Gail Simmons

Top Chef on Jewish Food & Community Perseverance Against Jew Hatred!

Gail Simmons has captured our hearts and stomachs as a judge on Bravo’s Emmy and Peabody-winning series Top Chef for more than 18 years! Today, she joins Being Jewish with Jonah Platt to discuss her connections to food and family through the lens of her Jewish identity. A Canadian native, she reflects on her Jewish upbringing in Toronto and Montreal and how those Jewish communities persevere today in the face of immense anti-Jew hate. Additionally, she shares her concerns for the future as a Jewish mother, goes deep on all things Top Chef, and of course, sprinkles in some culinary wisdom on Jewish specialties like latkes, kosher pickles, and most importantly, Mom’s Brisket. Together, Jonah and Gail tackle a wide breadth of topics with hope, humor and heart.

• Mentioned in this Episode

  Nefesh - Rabbi Susan Goldberg: https://www.nefeshla.org/rabbi-susan/

  Chef Sara Bradley Instagram: /chefsarabradley

  Tom Colicchio Instagram: /tomcolicchio

  Hen Mazzig Instagram: /henmazzig

  Gail Simmons’ Brisket Recipe: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/gail-simmonss-horseradish-brisket

  Instagram Post by Gail Simmons: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy4FtOVOwr5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

  Chef Birthright Trip: https://www.timesofisrael.com/celebrity-chefs-get-the-birthright-treatment-on-foodie-trip/

  Franco-Turkish Relationship during First Empire: https://www.napoleon-series.org/research/government/diplomatic/c_tufrdip1.html

  The Great Powers: https://www.britannica.com/topic/great-power

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  Host & Production Team - Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editor: Patrick Edwards);, Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Designer: Noah Bell Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, and Consulting

  Producers: Shield Communications (Ariella Noveck & Bethany Mandel).

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