Top Chef Head Judge Tom Colicchio Explains Why One Rabbit Dish Rose Above the Competition
Top Chef Season 23 put the Carolinas in the spotlight. The journey has been more than picturesque views and engaging celebrity cameos. This season highlighted local ingredients and made them the stars of the plate.
In episode 11, “Down the Rabbit Hole,” six cheftestants faced a “rabbit-focused” Elimination Challenge. Immediately following that challenge, I had the opportunity to chat with Head Judge Tom Colicchio about the dinner. In his signature candor, he did not shy away from a clear opinion on cooking with the classic protein.
Tom Colicchio has been a driving force in Top Chef’s success. Alongside Gail Simmons, the pair have seen the award-winning food television show become the pinnacle of culinary entertainment over its 23 seasons. Without pandering to fleeting trends or amplifying drama, chefs know that becoming a cheftestant is an instant resume builder.
Last year, I participated in Top Chef Season 23, episode 11, specifically as a diner during the rabbit Elimination Challenge. After the plates were cleared, but before Judges Table, Tom sat down with me and shared his thoughts on the dishes.
“Sieger’s rabbit dish was the best-cooked rabbit of the challenge.”
Although I picked a different top dish, our conversation about the plates and proper rabbit cooking techniques highlighted what makes Top Chef special. Every episode educates while it entertains.
Tom had a clear winner: Sieger’s rabbit dish (rabbit, endive, filbert). He said the beautifully cooked dish was fantastic. “I thought that the simplicity of the cauliflower puree with a little bit of hazelnuts in the endive and a little bit of raisin on the end to sweeten it up a little bit” was the best cooked rabbit.
While I agree that Sieger’s rabbit was superbly cooked, the bacon’s smokiness slightly overpowered my rabbit. But, compared to other dishes where the rabbit was dry, improperly cooked, or hidden, this dish clearly stood out.
Tom had definite notes on the other top dish, Sherry’s braised jerk rabbit with mofongo. Specifically, he said, “Flavor-wise,” it was good, but the shredded rabbit was an execution error. He explained, “if you don't cook rabbit enough, braising it, it shreds like that. That dish would have been better if she used the loins and just marinated them with the jerk.”
Having a challenge focused on rabbit as the primary ingredient not only showcased a local South Carolina protein but also highlighted Top Chef’s evolution. Tom believes that the show has evolved with its fans. 10 seasons ago, audiences would be less receptive to this ingredient. But today’s fan is savvier and more excited to explore the underutilized protein.
Although rabbit is not featured at the local fast casual restaurant, it is a classic ingredient. Tom explained that he has been selling rabbit in his restaurants for 40 years, and people buy a lot of it.
Tom believes that diners seek food that they traditionally do not make at home. Additionally, he believes that diners want to try different things. What Top Chef does is highlight ingredients that will inspire them to order the dish when they see it on a restaurant menu. If previous seasons are any indication, rabbit will seek a spike similar to lion fish from the Season 21 final Quickfire.
Even though rabbit is a classic ingredient, many chefs do not use it as often. A few cheftestants’ approaches showed that unfamiliarity. Still, Tom believes that ingredient-focused challenges are better than concept-driven ones.
For this Elimination Challenge, it was a clear measure of a chef’s knowledge and ability to execute. Knowing that rabbit becomes mealy when over-rested is just as important as a well-seasoned bite. Having done hundreds of walk-throughs on Top Chef, Tom can anticipate who will be “better off” in the end.
Earning Tom’s praise is hard-fought and essential for hearing the coveted phrase “you are Top Chef.” While I may never be brave enough to put a plate in front of the celebrated chef, his knowledge and commentary inspire me to be a better cook. That element is why Top Chef is and will continue to be the gold standard in culinary competitions.
Want to see which cheftestant earns the title of Top Chef Season 23 winner? New episodes air on Bravo Monday nights at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT and stream the next day on Peacock.
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