Tom Colicchio
Tom Colicchio
Lead Judge of Bravo's TOP CHEF
One of the culinary world's most celebrated figures, Tom Colicchio is the lead judge for Bravo's Emmy and James Beard Award-winning culinary series TOP CHEF and also serves as mentor to the competing chefs on the series, guiding them through their various challenges.
Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Colicchio spent his childhood immersed in food, cooking with his mother and grandmother. It was his father, however, who suggested that he make a career of it. Colicchio taught himself to cook with the help of Jacques Pépin's legendary illustrated manuals on French cooking, La Technique and La Méthode. At the age of 17, he made his kitchen debut in his native town of Elizabeth at Evelyn's Seafood Restaurant.
Colicchio then cooked at prominent New York restaurants such as The Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill, Rakel, and Mondrian. During his tenure as executive chef of Mondrian, Food & Wine magazine selected him as one of the top ten "Best New Chefs" in the United States and The New York Times awarded the restaurant three stars.
In July 1994, Colicchio and his business partner Danny Meyer opened Gramercy Tavern in Manhattan’s Gramercy Park neighborhood. Colicchio's cooking at Gramercy Tavern won consistent recognition, garnering three stars from Ruth Reichl of The New York Times and earning him The James Beard Foundation’s 2000 “Best Chef-New York” Award.
In 2001, Colicchio opened Craft one block south of Gramercy Tavern. Soon after, The New York Times awarded Craft with three stars, deeming the restaurant "a vision of food heaven." Craft was awarded The James Beard Foundation Award for "Best New Restaurant" in 2002. That same year, he received The Bon Appétit American Food and Entertaining Award for "Chef of the Year." The New York Times revisited Craft in September 2011, ten years after its debut, upholding its three stars and stating that the restaurant is "as magical and delicious as it was when it opened."
With Craft and its casual sibling, Craftbar, established in New York City, Colicchio set out to expand his simple, elegant brand of cooking. He has since opened Craftsteak at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (2002), Craftsteak in New York City (2006), Craft and Craftbar in Los Angeles (2007; 2009) and Craftsteak at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods (2008).
Colicchio opened his first 'wichcraft -- a sandwich shop rooted in the same food and hospitality philosophies as Craft -- in New York City in 2003. Today 'wichcraft has 14 New York City locations, as well as locations at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and the Westfield Center in San Francisco.
Colicchio has published three cookbooks to date. The first, Think Like a Chef (Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2000), won The James Beard Foundation "KitchenAid" Cookbook Award in May 2001. Tom’s second cookbook, Craft of Cooking, was released by Clarkson Potter/Publishers in 2003. A sandwich book inspired by 'wichcraft, was released by Clarkson Potter/Publishers in March 2009.
In January 2010, he opened Colicchio & Sons in New York. At Colicchio & Sons, he improvises with small-batch ingredients from the micro-producers and family farmers with whom he has forged decades-long relationships. The restaurant earned three stars from The New York Times. Later that year, Colicchio opened Riverpark in New York with chef and partner Sisha Ortuzar. Riverpark features views of the East River and an urban farm supplying produce to the restaurant.
In May 2010, Colicchio was awarded The James Beard Foundation's coveted "Outstanding Chef" award, the culmination of his 30 years of hard work in the restaurant industry.
Most recently, he has opened the restaurant at Topping Rose House, a new inn he will operate in Bridgehampton, New York. The full property will debut in early 2013.
Colicchio and his restaurants give back to the community by supporting charities including Children of Bellevue, City Harvest, Alex's Lemonade Foundation, United Way of New York, and Food Bank for New York City. He lives in the West Village with his wife, Lori Silverbush, and three sons.
Tom Colicchio at the Internet Movie Database