The Heartwarming Way Tom Colicchio Showed Up For A Fan On Twitter
It's always amazing to see the internet serve its highest purpose, connecting humans across the world. Stories of people receiving help and support during tough times are plentiful, and a recent one involving Tom Colicchio is quite heartwarming. A young chef and aspiring food critic named Freddie was going into chemotherapy for an aggressive brain sarcoma, and his mom posted a picture of him on Twitter in the kitchen. His mom, Karen Braithwaite, wrote on Twitter: "His 10th birthday is tomorrow, if by the power of Twitter, he could get any likes or messages ... it would really cheer him up." The post ended up going viral, and in the replies, Braithwaite posted some of Freddie's culinary aspirations — very impressive for a 10-year-old!
The post even caught the attention of "Top Chef" honcho Tom Colicchio. He quote-tweeted the original tweet, giving his best wishes, and even inviting Freddie to visit the Top Chef set when they begin shooting the latest season of "Top Chef" in London! That would be an incredible treat for young Freddie. Season 20 of Top Chef, which will be a London-based World All-Stars season, is set to begin production this month, per Eater. Fellow chef Robert Irvine also quote-tweeted and invited Freddie to come to cook with him in the states sometime while inviting him to stay in touch. We hope both of these dreams come true!
It's amazing to see people come together in support
Tom Colicchio wasn't the only person to offer some material love to young Freddie Braithwaite during this difficult time. Subbytech offered to send him a free pair of noise-canceling headphones, and London Planner asked if he would like to do a restaurant review for the Mayor of London's Guide on his next trip to the city to fulfill his food criticism dreams. Many users also sent well-wishes, GIFs, and adorable pet pictures. It's always lovely to see the ways that strangers can come together from all over the world on a website like Twitter.
As per usual, Colicchio is staying busy outside of helming the "Top Chef" empire and helping out strangers on Twitter. He recently pledged his support to the plant-based seafood brand, Plant-Based Seafood Co. He called the project "delicious!" and is excited to help out with a project that is good for the world's oceans, per Forbes. He told Forbes: "I like that it's a woman-owned business and the owners have a connection to the seafood industry." Mother and daughter team Shelly and Monica Talbert are the founders of Plant-Based Seafood Co. and are bringing plant-based crab cakes, coconut shrimp, and more to the market. They have been recognized by the 2022 Mindful Awards and by PETA. With any luck, Freddie will have the chance to try some plant-based bay scallops next.