One of the preeminent stars of the current foodie era, chef Tom Colicchio is known as much for his cutting critiques as co-host of ‘Top Chef’ as he is for his cutting-edge menus at his chain of Craft restaurants. But unlike the vast majority of his cooking-show peers across the cablesphere, Colicchio is the real deal, a five-time recipient of James Beard Foundation medals for his art and a bona fide success who has founded multiple award-winning restaurants.
For Colicchio, the dream began in a home kitchen. In his case, as a kid. “For Christmas when I was 15, I wanted my mother to buy me a knife and she bought me a Henckels,” he recalls. “She still has it, 36 years later.” Regardless of his fond memories, though, Colicchio’s fast-talking brand of withering criticism comes easily when discussing the bad habits, techniques, and carelessness of even typical home chefs. Following a recent event during which he demonstrated Microsoft’s new Bing Food and Drink app on a Surface 2, Colicchio sat down with ‘Men’s Journal’ to talk through the various ways that home cooks are doing it wrong. He had no trouble coming up with a list. True to form, however, his criticisms came with genuinely helpful suggestions. Then he packed up his knives and left.
