Gail Simmons on Her Favorite Items from the Food52 Shop

We recently chatted with Top Chef judge and all-around food lover Gail Simmons about her latest book, Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating. You may immediately associate Gail with her long-running show, but she is much more than the hyper-discerning judge you see on television. Not only is she an excellent cook (see her hazelnut Tarte au Sucre below), she is a huge fan of Food52, our Shop, and the world of home and design in general.

Scroll through to check out the items she turns to again and again in her kitchen and home, and be on the lookout for more fun posts on Gail in the days to come!

I love grinding fresh whole spices, rubs, and blends, and this mortar & pestle does a great job. Plus, it's pretty enough to sit on the counter at all times.

These mixing bowls are multipurpose: great for grating, thin slicing, and storing, too.

My favorite breakfast is soft-boiled eggs with buttered toast soldiers, and these are lovely little vessels for them. I collect and use egg cups all the time!

Easy for pouring, mixing dressings and sauces, and clean up. And so gorgeous, these glass prep bowls get constant use in my kitchen.

I can’t get enough glass storage containers for leftovers, prep, and fridge organization.

I buy olive oil in large vats and transfer it as needed to a cruet like this for daily use. It's much more efficient and easy to use.

These are great for indoor and outdoor entertaining, and remind me of childhood camping trips.

These are playful and fun to brighten up any type of entertaining and serving.

It was a very adult moment when I realized I didn’t need to save my linen napkins for special occasions and could use them every day; these are washable and look great on every table.

I have given these to so many friends as gifts and love them. They're classic and neutral enough for any home, but so modern and elegant, too.

Dukkah is one of my favorite spice blends. Use it to swirl into olive oil, hummus, or Greek yogurt for dipping, or over veggies or crispy roasted chickpeas for an easy and tasty cocktail party snack.

Also two of my favorite Middle Eastern spices, I drizzle these over popcorn, veggies, or even fish and roast chicken.