--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ultimately, I realized that in order to…" description: "\"Ultimately, I realized that in order to write about food you need to understand everything about cooking, so I moved to New York and enrolled in the In..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/gail-simmons-13378_cooking_ultimately-i-realized-that-in-order-to-w_2960457.jpg" --- # Ultimately, I realized that in order to write about food… ![“Ultimately, I realized that in order to write about food you need to understand everything about cooking, so I moved to New York and enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education.” quote by Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/gail-simmons-13378_cooking_ultimately-i-realized-that-in-order-to-w_2960457.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/gail-simmons-13378_cooking_ultimately-i-realized-that-in-order-to-w_2960457.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/gail-simmons-13378_cooking_ultimately-i-realized-that-in-order-to-w_2960457.jpg) > “Ultimately, I realized that in order to write about food you need to understand everything about cooking, so I moved to New York and enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education.” [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. To write authentically about food, one must fully understand cooking, prompting formal education. **In simple terms:** Know cooking to write about food. Key Takeaway Pursue deep knowledge before creating content. Themes food writing education authenticity Mood determined curious Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - food blogging - cookbook authoring - restaurant reviews Key Concepts culinary arts journalism Questions to Reflect On - What skills do you need to master your subject? - How does formal study enhance creative work? A Different Perspective May limit creative freedom without formal training. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cooking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooking/) [Culinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culinary/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [A school culinary education is a militant operation. In that world, everything depends on grading and competition. The emotional element is extracted, leaving raw,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whaite/a-school-culinary-education-is-a-militant-operation-in-that-world/) [John Whaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whaite/) > [I had decided I wanted to write about food, and I knew the only way to do that is to speak with authority, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/i-had-decided-i-wanted-to-write-about-food-and-i-knew-the-only-way-to/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [“That is just one more thing I love about cooking. Recipes are certain. Use good ingredients, follow the directions, be sure your oven temperature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-harbison/that-is-just-one-more-thing-i-love-about-cooking-recipes-are-certain/) [Beth Harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-harbison/) > [I am Massimo Bottura. I close my eyes and I want to understand where I am, cooking is about emotion, it's about culture, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-bottura/i-am-massimo-bottura-i-close-my-eyes-and-i-want-to-understand-where-i/) [Massimo Bottura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-bottura/) > [I'm not a food critic, and I'm not really an authority to write anything on food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kapranos/i-m-not-a-food-critic-and-i-m-not-really-an-authority-to-write/) [Alex Kapranos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kapranos/) > [I'm always in the kitchen, cooking and experimenting - I love it. And every now and then I think, 'I should write a cookbook'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran-desai/i-m-always-in-the-kitchen-cooking-and-experimenting-i-love-it-and/) [Kiran Desai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiran-desai/) > [I really love to write about food, crafts, and fashion, so those details will always be a part of my books. I think they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/i-really-love-to-write-about-food-crafts-and-fashion-so-those-details/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [ I would stay \[in the newsroom\] until 3 am "in case something happened." But I mostly had nothing to do between 1 and 3… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-asimov/i-would-stay-in-the-newsroom-until-3-am-in-case-something-happened/) Eric Asimov > [Every author has to eventually write a food book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/every-author-has-to-eventually-write-a-food-book/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [People ask me: "Why do you write about food, and eating, and drinking? Why don't you write about the struggle for power and security,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-k-fisher/people-ask-me-why-do-you-write-about-food-and-eating-and-drinking-why/) [M. F. K. Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-k-fisher/) > [I chose to write about food: food is inherently political, but it's also an essential part of people's real lives. It's where the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annia-ciezadlo/i-chose-to-write-about-food-food-is-inherently-political-but-it-s/) [Annia Ciezadlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annia-ciezadlo/) > [Food is interesting to me because it's a way of understanding culture and societies and history. I would never write about food just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/food-is-interesting-to-me-because-it-s-a-way-of-understanding-culture/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [When poets write about food it is usually celebratory. Food as the thing-in-itself, but also the thoughtful preparation of meals, the serving of meals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/when-poets-write-about-food-it-is-usually-celebratory-food-as-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [So I quit my job and went to the New England Culinary Institute for the full two years and worked in the restaurant industry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/so-i-quit-my-job-and-went-to-the-new-england-culinary-institute-for/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [You know, I hate to borrow Apple's tag, but think different. Really. From the very beginning. I didn't know what the fast-food rules were.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ells/you-know-i-hate-to-borrow-apple-s-tag-but-think-different-really-from/) [Steve Ells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ells/) ## More by Gail Simmons > [Balance is key in cooking - you want a little acid, a little sweet, a little savory - the flavors should be harmonious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/balance-is-key-in-cooking-you-want-a-little-acid-a-little-sweet-a/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [You know, I lose patience really easily; I'd rather shop in the grocery store than in the department store. I can pick an apple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/you-know-i-lose-patience-really-easily-i-d-rather-shop-in-the-grocery/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [I also have a soft spot for spicy chicken wings. They are always best eaten at dives and sports bars, like Wogie's in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/i-also-have-a-soft-spot-for-spicy-chicken-wings-they-are-always-best/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [There is no better way to bring people together than with desserts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/there-is-no-better-way-to-bring-people-together-than-with-desserts/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [I spend so much time in Los Angeles and normally stay at a corporate apartment when shooting 'Top Chef: Just Desserts,' but when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/i-spend-so-much-time-in-los-angeles-and-normally-stay-at-a-corporate/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [Eating a lot is an occupational hazard but it's a pretty great problem to have. I spend a lot of time eating sweets on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/eating-a-lot-is-an-occupational-hazard-but-it-s-a-pretty-great/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [I sit at this really weird crossroads. My job requires me to take in calories. I take care of myself. I eat healthy. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/i-sit-at-this-really-weird-crossroads-my-job-requires-me-to-take-in/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [There's not a single chef I know of that does not think about the politics of the food they're serving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/there-s-not-a-single-chef-i-know-of-that-does-not-think-about-the/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [Patience is the secret to good food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/patience-is-the-secret-to-good-food/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [I always want my guests to be happy and impressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/i-always-want-my-guests-to-be-happy-and-impressed/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [Patience was not something that came naturally to me, but in cooking it is the quintessential skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/patience-was-not-something-that-came-naturally-to-me-but-in-cooking/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [I cannot go to Montreal without going to Beauty's, my favorite place for breakfast, where I have the Mish-Mash omelet with hot dogs, salami,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/i-cannot-go-to-montreal-without-going-to-beauty-s-my-favorite-place/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [If you don't use good ingredients, the outcome is never going to be excellent. But if you buy the freshest ingredients that are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/if-you-don-t-use-good-ingredients-the-outcome-is-never-going-to-be/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [When I'm cooking for myself, I find that I eat almost completely vegetarian, although I'm not vegetarian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/when-i-m-cooking-for-myself-i-find-that-i-eat-almost-completely/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [There are few women in America that don't want to lose 5 pounds, but I refuse to let that thought dominate my life. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/there-are-few-women-in-america-that-don-t-want-to-lose-5-pounds-but-i/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) [Explore all 50 Gail Simmons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) ## More Cooking quotes > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [I enjoy cooking, but stick to modern dishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starkey/i-enjoy-cooking-but-stick-to-modern-dishes/) [David Starkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starkey/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [A man accustomed to American food and American domestic cookery would not starve to death suddenly in Europe, but I think he would gradually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-man-accustomed-to-american-food-and-american-domestic-cookery-would/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“In the back of the fridge I checked out some stewed apples destined to fester. I examined them closely and reckoned they had only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/in-the-back-of-the-fridge-i-checked-out-some-stewed-apples-destined/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [My Mom always cooked healthy. Greek food lends itself to cooking healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-cora/my-mom-always-cooked-healthy-greek-food-lends-itself-to-cooking/) [Cat Cora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-cora/) > [Cooking brings me so much joy. I love everything, down to the execution of the plate to picking out fresh ingredients at the market.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-budig/cooking-brings-me-so-much-joy-i-love-everything-down-to-the-execution/) [Kathryn Budig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-budig/) > [Recipes don't work unless you use your heart!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-jones/recipes-don-t-work-unless-you-use-your-heart/) Dylan Jones > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I have a great time cooking and eating Thai green chicken curry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-have-a-great-time-cooking-and-eating-thai-green-chicken-curry/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There are times when born hollandaise heads, as well as nouveaux turbot freaks and recherche escargotphiles alike crave the saignet abundance of a New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gael-greene/there-are-times-when-born-hollandaise-heads-as-well-as-nouveaux/) [Gael Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gael-greene/) > [Speaking of trust, ever since I wrote this book, 'Liespotting,' no one wants to meet me in person anymore - no, no, no, no,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/speaking-of-trust-ever-since-i-wrote-this-book-liespotting-no-one/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) > [Balance is key in cooking - you want a little acid, a little sweet, a little savory - the flavors should be harmonious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/balance-is-key-in-cooking-you-want-a-little-acid-a-little-sweet-a/) [Gail Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/) > [A combination of the qualities of the scholar, the master cook, the painter, the gastronomer, the sportsman and the pantologist, assisted by the skill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ellwanger/a-combination-of-the-qualities-of-the-scholar-the-master-cook-the/) [George Ellwanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ellwanger/) [Browse all 2,937 Cooking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ultimately, I realized that in order to write about food you need to understand everything about cooking, so I moved to New York and enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gail Simmons" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/ultimately-i-realized-that-in-order-to-write-about-food-you-need-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cooking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/ultimately-i-realized-that-in-order-to-write-about-food-you-need-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/gail-simmons-13378_cooking_ultimately-i-realized-that-in-order-to-w_2960457.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/gail-simmons-13378_cooking_ultimately-i-realized-that-in-order-to-w_2960457.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/gail-simmons-13378_cooking_ultimately-i-realized-that-in-order-to-w_2960457.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ultimately, I realized that in order to write about food you need to understand everything about cooking, so…” — Gail Simmons", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gail Simmons", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simmons/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ultimately, I realized that in order...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/ultimately-i-realized-that-in-order-to-write-about-food-you-need-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simmons/ultimately-i-realized-that-in-order-to-write-about-food-you-need-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```