Gail Harriet Hall (née Silverberg) was born in Toronto, Ontario on March 13, 1951 to Sol and Frances Silverberg. Gail had two older brothers, Allan and Jerry. While taking a course in Ottawa, she met her husband Jon Hall and moved to Alberta where they married in 1982.
Gail worked for 10 years with the provincial government in Ontario and Alberta as a consultant before changing careers to the food industry. In 1985 Gail started her catering company, Gourmet Goodies. The catering company, located in Edmonton, became one of the largest in Canada with 95 full and part time staff and generating more than $3 million annually at its peak. Gourmet Goodies operated an 8,000 square foot production kitchen, a retail to go store, and evening cooking classes. Gourmet Goodies closed in 2003.
Two years later in 2005, Gail opened Seasoned Solutions Loft Cooking School and Culinary Tours (Seasoned Solutions). The cooking school was located in Gail’s home on 104 Street, the same street as the Edmonton City Market. Students would shop with Gail at the market for local ingredients and learn to prepare a three-course meal.
Gail organized culinary tours starting in 1997 with Gourmet Goodies and continuing with Seasoned Solutions. Gail organized and hosted tours two to three times a year to places such as New Zealand, France, Greece, Chile, Vietnam, Peru, and various locations throughout North America, along with many others.
Gail was also a weekly food columnist for CBC radio. She also taught cooking classes at the Metro Continuing Edmonton, for 23 years she was a culinary presenter for Christmas in November at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, and a speaker at various conferences and conventions. Gail appeared on multiple TV and radio programs as a chef and food expert and wrote for Avenue Magazine. In 2006 the Province of Alberta selected Gail to present a cooking stage at the "Alberta at the Smithsonian" in Washington, DC.
At the age of 60 Gail took the Red Seal Chef exam and passed. Having been self taught Gail wanted to gain official certification as a chef. Throughout her life and career Gail won and was honored with many awards including YMCA Women of Distinction, Global Woman of Vision, the Milner-Fenerty Pinnacle Business Award, and Mayors Award for Sustained Support for the Arts. Gail also served on various boards including Theatre Network, Cuisine Canada, and the Board of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.
Gail died on November 16, 2016 at the age of 65 from breast cancer.
In 2018 a book was published on Gail’s life titled Maps, Markets and Matzo Ball Soup: The Inspiring life of Chef Gail Hall written by Twyla Campbell and published by her husband Jon Hall.