Thomas Patrick Colicchio, better known as Tom Colicchio, is an American chef and one of the most popular celebrity chefs in the world today. He had been a part of some of the most popular cookery shows on television and also for his innovative ventures in the field of cooking, restaurants, and food.
Tom Colicchio has been the head judge of the popular culinary reality show Top Chef for every season of the show.
Along with the status of a celebrity chef, Tom Colicchio has also been a part of different initiatives that focus on much bigger social issues like hunger.
He has also worked with notable personalities like former FLOTUS Michelle Obama in projects like Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. His involvement in issues that have a social impact has earned him the title of ‘Citizen Chef.’
Chef Tom Colicchio is, without a doubt, one of the most popular and successful chefs of his time. So, if you are looking to know more about him, here is everything we know about Tom Colicchio.
Tom Colicchio – Early Life
Tom Colicchio was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey on August 15, 1962. He is the son of Thomas Patrick and Beverly Ann Colicchio. His father used to work as a union organizer. Tom has two siblings – a younger brother named Philip John and an elder brother named Michael.
Both Tom’s father and mother are Italian descendants. Tom Colicchio attended Elizabeth High School and graduated from high school in 1980.
After completing his high school education, Tom did not proceed with a college education. Instead, he decided to follow his passion, which was cooking and food.

Tom Colicchio – Career
Even though Tom Colicchio is one of the best and most popular chefs in the world today, he did not attend any culinary school. Tom learned the art of cooking from his family itself. Tom gathered his basic knowledge about ingredients and cooking from his grandmother and mother.
They taught him the fundamentals of cooking. Tom Colicchi made his cooking debut at the early age of 17. Tom started his professional career as a chef at Evelyn’s Seafood Restaurant in his hometown Elizabeth, New Jersey.
In order to get into the role of a professional chef, Tom Colicchio referred to cooks’ books and other cooking manuals. The cooking manual by Jacques Pepin helps Tom in shaping his identity as a popular and successful chef.
During the early stage of his career, Tom Colicchio worked alongside acclaimed chef Tomas Keller at Rakel.
One of the milestones in Tom Colicchio’s career was the opening of Gramercy Tavern, a restaurant located in Manhattan, New York. The restaurant grew popular among New Yorkers and was highly appreciated for its food and service.
The restaurant was even voted the most popular restaurant in New York in 2003 and 2005. In 2006, Tom decided to sell the restaurant and after the sale, Tom is not associated with the operations of the restaurant.
In 2001, Tom Colicchio started his first Craft restaurant in New York. The idea which started out humble has now changed the entire landscape of fine dining in New York City.
Through the Craft initiative, Tom and his team prioritize aims like making people happy through food and also giving their customers food based on the best, most sustainable, and seasonal-farmed ingredients.
Following the success of his Craft restaurant in New York, Tom went on with his initiative and opened craft restaurants in cities like Los Angeles and Las Vegas too. The ventures also were successful.
Currently, Tom Colicchio owns around eight restaurants in different cities in America. He is the owner of New York restaurants like Craft, Riverpark, Small Batch, Temple Court, ‘wichcraft, and Vallata. Tom also owns Tom Colicchio’s Heritage Steak and Craftsteak in Las Vegas along with Craft in Los Angeles.
Tom Colicchio – Television Appearances
The television appearances of Tom Colicchio had a very prominent role in making him a household name in the United States. Among his appearances on television, the most notable one is through the cooking reality show Top Chef.
The show aired in 2006 on Bravo and Tom Colicchi had been the head judge of the show ever since the first season. Currently, the show is having its twentieth season. The success of Top Chef has also given rise to different spin-offs of the show.
Tom Colicchio is also associated with the American reality competition series Best New Restaurant. Just like Top Chef, he has also been the head judge of the show for all the seasons that it has had. The show started broadcasting in 2015.
In 2013, Tom Colicchio, along with actor Jeff Bridges and journalist Raj Patel appeared in a documentary named A Place at the Table. The project talked about the hunger issues that prevail in the United States. Tom was also an executive producer of the documentary.
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Tom Colicchio – Net Worth
The net worth of American celebrity chef Tom Colicchio is $20 million. The successful career of Tom Colicchio is the major source of his income. Tom is one of the most popular celebrity chefs in the world today.
His Crafts Heritage firm is one of the iconic food spots in the world and is also reported to generate a considerable amount in terms of income. Apart from his Crafts restaurants, Tom also owns different restaurants in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.
Along with his successful career as a chef, Tom Colicchio has also made significant television appearances in some of the most popular cooking-related reality shows like Top Chef and Best New Restaurants. These appearances also generate a good income for Tom Colicchio.
Tom Colicchio – Personal Life And Family
Tom Coloichio is a family man. He is currently married to Lori Siverbush. She is a filmmaker and the couple got married in 2001. They had been together ever since their marriage.
Tom Colicchio has two children with Silverbush and they are named Luka Bodhi and Mateo Lev. He also has another son named Dante with one of his ex-girlfriends.
Tom Colicchio – Awards And Honors
Tom Colicchio has a very successful career. His ventures in different fields like cooking, business, and television are all a success.
Tom Colicchio is a five-time winner of the James Beard Foundation Award for the accomplishments that he has achieved in the field of cooking. Tom Colicchio’s television shows are also very popular and they have been nominated for Emmy Awards multiple times.
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