The Food Fad Gail Simmons Is Glad Disappeared
Top Chef judge and food writer Gail Simmons has tasted some amazing dishes in her time in the food business, and she has tasted some better-forgotten foods, too. Previously, she has described more general foods she dislikes for reasons that aren't quite related to the taste itself. In a duo interview with celebrity chef Eric Ripert, both describe their overall distaste for eating brains, but Simmons notes her real nemesis is actually black beans, which made her sick once (via Bravo TV).
Simmons is also one who's quick to discuss food trends and those that aren't really a trend at all. As she described in a 2019 interview, "Kale is legitimately not a trend, it's a green. Yes, it's a little overused and I could do with a little less avocado in my life," she noted. "But avocado and kale are ingredients, they're not trends, and they're here to stay," (via Us Magazine). While she could probably dish out some more food for thought on fads (pun intended) there is one type of food trend the TV host has brought up a few times and is very happy about its departure: monster over-the-top foods.
Gail Simmons isn't a fan of the monster foods trend
"I'm over the monster, over-the-top food, like the rainbow unicorn sundae with the cotton candy on top," Gail Simmons told Us Magazine. Her reasoning is not about how the food looks, but instead that it's not easily edible and kind of misses the point of being food. Her 2019 commentary on the trend is more of a farewell than a new idea, as Simmons has complained about being "over it" on food that's more art and less edible before.
In 2017 she described to 5280 Magazine, "I'm sort of over the sugar bomb crazy sundae with cotton candy on top and then layered with whipped cream and, you know, the like, mega food-porn desserts. They don't make me very excited to eat them. They're like a little bit, just overkill for the point of the visual. People, I think, have forgotten food's for eating, not just for taking pictures of."
To be clear, Simmons isn't asking people to skimp on the presentation — the tastiest food can absolutely be beautiful — she just wants people to remember that food is meant to be eaten, and we agree.