Top Chef's Tom Colicchio Named MSNBC's Food Correspondent

Top Chef judge/restaurateur/notable bald man Tom Colicchio has a new gig as MSNBC's first-ever food correspondent. According to Variety, Colicchio will not only be featured in various segments across MSNBC shows, but he will host his own weekly series called Stirring the Pot on MSNBC's digital incubator channel, Shift. There are also plans to "showcase Colicchio across the channel" by having him do "regular reports" on shows like Morning Joe and The Rachel Maddow Show. Colicchio will also be involved in a segment called "Everyone Eats" where he will interview celebrities, politicians, and athletes. Colicchio will also have the chance to travel and report from the field with other MSNBC personalities.

MSNBC president Phil Griffin tells Variety that "there are few voices — if any — that are as passionate as Tom Colicchio is when talking about the food we eat and how it impacts our families and communities." As for his own goals, Colicchio reveals in a video for MSNBC that hopes to help people gain an understanding about "the role that food plays in our every day lives" through his new position. He adds that he is "looking forward" to showcasing stories that "highlight how critical food is to the workings of a functional, humane society... It is impossible to separate our food culture from the politics and policies that shape our choices as consumers and taxpayers."

Colicchio isn't the first recognizable food name to land a deal with a major news network. Author and TV host Anthony Bourdain partnered up with CNN for his Emmy-award winning show Parts Unknown. Colicchio — who owns a number of restaurants across Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York City — spends a lot more of his time outside of the kitchen and instead in front of the camera these days. In addition to his involvement in the Top Chef franchise, Colicchio is a host, judge, and executive producer on Bravo's new competition series Best New Restaurants. Check out a video of Tom Colicchio speaking about his new role on MSNBC below: