You may know him best as the head judge on Bravo’s popular “Top Chef” television program, but it’s in the kitchen where chef Tom Colicchio truly shines. And the lucky diners who attend the beer dinner at Colicchio’s award-winning Craftsteak at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods on March 11 will see — TomColicchio_chefwide_highresand taste — why.

Reservations for the exclusive event, which begins at 7 p.m., are available by calling 860.312.7272 for $150, inclusive of tax and service charge.

At the dinner, Colicchio’s five-course tasting menu will be paired with specialty beers from the Brooklyn Brewery, which has garnered worldwide respect for its flavorful interpretations of traditional brews. Colicchio and brew master Garrett Oliver will be on hand to discuss the menu and beer selections.

In December for the second consecutive year, the acclaimed Craftsteak at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods received the coveted AAA-Four Diamond Award. Only 3.5 percent of AAA Diamond-rated restaurants and lodgings received the 2010 Four Diamond designation.

Tom Colicchio’s Craftsteak celebrates the flavors of the best seasonal ingredients sourced from small family farms and the world’s top ranchers. Several ages of beef are always featured on the Craftsteak menu, allowing guests to experience the diverse flavors and textures of aged beef. The menu offers a wide selection of steaks, including corn-fed and grass-fed beef and various cuts of Wagyu beef. Craftsteak also serves an array of the freshest fish and shellfish.

– guest contributor