Tom Colicchio, Top Chef Judge Named Top by James Beard Foundation

by Amy Judd | May 4, 2010 at 10:26 am

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Tom Colicchio, a Top Chef Judge, Has Been Named Top Chef in the Nation by the James Beard Foundation

Tom Colicchio has numerous restaurants to his name, but now he can add one more line to his resume as he has just been named the nation's Top Chef by the James Beard Foundation. This is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed on any chef, and considering Colicchio has been a finalist seven times since 2002, it seems like it was his year to finally take home the award.

He has been named Best Chef in New York City before in 2000 and received a Outstanding Restaurant Service Award in 2001 for his restaurant Gramercy Tavern.

Colicchio's cookbook, "Think Like a Chef," earned him a Beard cookbook award in 2001. More recently, he's become known for his role as the lead judge on the Bravo television series, "Top Chef."

The James Beard Awards are named after James Beard, who died in 1985 and was considered the best in American cooking when he passed away.

Other awards from 2010 went to Daniel Bouloud's Daniel restaurant for Outstanding Restaurant, and Chicago's Alinea received the Outstanding Service Award. Keith McNally received the Outstanding Restaurateur Award and the Best New Restaurant Award when to Michael White's Marea.

Rising Star Chef of the Year was awarded to Timothy Hollingsworth from The French Laundry in Yountville California.