Top Chef Tom Colicchio Dishes
The head judge of Bravo's Top Chef reveals what it's like behind the scenes of the popular show.
There's more to Bravo's Top Chef that we viewers get to see. Head Judge and successful chef and restauranteur Tom Colicchio shares his thoughts.
Tom Colicchio is known in the food world as the owner and chef of the successful Gramecy Tavern, Craft, Craftbar and Wichcraft restaurants in New York. But to millions of viewers of Bravo TV's hugely successful Top Chef series, he's the show's head judge and ultimate voice of authority.
I had the privilege of inteviewing Colicchio a few weeks ago, and I must say, it was a treat. I found him to be insighful and refreshingly honest and forthcoming.
The Making of a Top Chef
Colicchio himself never went to culinary school. When he was 15, his dad noticed he enjoyed cooking and suggested he attend culinary school.
"But back then, they wouldn't accept you unless you had worked in two restaurants," Colicchio says.
So Colicchio went to work in at Evelyn's Seafood Restaurant in Elizabeth, New Jersey and never looked back. From there, he landed jobs in New York at The Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill, Rakel, and Mondrian.
It was while serving as executive chef at Mondrian that Colicchio was recognized as one of the top ten "Best New Chefs" by Food and Wine magazine. And thus launched his stellar career, which includes earning three stars from the New York Times for two of his restaurants, winning the James Beard Best Chef New York award, and authoring three cookbooks.
Colicchio still thinks its possible for aspiring chefs to make it without attending culinary school.
Was the First Season of Top Chef Fair?
But at the same time, he felt it was unfair to place students and home cooks in the same competition with top professionals during the first season of Top Chef.
"What they decided to go for that first season was [using candidates with] a bunch of different experiences," Colicchio says. "But I don't think that works. Unless you find a really, really talented home chef or student, they're at a disadvantage. There's no way they could possibly win. You should have 12-15 contestants, any one of whom could possibly win."
Colicchio says for Top Chef season 2, Bravo went with a more professional group overall.
Surprises for the Top Chef Judge
The biggest shock to Colicchio from the first season of Top Chef?
"People were so opinionated about who should be thrown off," Colicchio says. He found that funny, considering the audience never tasted the food.
He says Tiffany's food really was excellent and she came very, very close to winning...
Click here to read more about Top Chef: Behind the Scenes.
You may also be interested in my colleage, Mary Luz Mejia's, interview with Bon Appetit Editor-in-Chef Barbara Fairchild.
