Tom Colicchio is the American chef, restaurateur, television personality and food activist widely recognised as one of the defining figures in modern American restaurant culture. Born 15 August 1962 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA, Colicchio trained in classical French technique through self-study and apprenticeships at Gerard Pangaud and at Hilltop Inn before working at Quilted Giraffe and Mondrian in New York. He co-founded Gramercy Tavern in 1994 with Danny Meyer, and subsequently founded Craft restaurant in 2001, building Crafted Hospitality into one of the defining American restaurant groups of the 2000s and 2010s.
Colicchio’s 2025-2026 work continues across three principal arenas: as head judge of Top Chef on Bravo (Season 23 in the Carolinas premieres 9 March 2026 on Bravo with early access on Peacock from 3 March), as host of Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen (15th season starts 30 March 2026), and as operator of Crafted Hospitality including Craft restaurants and the new Maze concept partnership with Justin Gurland. He continues high-profile food-policy advocacy work alongside the restaurant and television operations through 2026.
TL;DR
- American chef born 15 August 1962 in Elizabeth, New Jersey
- Self-taught classical French technique; trained at Gerard Pangaud, Quilted Giraffe, Mondrian
- Co-founded Gramercy Tavern with Danny Meyer in 1994
- Founded Craft restaurant 2001; Crafted Hospitality restaurant group
- Head judge of Top Chef on Bravo since 2006 (Season 23 premieres 9 March 2026)
- 2025-2026: Crafted Hospitality continues; The Maze partnership with Justin Gurland
Tom Colicchio key facts
| Born | 15 August 1962, Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Training | Self-taught from classical French texts; Gerard Pangaud; Quilted Giraffe; Mondrian NYC |
| Defining restaurants | Gramercy Tavern (co-founder 1994); Craft (founder 2001) |
| Restaurant group | Crafted Hospitality |
| Television | Head judge Top Chef Bravo since 2006 (Season 23 from 9 March 2026) |
| 2025-2026 ventures | The Maze partnership with Justin Gurland; Last Chance Kitchen Season 15 |
Early life and training of Tom Colicchio
Colicchio was born on 15 August 1962 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA. He grew up in northern New Jersey and developed an early interest in cooking through family meals and cookbooks. He famously taught himself classical French technique by working through Jacques Pepin’s La Technique and other classical French texts, an unusual self-taught path into professional cookery for an American chef of his generation.
Through the early 1980s Colicchio worked at Hilltop Inn in New Jersey and subsequently apprenticed under Gerard Pangaud, the French chef working in the United States. He moved to New York City and joined Quilted Giraffe in midtown Manhattan, one of the defining American fine-dining restaurants of the 1980s. He subsequently worked at Mondrian in New York during its 1980s peak under Patrick Clark.
In 1994 Colicchio co-founded Gramercy Tavern with Danny Meyer of Union Square Hospitality Group, on East 20th Street in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. Gramercy Tavern became one of the defining New York fine-dining restaurants of the 1990s and 2000s, and the Colicchio-Meyer partnership at Gramercy Tavern set the template for his subsequent independent operations.
Tom Colicchio career timeline
- 15 August 1962: Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey
- Late 1970s: Self-teaches classical French technique from Jacques Pepin texts
- Early 1980s: Works at Hilltop Inn New Jersey; apprenticeships under Gerard Pangaud
- Mid-1980s: Moves to New York; works at Quilted Giraffe and Mondrian
- 1994: Co-founds Gramercy Tavern with Danny Meyer in Flatiron Manhattan
- 2001: Founds Craft restaurant on East 19th Street in Manhattan
- 2003: Opens Craftbar and Craftsteak; expands Crafted Hospitality
- 2005: Leaves Gramercy Tavern to focus on Crafted Hospitality
- 2006: Becomes head judge of Top Chef on Bravo (Season 1)
- 2010: James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef award
- 2012: Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen launches as digital companion to Top Chef
- 2014: Documentary feature A Place at the Table on US food insecurity
- 2018: Restructures Crafted Hospitality; closes some legacy outposts
- 2020-2022: Continued Crafted operations through Covid-19 pandemic
- 1 December 2024: CBS Sunday Morning Why I Cook feature
- 23 October 2025: CBS Mornings Think Like a Chef 25 years later feature
- 2025: Top Chef Season 23 filmed in Charlotte and Greenville Carolinas
- 2025: The Maze partnership with Justin Gurland launches
- 3 March 2026: Top Chef Season 23 early access premiere on Peacock
- 9 March 2026: Top Chef Season 23 premiere on Bravo (Carolinas season)
- 30 March 2026: Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen Season 15 starts on Bravo digital platforms
Tom Colicchio signature style: classical American fine dining and restaurant entrepreneurship
Colicchio’s central argument, developed across three decades from Gramercy Tavern through Craft to the current Crafted Hospitality and The Maze, is that classical French technique applied to American produce and combined with elegant restaurant operations can anchor sustained American restaurant groups across multiple decades. The Craft menu, with its signature simple-presentation seasonal-American approach, became one of the defining American fine-dining menus of the 2000s.
The second defining element is the sustained Top Chef television presence since 2006. As head judge across more than 22 seasons of Top Chef on Bravo, Colicchio has been one of the most-watched American chef-television figures of the past two decades, and the head-judge role has anchored his national profile alongside the Crafted Hospitality operation.
The third pillar is the food-policy advocacy work, including the 2014 documentary A Place at the Table on US food insecurity. Within the current American chef cohort Colicchio sits alongside peers including Bryan Voltaggio, Michael Voltaggio (both Top Chef alumni) and David Chang as one of the defining American chef-television figures.
Notable Tom Colicchio work
Several Colicchio projects have become reference points in modern American cookery. Gramercy Tavern (co-founded 1994, left 2005) was one of the defining New York fine-dining restaurants of the 1990s and 2000s. Craft on East 19th Street (founded 2001) was the cornerstone of Crafted Hospitality. Top Chef on Bravo since 2006 (head judge across 22+ seasons) is one of the defining American chef-television programmes. Cookbooks include Think Like a Chef (2000) and Craft of Cooking (2003). The 2014 documentary A Place at the Table extended his food-policy advocacy.
Tom Colicchio awards and recognition
- 1994: Co-founds Gramercy Tavern with Danny Meyer
- 2000: Publishes Think Like a Chef cookbook
- 2001: Founds Craft restaurant
- 2003: Publishes Craft of Cooking cookbook
- 2006: Becomes head judge of Top Chef on Bravo
- 2010: James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef
- 2012: Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen launches
- 2014: A Place at the Table documentary
- December 2024: CBS Sunday Morning Why I Cook feature
- October 2025: CBS Mornings Think Like a Chef 25 years later
- 2025: Top Chef Season 23 filmed in Carolinas; Maze partnership launches
- March 2026: Top Chef Season 23 premieres on Peacock and Bravo
- March 2026: Last Chance Kitchen Season 15 starts on Bravo digital platforms
Tom Colicchio impact on American restaurant culture
Colicchio’s most concrete contribution is the 1994 Gramercy Tavern co-founding and the 2001 Craft founding. Gramercy Tavern became one of the defining New York fine-dining restaurants of the 1990s and 2000s, and Craft and the subsequent Crafted Hospitality group anchored modern American restaurant entrepreneurship across the 2000s and 2010s.
The second contribution is the sustained Top Chef head-judge role since 2006 across more than 22 seasons. The role has positioned Colicchio as the most-recognised American chef-television judge of the past two decades, and the programme has launched the careers of multiple American chefs including Michael Voltaggio (Season 6 winner) and Bryan Voltaggio (Season 6 finalist).
The third contribution is the food-policy advocacy work and the 2014 A Place at the Table documentary. Within the current American food cohort Colicchio sits alongside peers including David Chang as one of the defining American chef-restaurateur figures of the past three decades.
Tom Colicchio FAQ
Is Colicchio still on Top Chef?
Yes. Colicchio continues as head judge of Top Chef on Bravo, a role he has held since Season 1 in 2006. Season 23 was filmed in Charlotte and Greenville in the Carolinas in 2025, and premieres on Peacock with early access on 3 March 2026 and on Bravo on 9 March 2026.
What is Crafted Hospitality?
Crafted Hospitality is Colicchio’s restaurant group, founded after he opened Craft on East 19th Street in 2001. The group has operated multiple restaurants across New York and other US cities including Craft, Craftbar, Craftsteak, Colicchio and Sons, and the new 2025 Maze partnership with Justin Gurland.
Did Colicchio co-found Gramercy Tavern?
Yes. Colicchio co-founded Gramercy Tavern in 1994 with Danny Meyer of Union Square Hospitality Group on East 20th Street in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. He left Gramercy Tavern in 2005 to focus on Crafted Hospitality, and the restaurant continues operating under the Union Square Hospitality Group.
When does Top Chef Season 23 premiere?
Top Chef Season 23 premieres on Peacock with early access on 3 March 2026, and on Bravo on 9 March 2026. The season is set in Charlotte and Greenville in the Carolinas. Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen Season 15 starts on Bravo digital platforms on 30 March 2026.
Did Colicchio go to culinary school?
No. Colicchio is largely self-taught, learning classical French technique from Jacques Pepin’s La Technique and other classical French texts in his late teens and early twenties. He apprenticed under Gerard Pangaud and worked at Quilted Giraffe and Mondrian in New York before co-founding Gramercy Tavern in 1994.
What is next for Tom Colicchio
Top Chef Season 23 in the Carolinas premieres in March 2026, and Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen Season 15 starts 30 March 2026. Crafted Hospitality and The Maze partnership continue. His public Instagram (@tomcolicchio) is the best source for current updates.
