Tom Colicchio was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. As a child, he was encouraged by his father to pursue coking as a career. At the age of seventeen, he started working professionally at Evelyn's Seafood Restaurant. Eventually, he worked in more prominent restaurants in New York. He was even selected as one of the top ten "Best New Chefs" in the United States by Food & Wine Magazine. Later, he published his first cookbook entitled Think Like a Chef which earned him a James Beard Kitchen Aid Cookbook Award.

At present, he is the head judge on the reality cooking contest Top Chef. He also serves as a mentor for the chefs in the series.

(Photo courtesy of Bravo)