Gail Simmons's Key 3
The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters
American Public Media
4.3 • 3K Ratings
🗓️ 26 October 2018
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Francis Lam is in the kitchen with cookbook author and Top Chef judge Gail Simmons to learn about her Key 3, the three go-to dishes she just can't do without - including the perfect fried egg sandwich. Chef, writer and photographer Michael Harlan Turkell traveled the world in search for unique vinegars for his new book, Acid Trip. He talks with Shauna Sever about his experiences, and discusses the equipment needed to make vinegar at home. Sous vide is an easy cooking technique that involves cooking sealed food in a precisely heated water bath. Molly Birnbaum, executive director of science at America’s Test Kitchen, explains the process and tells us about the winner of a recent sous vide equipment test. And The New York Times Magazine writer Tejal Rao opens her heart to love over a well-shucked oyster. Francis takes listener phone calls to talk about braising projects - large and small - cooking zucchini noodles, and he gets a fan's recipe for a ultra-savory umami powder.
Broadcast dates for this episode:
- October 20, 2017 (originally aired)
- October 26, 2018 (rebroadcast)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Our common nature is a musical journey with Yo-Yo Ma and me, Ana Gonzalez, through this |
| 0:07.0 | complicated country. |
| 0:08.7 | We go into caves, onto boats, and up mountain trails to meet people, hear their stories, |
| 0:14.4 | their poetry, and of course, play some music, all to reconnect to nature and get closer to the things we're missing. |
| 0:24.4 | Listen to Our Common Nature from WNYC wherever you get podcasts. |
| 0:34.3 | It's the Splendid Table from APM American Public Media, the show for curious cooks and eaters. |
| 0:41.2 | I'm Frances Lamb. |
| 0:42.9 | For over 10 years, Gail Simmons has decided the fate of hopeful chefs from all over the country. |
| 1:04.0 | She's a judge on the show Top Chef, and she takes her job super seriously, and I know because I worked with her as a judge on the spinoff Top Chef Masters. |
| 1:13.2 | And I was so struck by how thoughtfully she would taste the food, |
| 1:17.3 | and how smartly she critiqued the dishes, |
| 1:19.6 | and how carefully she'd decide who had to pack up their knives. |
| 1:23.7 | But at home, Gail is, well, you know, she's just like most people. |
| 1:27.4 | She often cooks simply and quickly, you know, works hard to feed her kid and just get |
| 1:31.2 | something tasty on the table. |
| 1:33.4 | But that idea of tasty is informed by years of eating incredible food all over the world, |
| 1:39.6 | which makes her a perfect person for our series, the key three, where we talk to good cooks |
| 1:45.7 | about the three things they think everyone should know how to make. |
| 1:49.8 | We met up at a place called Havens Kitchen in New York City |
| 1:52.4 | to cook together. |
| 1:55.8 | Gail's are great to see you. |
| 1:56.9 | Thank you, Francis. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from American Public Media, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of American Public Media and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.