He co-founded the Gramercy Tavern in New York City, and formerly served as a co-owner and as the executive chef.

He has been the head judge on every season of Bravo reality TV show Top Chef as well as Best New Restaurant which he also executive produces.

[13] In 2013, he, Jeff Bridges, and Raj Patel appeared in the documentary film A Place at the Table released in the U.S. on March 1, 2013.

[15][16] Colicchio has long been involved in food supply chain, restaurant and hunger relief issues.

[18] He also won an Emmy Award in 2010 for Outstanding Reality-Competition Programming as an executive producer of Top Chef, on which he appears.

Colicchio appeared in the fifth episode of the first season of HBO's Treme as himself along with fellow chefs Eric Ripert, David Chang and Wylie Dufresne.

In 2011, he made cameos in the Season 23 premiere episode of The Simpsons, "The Falcon and the D'ohman," and The Smurfs.

[20] Colicchio appeared as a chef in the fifth season of the Showtime TV series Billions, in the episode titled Liberty.