The Single Ingredient Tom Colicchio Can't Stand

Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio has a pretty cultured palate, but there's one ingredient even a "Top Chef" head judge can't bring himself to enjoy. "Okra! It's just slimy," Colicchio said in a Q&A for The New York Times. Colicchio has made no secret of his disdain for okra, a divisive vegetable known for its unique texture and distinct flavor. A renowned figure in the culinary world, Colicchio has expressed his aversion to okra's slimy consistency, a characteristic that emerges when the vegetable is cooked.

A Reddit thread dedicated to sharing unspoken rules of the culinary competition show "Top Chef" confirmed his okra avoidance. "More unspoken rules are what Tom dislikes ... Tom doesn't like okra," one user wrote. However, another Redditor pointed out that he had eaten the vegetable on the show and admitted to liking the preparation. "Every time someone cooks okra, everyone goes on about how Tom doesn't like it, and every time he says, 'I don't like okra, but I like this okra!'"

What puts Tom Colicchio off is okra's slimy consistency, which can be attributed to its mucilage content. It's a polarizing aspect of this unique vegetable that elicits strong reactions, with some people expressing a distinct aversion. When okra is heated via cooking, especially in methods like stewing or frying, it releases a substance that creates a gel-like texture. This viscous finish has led to divided opinions, as some find it unpleasant or off-putting, while others appreciate the thickness and richness it can add to a dish.

There is a trick to avoiding the slimy texture. First, cut the okra into slices length-wise instead of chopping it into round bites. Approaching it like an onion, where the end is left intact, can help quarantine the slime. Cooking methods also affect how gooey your okra gets. Frying or sautéing the veg quickly over a high heat will ultimately reduce the slime. Similarly, soaking okra in vinegar before preparing it can help to dissolve the mucilage.

Back to Tom Colicchio and his food preferences: There are a couple of other items on the star chef's no-eat list. Two of them fall in line with okra and can elicit an off-putting texture and mouth feel: sea cucumbers and grated mountain yam. In his conversation with The New York Times, Colicchio listed both ingredients as items he can't bring himself to like. Sea cucumbers are considered a delicacy in some countries but are known for their slippery surfaces. Meanwhile, grated mountain yam is commonly consumed in Japan but is notoriously slimy and sticky.

Rumor has it there are a few other items on Colicchio's culinary dislike list. Users in the "Top Chef" Reddit thread shared some additional patterns they've picked up from watching the show. "Tom doesn't like spicy-hot food. Tom really doesn't like garlic," one user wrote. "He definitely doesn't like chicken salad." Colicchio has not corroborated these claims himself, but fans of "Top Chef" have picked up on the chef's preferences throughout the show's 20 seasons.