine, Travel + Leisure, GQ, People Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Los Angeles Times, and The New York Post. She also has appeared at the nation’s foremost culinary festivals including the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, New York City Wine & Food Festival, Pebble Beach Food & Wine, Kohler Food & Wine Experience, the Cayman Cookout, and the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen.

Gail currently lives in New York City with her husband, Jeremy.