MSNBC continues to open the aperture, by hiring its first food correspondent. Tom Colicchio, a 30-year veteran chef, restauranteur, and, since 2006, head judge on “Top Chef,” joins the network, as he continues on the food competition show which airs on MSNBC’s sister network Bravo.
Colicchio will host a new weekly show called “Stirring the Pot” on Shift, and contribute reports to “Morning Joe” and “The Rachel Maddow Show.”
“Tom’s values, expertise and focus on advocacy are a perfect match for MSNBC and we can’t wait to watch his original and in-depth reporting in action,” says MSNBC president Phil Griffin.
MSNBC says adding Colicchio “is part of MSNBC’s larger strategy to cover a broader set of stories that move and inspire Americans through its progressive lens, while investing in more original reporting from the field.”
MSNBC promises to announce additional changes “that will generate more innovative and original programming for the network.”
Here’s the press release…
MSNBC ANNOUNCES CHEF TOM COLICCHIO AS ITS FIRST-EVER FOOD CORRESPONDENT ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS
In New Role, Colicchio Will Create the First Cable and Digital Programming Specifically Focused On the Politics, Power, and Personalities of our Nation’s Food
NEW YORK – February 18, 2015 – MSNBC announced today that Tom Colicchio – the award-winning chef, restaurant owner, founder of Crafted Hospitality and TV personality – is becoming the network’s first-ever food correspondent across all platforms.
Colicchio will produce original reporting and in-depth video for MSNBC’s biggest TV shows, and host a new weekly food show on Shift, MSNBC’s new digital video experience.
A passionate advocate for healthy food, sustainable farming, smart food policy and combating hunger, Colicchio has until now been an occasional guest on MSNBC TV. In his new role, he will create the first cable and digital programming focused on an important challenge facing us all: our food.
From intensive farming to the quality of school lunches; from over-fishing to food stamps; Colicchio will show how our food is an essential – yet under-reported – part of our cultural and political debate. Colicchio will create:
Regular reports for Morning Joe and The Rachel Maddow Show, as well as other MSNBC daytime and primetime shows, including travel with MSNBC talent across the country.
“Stirring the Pot”: A new show on Shift by MSNBC, featuring digital documentaries and conversations with the people shaping today’s most compelling stories about food and its impact on our daily lives.
“Everyone Eats”: A series of exclusive interviews over lunch with a wide range of newsmakers, including sports stars, elected officials, actors and star chefs.
“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. I’ve long been a fan of his work and am thrilled that Tom’s fresh perspective will be integrated across all our platforms, from TV to Shift to social media,” said Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC. “Tom’s values, expertise and focus on advocacy are a perfect match for MSNBC and we can’t wait to watch his original and in-depth reporting in action.”
“As a chef, a father, and an advocate for sane food policy, I’m looking forward to bringing stories to MSNBC that highlight how critical food is to the workings of a functional, humane society,” said Tom Colicchio. “In today’s world it is impossible to separate our food culture from the politics and policies that shape our choices as consumers and taxpayers, whether we’re aware of them or not. The one thing we all have in common is that everyone eats, and I’m excited to partner with MSNBC on a show that fosters healthy dialogue and speaks to this basic common truth.”
Colicchio’s new role is part of MSNBC’s larger strategy to cover a broader set of stories that move and inspire Americans through its progressive lens, while investing in more original reporting from the field. In the coming months, MSNBC will announce additional changes that will generate more innovative and original programming for the network.