Like Foodie, Like Son for Tom Colicchio

Amanda Schwab/Startraks

Like father, like son: Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio may already have a foodie on his hands with 4-month-old son Luka Bodhi.

“He’s definitely a big eater and loves to eat like me,” Tom told PEOPLE before joining Julia Roberts and John Krasinski on Monday for a game of celebrity charades at the Labyrinth Theater Company’s gala benefit sponsored by Entertainment Weekly in New York City.

“He’s only on breast milk right now, and even at night time, when he wakes up, you just stick a bottle in his mouth or breastfeed him and he goes right back to sleep.”

Tom, 47, has already even tested his son’s palate by giving him a small taste of solid food.

“I put a little piece of bread in his mouth just to see if there would be a reaction from him, and I also took a bit of a strawberry once and put it on my fingers and had him taste it,” he said.

And what was the verdict from the cooking judge’s son? “He didn’t cry so I think he liked it,” he said.

As for being a new parent again, the Bravo star said “it’s easier the second time around” thanks to his prior experience as a dad. His first son, Dante, is now 16.

“We started off splitting the feedings and I change diapers and do the whole bit,” said Tom of life with wife Lori Silverbush. “With my first son, when he was born, I stayed at home with him. I was between restaurants so I spent the whole year with him. So I’m an old hand at it. There’s nothing like being a dad and I really enjoy it.”

– Paul Chi

Comments

Aren’t you suppposed to wait 12 months or so before introducing babies to strawberries? It looks like baby Luka was okay this time, but hopefully Tom will check with his pediatrician before introducing any more foods linked to potential allergies.

- Michele on December 8th, 2009

Before everyone was worrying about allergies there were far less people with allergies.

- Anna on December 8th, 2009

No, I think we’re just better at detecting allergies now. Like, my husband has Celiac disease. The # of people with Celiac has gone way up recently, but it’s because the blood tests have gotten better at detecting asymptomatic people like my husband. He was severely anemic and that was his only symptom. Finally someone decided to do the blood work for Celiac and that test came back +. A look at his intestines showed them to be a MESS. So, we take allergens and sensitivities seriously in our house. Michele, I’m with you.

- marfmom on December 8th, 2009

I heard the strawberry recommendation, too. And Anna, no offense, but that is a ridiculous & insensitive thing to say. I hope this won’t turn into another “people are too PC, let my kid bring peanut butter” thread like past ones have : /

- megan on December 8th, 2009

Michele- I don’t know, but my mother was eating Strawberries (which she loves to this day!) long before she turned a year old.

- CelebBabyLover on December 9th, 2009

Michele, recommendations are different in different places. The newest research suggests that early introduction to potential allergens helps to avoid the allergy. Medical staff here don’t advise that you delay introduction to any particular food. They tell you to introduce the widest variety of food you can.

- Lea on December 9th, 2009