We caught up with Tom Colicchio earlier this week to chat about summer entertaining. With two little munchkins at home under the age of two, he likes to keep things real simple with cured meats, cheese, and olives—instant appetizer platter. Here are a few tips to keep in mind the next time hungry guests show up. More

You may know Chef Tom Colicchio from his many seasons as head judge on Top Chef, and from his wildly successful restaurants. But the celebrity chef has recently taken on a different kind of food project. Yesterday, Colicchio testified before the House Education and Labor Committee in favor of the "Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act." In a well-written and thoughtful speech, he detailed the importance of the Act from a personal act compelling perspective. More

[Pistachio gelato: Bobby Flay's undoing. Photograph: Robyn Lee] Slashfood asks a few chefs about their guilty pleasures, and while some take the highbrow way out--Wagyu beef, Colicchio? Really?--Bobby Flay chows down on pistachio gelato, while Mario Batali can't get enough Doritos. "It has to be Doritos, though. I especially like the lime-flavored ones with chili."... More

Fess up, serious eaters, do you have a favorite? I think it was a few weeks ago, when I ran into Tom Colicchio, that I found myself confessing my love for Fresca. I had seen an interview Colicchio had done in the New York Times Magazine in which he declared his love of Fresca: "Always in fridge: Fresca. It is just a great drink. No calories; tastes like citrus." During our discussion we both acknowledged that what we loved about Fresca was its taste, even though neither of us could identify its ingredients. Hey, Colicchio is, after all, Mr. Ingredients, Mr. Craft, so it says quite a bit about Fresca if he can't tell us what's in it. So now... More

Since the world just can't get enough vampires, Tom Colicchio does a little plug for the second season of HBO's True Blood, which returned on Sunday, with this red goo-resembling drink made of beet juice, roasted sugar snap peas, fennel, fava beans, and chicken stock. Colicchio is looking out for all those awkward scenarios when your vamp friends can't eat with the humans and are craving a 98.6°F drink. The video, after the jump.... More

Tonight on Charlie Rose, a conversation with chef-restaurateur-Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio.... More

On his relationship with Toby Young: "A lot of people were like 'Oh, I can tell Tom hates Toby.' I actually got along with him really well. To get some fresh blood is nice. He's actually quite charming and funny and witty, and I enjoyed having him around so I don’t know why people think I hate him." [Time]... More

Last night, Diet Coke aired a new commercial starring Tom Colicchio. In it the restaurateur and Top Chef judge rolls his eyes at tall food, at plates artfully dressed with sauces, and at shrimp and beets skewered on a complicated arrangement of wires—all to highlight the "good taste" of the soft drink. More

According to the Internet Food Association, Top Chef co-host Tom Colicchio was cooking at best-selling cookbook author (Jewish Cooking in America) Joan Nathan's house at one of the Art, Food, Hope dinners Alice Waters and Ayelet Waldman --> put together to benefit D.C. Central Kitchen and Martha's Table, when Nathan started to choke on a piece of food. Colicchio sprang into action and performed the Heimlich maneuver on Nathan. She was impressed: "He's strong." He's a triple threat, that Tom. He cooks (at least every other Tuesday these days), he hosts, and he saves lives. Plus, he even blogs these days. Our hero, and Joan's too, obviously. Related Meet & Eat: Tom Colicchio Who's Hotter: Young Colicchio or Young Bourdain?... More