It’s easy to assume that a Top Chef judge’s daily meals are unattainable and overly fancy, but that’s not really the case for Gail Simmons. When she’s not at work (which admittedly, does present some one-of-a-kind dishes), she enjoys a pretty basic, yet nutritious diet. Below is a sneak peek of what she typically eats in a day.
Breakfast is different every day.
“It depends on where I am in the world,” she said in a “What I Eat in a Day” video for Harper’s Bazaar, referring to her diverse work schedule. But before she can think about eating, she has to take medicine for her thyroid, which keeps her from having breakfast for 30 minutes.
To make the time pass, she showers and brushes her teeth, and then it’s time to eat. When on the job, she tries to have breakfast before filming because if she doesn’t, she tends t0 feast on contestant meals which leaves her feeling not so great.
To avoid that, she opts for “something healthy and substantial, but that’s not gonna weigh me down” like a poached egg and sautéed greens with avocado, a salad, or oatmeal with fresh fruit.
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
If she’s at home with her two kids, breakfast looks very different. Together, they’ll often make omelets, waffles, or fried eggs, and on the weekends they go for a full-on brunch spread including shakshuka eggs or a frittata.
No matter what she;s eating, Simmons always has coffee in the mornings. “I’m not a snob about coffee. In the morning, it’s more about getting it in my hand and down my gullet than being super picky,” she said. But if she has to choose a favorite kind, it’s an americano (espresso and hot water) topped with some steamed whole milk.
Lunch is often on set.
Simmons said people always ask how she and her fellow judges manage to eat multiple meals from 12-plus chefs in one day. The answer is they don’t finish the dishes, but try to have “two or three bites” of each one in order to properly rate its taste. The first round of the day is often finished around lunchtime. She never really knows what she’ll get, but it’s usually good.
“After 15 years of doing Top Chef, even the worst food our chefs cook, I’m pretty excited about,” she admitted.
When Simmons isn’t on location, especially when she worked from home over the last year, she used lunch as an excuse to get out, go on a walk, and pick up a light bite—usually a salad or sandwich from a local restaurant.
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Snacks are a big deal.
There’s always a snack table at Top Chef, and Simmons admits that she’s the first to deplete its stock of black licorice and beef jerky—both of her favorites that were influenced by her father, who grew up eating them in South Africa. She also loves popcorn tossed in oil and furikake (a Japanese seaweed and sesame blend), and salt and vinegar chips. “I try not to keep them around because I can’t control myself,” she added.
There are three foods she doesn’t like.
Root beer, black beans, and veal. She said she loves all other beans and legumes, but once had a “very bad reaction” to black beans and has stayed away from them since. As for veal, her aversion is “a texture thing” and also a mental hurdle she struggles jumping. “I am an omnivore in every other way, but veal has just, to me, been filed under the category of unnecessary meat,” she said.
Dinner depends on what’s inspiring her at the moment.
And of course, if she’s working or not. She tries to cook in big batches so there are leftovers. “I believe in leftovers. Let me just say if you don’t believe in leftovers, I am suspicious of your eating habits,” she laughed. A typical batch meal loved by the entire family is a whole roasted chicken rubbed in olive oil, herbs, paprika, salt and pepper, and lemon juice, cooked over baby potatoes.
This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
She has a sweet tooth, but doesn’t eat dessert every night.
Her weakness is a good, high-quality square of dark chocolate. Just one square—if it’s 70% or more—will satiate her craving.
As a foodie, Simmons obviously loves to switch it up and try new things. She often documents her mealtime adventures on Instagram, where you can keep up with her latest favorites.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
Here’s What ‘Top Chef’ Judge Gail Simmons Eats in a Day When She’s Not at Work - Prevention.com
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment