Tom Colicchio is an 8-time James Beard Award winning chef, and the owner of Crafted Hospitality, which includes New York City’s Craft, Temple Court and Vallata; Las Vegas’ Craftsteak, and Small Batch in Garden City, NY. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Tom made his New York cooking debut at prominent New York restaurants including The Quilted Giraffe, Gotham Bar & Grill and Gramercy Tavern before opening Craft in 2001. 
 
 A vocal and outspoken social justice advocate, Tom executive produced the 2013 documentary “A Place at the Table” about the underlying causes of hunger in the U.S. This eye-opening experience led Tom on a journey to Washington DC where he has been a mainstay in our nation’s capital in the years since. From holding members of Congress accountable on their voting records around food to working with former FLOTUS Michelle Obama on the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, Tom has established himself as the leading “Citizen Chef” advocating for a food system that values access, affordability and nutrition over corporate interests.
 
 He is a frequent contributor on several television shows and networks, including MSNBC, CNN, ABC and Bloomberg and is the host of the iHeart Radio podcast, Citizen Chef. Tom is the head judge and executive producer of the Emmy-winning Bravo hit series, Top Chef. He is the star and executive producer a new show titled ‘The Pantry’ with Spirits Network. His newest book, Why I Cook, both memoir and cookbook, will be released in fall 2024. 
 
 Tom and his restaurants give back to the community through their impact partnerships with organizations such as Children of Bellevue, City Harvest, and Southern Smoke Foundation. He is a founding member of The Independent Restaurant Coalition, which was formed to save the local restaurants and bars affected by COVID-19 and the subsequent economic fallout. 
 
 He lives in Brooklyn with his wife Lori Silverbush and their three sons. When not in the kitchen, Tom can be found tending his North Fork Long Island garden, fishing, or playing guitar.