Tom Colicchio
Tom Colicchio, one of the most recognized and respected contemporary chefs in America, co-founded the Gramercy Tavern with partner Danny Meyer in New York City in 1994. The restaurant received three stars from Ruth Reichl, then of The New York Times, and in 2000, Tom received the James Beard Award for Best Chef—New York, for which he had been nominated three times. In 2001 Tom opened Craft, which received three stars from The New York Times’ William Grimes and a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 2002, bringing his Beard medal tally to five. Since then Tom has been expanding the Craft empire and now operates Craft, Craftbar, Craftsteak, and ’wichcraft in New York, San Francisco, Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. His first cookbook, Think Like a Chef, won The James Beard KitchenAid Cookbook Award in May 2000. He is also the author of Craft of Cooking and ’wichcraft. Recently, Tom has been the host and producer of Bravo’s Emmy-nominated cooking show, Top Chef, now in its sixth season.
From bland to brilliant, this will redefine and reinvigorate the way you think about vegetable broth.
Viana La Place’s Vegetable Broth with Fennel, Herbs, and Dried Parmesan Cheese Rind. I have a few of Viana La Place’s cookbooks, and I admire the elegant simplicity to her cooking. This recipe for vegetable broth is a great base for risottos and soups.
Hiding behind a garage door in New York City’s West Village are some of the best eats around.
I’m lucky to have Jonathan Waxman’s Barbuto just steps away from my apartment in New York. Jonathan is a master when it comes to simple, well-executed, seasonal fare, and that talent is reflected in Barbuto. The whole front wall of the restaurant is a garage door, which they open when the weather is warm, making it an especially great choice for dinner on a summer night.
Not for beginners, these three timeless cooking guides skip the basics but tell you how to deliver great meals.
Elizabeth David Classics by Elizabeth David. I love Elizabeth David’s books because they are written for the experienced cook. They assume a knowledge of basic kitchen techniques and skip over the tedious instructions. This volume contains three of David’s most popular books: Mediterranean Food, French Country Cooking, and Summer Cooking, which were originally published in the 1950s and still feel contemporary and relevant today.
Food Destination
If you’re looking for the big city dining scene minus big city commotion, look no further than Charleston, South Carolina.
Charleston, South Carolina, has all the charm of a small Southern town with the culinary sophistication of a larger city, and its coastal location means you’ll find knock-your-socks-off oysters, shrimp, and crabs on menus throughout the city. And while you can find great examples of classic Southern dishes like fried green tomatoes, pulled pork, and shrimp n’ grits in and around Charleston, the region’s traditional “low-country” cuisine has influences as diverse as Caribbean, French, Spanish, Italian, and African.
Plus: Check out Hungry Beast for more news on the latest restaurants, hot chefs, and tasty recipes.
Tom Colicchio is one of the most recognized and respected contemporary American chefs. In 1994 Tom, with partner Danny Meyer, co-founded the Gramercy Tavern in New York City, which received three stars from Ruth Reichl, then of the New York Times. In 2000, Tom received the James Beard Award for “Best Chef—New York,” for which he had been nominated three times. In 2001 Tom opened Craft, which received three stars from the New York Times’ William Grimes and a James Beard Award for “Best New Restaurant” in 2002, bringing his total number of Beard medals to five. Since then Tom has been expanding the Craft empire and now has Craft, Craftbar, Craftsteak, and ‘wichcraft located in places such as New York, San Francisco, Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. His first cookbook, Think Like a Chef, won The James Beard KitchenAid Cookbook Award in May 2000. He is also the author of Craft of Cooking and ‘wichcraft. Recently, Tom has been the host and producer of Bravo’s Emmy-nominated cooking show Top Chef , which is now in its sixth season.
