While celebrity chefs fight their way from stove to camera like spawning salmon heading upstream, one “Top Chef” is returning to his roots, occasionally, with his new restaurant Tom: Tuesday Dinner.
In a press conference today, Tom Colicchio announced his plans for a sporadic and curiously named restaurant – which he will orchestrate from behind the line– to convene every other Tuesday in the private dining area of his restaurant Craft.
Beginning Oct. 14, Colicchio will be offering a set menu for a multi course dinner ranging around $150.00. This menu will only be available on alternating Tuesdays with reservations accepted up to two weeks in advance.
His menu promises to be more elaborate and refined, reminiscent of his time at Gramercy Tavern, and on contrary to the super sized platters found at Craft.
As for the upcoming restaurant conflicting with his role on “Top Chef”, Colicchio insisted with only a five-week shooting schedule, the show doesn’t take up too much of his time. In regards to the future of this venture, Colicchio preferred not to elaborate beyond the upcoming year.
And before one expects another quip on chefs abandoning the stove for camera close-ups either by roaming the Spanish terrain or dancing with the stars, Colicchio forwarded this statement to the NY Times:
“It’s not the fact that I have this far-flung restaurant empire that keeps me from cooking. It’s the fact that I’m a chef that keeps me from the stove.” He points out that he does spend a lot of time in his kitchens, particularly Craft, but when he’s there he is expediting, supervising, and doing all the other managerial tasks that chefs have to do.
But the screen time doesn’t hurt either.