Tom Colicchio Delivers Life-Saving Heimlich

NY Post:

THE cookbook writer whose life was saved by "Top Chef" judge and restaurateur Tom Colicchio has told her story for the first time to The Post's Don Kaplan. Colicchio used the Heim lich maneuver on Joan Nathan after she choked at a charity benefit at her home in DC. The culprit was a Persian chicken kebob prepared by Iranian cuisine master Najmieh Bat manglij. "I don't usually take such big bites," Nathan tells Kaplan. "It was the first thing I had eaten and it was so de licious, I guess I just schlurped it down - that's just never happened to me before."

Read the whole story: NY Post

Comments

[skippyB]

09:42 PM on 01/21/2009

A Chef and a Gentleman - What a total PRO - plus he'd probably just donated hours and hours of time for a charity event.
Well-trained restaurant staff do discuss this subject and I've seen it practiced once - a saved life.

Hey - didn't this happen at one of those dinners Huffpost wrote about last week? - Fundraisers for Soup Kitchens that use gleaned produce? Huffpost had the scoop - I'd love to hear more about the dinners and I want the menus - any way to get a recipe?

[Idablu]

07:03 PM on 01/21/2009

I almost choked to death on Jan 9, 2009. Thankfully there was a man that saved my life. This was the most frightening thing I have ever experienced in my 36 years. Not even my head on collision was as scary. I couldn't remember the impacked of the cars, but when you are chocking your brain is quite active and you know you are gonna die if someone doesn't help you. The chairs were too low to throw myself on.
Chew Your Food!

[VOTER]

11:40 PM on 01/21/2009

What a scary experience for you.
It happened to me once many, many years ago when I began laughing at a joke.
YIKES! Don't talk or laugh with food in you mouth.

A few years ago, my husband and I were dining out when he was suddenly in distress.
Like the person in the Coliccho story, he had taken too
large a bite of food. Prime Rib Roast.
I gave him the Heimlich and the piece came flying out of his mouth and
landed on a plate. Gross!

Now I tease him about attempting Prime Rib suicide but at the time it was not funny.

I agree with you.
CHEW YOUR FOOD AND NEVER LAUGH WITH FOOD IN YOUR MOUTH.

[YeahDonkey]

06:56 PM on 01/21/2009

nice work Tom, now if you can come to my house and help me from choking when I watch all the whiner wannabe chefs on your show that would be awesome.

[topkatnc]

11:38 AM on 01/21/2009

Tom can give me the Heimlich anytime. He is a looker and he can cook too !!!