Tom Colicchio's Road Trip

With Chef Damon Wise outside the Mansion on Peachtree in Atlanta. "When Porsche offered to lend me a spanking new Panamera 4S for an extended 'test drive,' it was an opportunity I couldn't refuse," Tom says.

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Pit stop. Tom says, "In my experience you usually find the real barbecue gems where you least expect them, and Big T was no exception ... the brisket and pulled pork sandwich were prime examples of the mustard-based barbecue that is typical in South Carolina."

Big T Bar-B-Q
7535 Garners Ferry Rd, #C
Columbia, SC

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

With Emile DeFelice of Caw Caw Creek Farm (and his country ham) at Anson Mills. Emile raises heirloom pastured pigs using traditional agricultural methods, free from hormones and antibiotics. For the last decade, Anson Mills has been growing, harvesting and milling delicious grains, corn and rice that had become almost extinct until he started cultivating them again.

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

When Tom asked Anson Mills' Glenn Roberts which "chefs in the area were doing Southern food the old-fashioned say, he named Sean Brock at McCrady's in Charleston." They ate locally caught stone crab and triggerfish, as well as house-made charcuterie starring Sean's own Yorkshire pigs.

McCrady's
2 Unity Alley
Charleston, SC

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Morning on Kiawah Island, SC. Tom has been coming to the island for 10 years, and tell us about his morning ritual: "I woke up early, took my coffee out onto the dock behind the cottage, and watched as the sun came up over the water. God, I love that place."

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Robert Stehling's "Hominy Grill specializes in Southern classics like fried green tomatoes, she-crab soup, and as its name would suggest really really good grits," Tom says. He ate a braised oxtail ragout over cheese grits, topped with a poached egg.

Hominy Grill
207 Rutledge Avenue
Charleston, SC

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Sean Thackeray's happy pigs at Thackeray Farms on Wadmalaw Island (about 30 minutes from Charleston). Thackeray Farms is currently working toward being fully organic. Tom particularly enjoyed the "peppery French radishes, sweet turnips and lemony arugula."

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Tom grew up crabbing on Barnegat Bay, so crabbing with Fred Dockery was "familiar territory." Dockery currently crabs about 300 pots at a time (even though he's licensed for more), and is sensitive to conservation to only catch what he knows he can sell.

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Tom reminds us that "whether you know it or not, much of the shrimp you've eaten in your life has been foreign, frozen, and transported thousands of miles before it reaches your plate." Locally caught shrimp at a classic fried seafood shack is a whole other thing.

The Wreck
106 Haddrell Street
Mount Pleasant, SC

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Tom says that Eastern North Carolina barbecue is "smoked, pulled, and coarsely chopped, and served plain except for a hint of tangy vinegar sauce." Damon Lapas and Jeffrey Childres serve smoked blue fish, spare ribs and pulled pork with slaw, pickles and cornbread.

The BBQ Joint
630 Weaver Dairy Road
Chapel Hill, NC

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Eliza MacLean is proprietor of Cane Creek Farm, and practices "rotational grazing," to mimic nature. Tom says all of this means "happy animals (you can tell just by looking at them), but a lot of work ... I wish everyone who complained about the price of organic, free-range eggs could see this place in action."

Cane Creek Farm
1203 Longest Acres Road
Snow Camp, NC

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Andrea Reusing's Lantern marries a farm-to-table philosophy to impeccable, Pacific Rim food. Tom ate Cane Creek Farm pork, local shrimp, trout and soft shell crab, plus a pork belly with 5-spice and pickled pumpkin.

Lantern Restaurant
423 W Franklin Street
Chapel Hill, NC

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Rappahannock River Oyster are featured in Tom's Craftsteak restaurants in New York City and Las Vegas. Founded by Travis and Ryan Croxton, the oyster company grows native oysters sustainably, and their mission is to "restore Chesapeake Bay oyster varieties to their former glory, putting them back on the culinary map. How's that for local pride?"

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

With Chef Robert Wiedmaier and wild oysters on the grill, for a Virginia-style seafood supper, complete with garlic butter and grilled bread, pickled watermelon rind, and pecan pie.

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Tom and crew stayed in a converted 19-Century Schoolhouse, run by the incredibly hospitable Peggy and Dudley Patteson.

The Hope and Glory Inn
65 Tavern Road
Irvington, VA

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Tom loves mushrooms: "from day one my menus at Craft and Craftsteak have included not just one but several different seasonal varieties of roasted mushrooms as side dishes." Here he is with DC's mushroom guru Ray LaSala.

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

DC Central Kitchen is a nonprofit organization created to fight hunger and poverty. Here Tom is pictured demonstrating Knife Skills 101 with one of DC Central Kitchen's youngest volunteers.

DC Central Kitchen
425 Second Street, NW
Washington, DC

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Dinner was at Jose Andres's DC tapas bar. Highlights of the meal included arroz negro paella and a salt-roasted pork tenderloin.

Jaleo
480 7th St NW
Washington DC

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Tom spent the morning at Culton Organics with chef and friend Mark Vetri.

Culton Organics
3683 Marietta Ave
Silver Spring, PA

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Samuels & Son is a big regional fish wholesaler in Philadelphia. It is atypical and not smelly, messy or old-fashioned. Here, chefs Shane McBride and James Tracey inspect a tuna head.

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio

Tom at dinner at Vetri, and says the "impossibly thin, buttery pastas and tender baby goat could hold their own against any I've had."

Photo courtesy of Tom Colicchio