Bryan Voltaggio

Last updated
Bryan Voltaggio
Born1976 (age 47–48)
Frederick, Maryland, U.S.
Education Culinary Institute of America
SpouseJennifer Covell [1]
Culinary career
Cooking styleModern American
Current restaurant(s)
    • Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse, National Harbor, MD (2016),
    • Showroom, Frederick, MD (2020),
    • Thacher & Rye, Frederick, MD (2020)
Previous restaurant(s)
    • VOLT, Frederick, MD (2008–2020),
    • Aggio, Baltimore, MD (2014–2018),
    • Family Meal, Baltimore, MD (2015–2016),
    • STRFSH, Santa Monica, CA (2017–2021),
    • Estuary, Washington, DC (2019–2022)
Television show(s)

Bryan Voltaggio (born 1976) [2] is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and author. He is a Top Chef television series alum; and he was a semi-finalist for the James Beard award. [3] [4] His brother is celebrity chef Michael Voltaggio. [4] [5] [6] He resides in Frederick, Maryland and is known for Mid-Atlantic cuisine.

Contents

Early life and education

Bryan Voltaggio was the oldest of three children, born to Sharon and John Voltaggio. [7] At age 7, his parents divorced and the children initially lived with their mother, and later moved to their father's house. [7] Starting in childhood, brothers Bryan and Michael were very close. [7] He attended Governor Thomas Johnson High School. [1] He is married to Jennifer Covell, whom he met in high school; and together they have three children. [1]

His first job was as a busboy at a Holiday Inn in Frederick, Maryland. [7] He took a vocational culinary program at Frederick Community College while attending Governor Thomas Johnson High School and by age 15, he was given the role of cook. [7]

Voltaggio received an AOS degree in culinary arts in 1999 from The Culinary Institute of America. [7] He was mentored by chef Charlie Palmer and Gerry Hayden, while working at restaurant Aureole. [7] [8] [9]

Restaurant career

In 2003, Voltaggio worked as the head chef at Charlie Palmer Steak. [7]

Bryan, along with brother Michael, opened STRFSH, a fast-casual fish sandwich shop in Santa Monica, open from October 2017 to 2021. [10] The Voltaggio brother had co-owned Estuary in Washington D.C., which operated under their leadership from 2019 until March 2022. [11]

Restaurants

Active

  • Voltaggio Brothers Steak House, MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill (December 2016–present) [12]
  • Thacher & Rye, Frederick (2020–present) [13]
  • Showroom, Frederick (2020–present)

Closed

  • VOLT, Frederick (2008–2020) [13]
  • Aggio, Baltimore (2014–2018) [14]
  • Family Meal, Baltimore (2015–August 2016) [14]
  • STRFSH, Santa Monica (2017–2021) [15]
  • Estuary, Washington D.C. (2019–March 2022) [11]
  • Lunchbox, Frederick, MD

Television appearances

Voltaggio was the runner-up of the fifth season of Top Chef Masters , runner-up of the sixth season of Top Chef , Bravo's cooking competition show, placing second to his brother, Michael Voltaggio; [16] and also a runner-up to Melissa King on the seventeenth season of Top Chef: All-Stars L.A. [17] He was the first chef to compete on both Top Chef and Top Chef Masters. [18]

By becoming the runner-up on his second season of regular Top Chef, Voltaggio became the only chef to compete on multiple Top Chef seasons and not be eliminated.

In 2022, both Voltaggio brothers appeared on season three of Guy Fieri's Tournament of Champions on the Food Network. [19] [20]

Awards, nominations and accolades

Personal life

Voltaggio lives in Maryland with his wife Jennifer and their three children: son Thacher, and daughters Piper Wren and Ever Maeve. [22]

Publications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocco DiSpirito</span> American chef

Rocco DiSpirito is an American chef and reality television personality based in New York City, known for starring in the series The Restaurant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Colicchio</span> American celebrity chef (born 1962)

Thomas Patrick Colicchio is an American celebrity chef. He co-founded the Gramercy Tavern in New York City, and formerly served as a co-owner and as the executive chef. He is also the founder of Crafted Hospitality, which includes Craft, Temple Court (NYC), Craftsteak and Small Batch restaurants. Colicchio is the recipient of five James Beard Foundation Awards for cooking accomplishments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Mina</span> American chef

Michael Mina is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author. He is the founder of the Mina Group, a restaurant management company operating over 40 restaurants worldwide. He is the executive chef at his two namesake restaurants in San Francisco and Las Vegas, which each have earned a star in the Michelin Guide. He authored his first cookbook in 2006 and has made numerous television appearances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiffani Faison</span> American chef

Tiffani Faison is an American celebrity chef and restaurateur. She is based in Boston, has served as a judge on Food Network's television series Chopped, and is a four-time James Beard Award Finalist for Best Chef: Northeast. She was the winner of Season 3 of Tournament of Champions and was named Boston's Best Chef by Boston Magazine in 2022. She was one of two finalists on the first season of Bravo's reality show Top Chef, where she finished second to Harold Dieterle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ilan Hall</span> American chef

Ilan D. Hall is an American chef, television personality, and restaurateur. He won the second season of Top Chef, and is owner-chef of Ramen Hood in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Blais</span> American chef

Richard Blais is an American chef, television personality, restaurateur, and author. He appeared on the reality show cooking show Top Chef, and is known for his take on classic American cuisine. Blais was the runner-up for the fourth season of Top Chef and returned several seasons later to win Top Chef: All-Stars.

Charlie Palmer is an American chef, hospitality entrepreneur, hotelier, and author. He is best known for Aureole, his flagship restaurant in New York City, which has earned 13 Michelin stars and two James Beard awards. Considered a “pioneer of progressive American cooking,” Palmer has received over 20 Michelin stars and consults 15 F&B outlets through the Charlie Palmer Collective.

Kevin Gillespie is an American chef, author and former Top Chef contestant. He is a former co-owner and executive chef at Woodfire Grill in Atlanta. He opened Gunshow, a restaurant in Atlanta, in 2013 and Revival, a restaurant in Decatur, Georgia, in 2015. Gillespie also started Red Beard Restaurants, allowing Gillespie to expand and provide consulting services to other start-ups. Kevin Gillespie's Gamechanger opened in August 2017 on the 200 concourse western end zone of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Michael Voltaggio is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and author. He is a Top Chef television series alum and the winner of season 6. His brother Bryan Voltaggio is also a celebrity chef. He resides in Los Angeles, California.

Tiffany Derry is an American celebrity chef and restaurateur. She is a Top Chef television series alumna, and known for her appearances on Cutthroat Kitchen and Hungry Investors. She is based in Dallas, Texas.

Dale Talde is an American chef, television personality, and cookbook author, best known for competing on two seasons of the Bravo reality television cooking competition series Top Chef: Top Chef: Chicago in 2008 and Top Chef: All-Stars in 2010–11. Although Talde finished in sixth place in both Top Chef seasons, he has been called to guest-judge in the show several times, making him one of the show's most popular cast members. He has also hosted Tastemade's Up in My Grill, was the head judge in Knife Fight season 4, and guest-judged in Top Chef Amateurs, Chopped, Chopped Junior and Beat Bobby Flay. He has also been called to compete on Top Chef Duels, Celebrity Chopped and Iron Chef America. in 2022, Talde was nominated for a James Beard Award - Best Chef in New York. Talde is Filipino-American.

Michael Solomonov is an Israeli chef known for his restaurants in Center City, Philadelphia. His first restaurant Zahav, founded in 2008, has received national recognition including the James Beard Foundation "Outstanding Restaurant" in 2019. Solomonov was also awarded Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2011, Cookbook of the Year in 2016, and Outstanding Chef in 2017 from the James Beard Foundation. In 2021, The New York Times named his restaurant Laser Wolf as one of "the 50 places in America we're most excited about right now."

Naomi Pomeroy, born in Corvallis, Oregon, in 1974, is a professional chef and restaurateur. In an interview, Pomeroy explains that she began cooking at the age of three and created her first recipe at the age of four. She graduated from Lewis & Clark College in 1997 with a degree in history. Pomeroy has no formal culinary or business training; she developed her skills by watching other food-industry professionals. In 2007, she opened the restaurant Beast in Portland, Oregon. Previously, she started Gotham Tavern, Gotham Coffee shop, and ClarkLewis restaurant with Michael Hebb. In 2013, Working Mother magazine featured an article which details Pomeroy's experiences as a working single parent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mashama Bailey</span> American chef

Mashama Bailey is an American chef trained in French technique who is currently cooking Southern cuisine. In 2019, Bailey was awarded a James Beard Award as best chef of the southeast. In 2022, Bailey was awarded a James Beard Award as Outstanding Chef.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Akunowicz</span> American chef

Karen Akunowicz is an American chef in Boston, Massachusetts.

Gregory Gourdet is an American chef, writer, restaurateur, and former finalist on the twelfth and seventeenth seasons of Bravo's American reality television series, Top Chef. He is of Haitian descent. He is the owner of the restaurant Kann and the former executive chef and culinary director of Departure at The Nines in Portland, Oregon. His book, Everyone’s Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health, is a national bestseller.

Stephanie Cmar is an American private chef and television personality best known for competing on three seasons of Top Chef. Cmar was a finalist in Top Chef: All-Stars L.A.

Mei Lin is a Chinese-born American chef and television personality, best known as the winner of the twelfth season of the Bravo television network's reality television series, Top Chef. After winning Top Chef in 2014, Lin worked as a personal chef for Oprah Winfrey before going on to open her first restaurant, Nightshade in Los Angeles in 2019. She became engaged to her fiancé Andrew Skala on January 14, 2023. On April 9, 2023, Lin won the fourth season of Food Network's Tournament of Champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christina Wilson</span> American chef and reality television personality

Christina Michelle Wilson is an American chef and reality television personality. She was the winner of season 10 of the FOX Network's reality cooking show Hell's Kitchen. She was awarded the position of chef de cuisine at Gordon Ramsay Steak at the Paris Las Vegas. During 2014 Wilson was the Executive Chef of Gordon Ramsay BurGR at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas. In 2015, she became the Corporate Executive Chef of Gordon Ramsay Restaurant Group. In 2016 and from 2018 onward, she has also returned to Hell's Kitchen as a Sous-chef. Since 2020, she has been the VP Culinary at Gordon Ramsay North America.

Carrie Baird is an American chef and businesswoman. She is a Top Chef alumna and restaurateur.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Family Style". Baltimore Style. February 23, 2015. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  2. ↑ "Voltaggio, Bryan 1976-". OCLC WorldCat Identities.
  3. ↑ "One Top Chef Contestant Has Been Runner-Up Three Times - But Never Won". CBR. 2021-12-03. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  4. 1 2 Holl, Joel (November 20, 2014). "Life of Bryan". Baltimore Magazine. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  5. ↑ "'Top Chef' favorites the Voltaggio brothers battle it out in new cooking competition". The Mercury News. 2021-06-15. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  6. ↑ "'Top Chef' favorites the Voltaggio brothers battle it out in new cooking competition". Daily News. 2021-06-11. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Bryan Voltaggio: From a teenager 'amok' to 'Top Chef Masters'". Washington Post. July 23, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Top Chef - Bios - Bryan Voltaggio | Bravo TV Official Site". Bravo. Archived from the original on 2010-09-16. Retrieved 2010-09-21.
  9. ↑ Ulla, Gabe (2011-07-05). "Bryan Voltaggio on the Importance of Balance in Cooking". Eater. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  10. ↑ Kang, Matthew (2017-10-31). "Michael and Bryan Voltaggio's STRFSH grills fish sandwiches in Santa Monica starting today". Eater LA. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  11. 1 2 Plumb, Tierney (2022-03-22). "Estuary Returns With New Mid-Atlantic Delicacies — and No More Voltaggio Brothers". Eater DC. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  12. ↑ Sietsema, Tom (April 12, 2017). "Voltaggio Brothers Steak House Review". Washington Post.
  13. 1 2 "Bryan Voltaggio's Frederick restaurant Volt reopens as Thacher & Rye". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  14. 1 2 Yeager, Amanda (December 20, 2018). "Court rules Bryan Voltaggio owes Cordish $3.1M over shuttered Baltimore restaurants". Bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  15. ↑ Saria, Lauren (2022-11-01). "The Voltaggio Brothers Are Opening an Italian Restaurant at This Upscale California Ski Resort". Eater SF. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  16. ↑ "'Top Chef' Winners: Where Are They Now?". Us Weekly. 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  17. ↑ "Who Won Top Chef All Stars: L.A.?". E! Online. 2020-06-19. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  18. ↑ Canavan, Hillary Dixler (2013-09-26). "Douglas Keane: Winner of Top Chef Masters Season 5". Eater. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  19. ↑ "Tournament of Champions III: Battle Recap – Week 6". Guilty Eats. 2022-04-05. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  20. ↑ Del Rosario, Alexandra (2022-01-18). "Guy Fieri's 'Tournament Of Champions' Renewed For Season 3 At Food Network". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  21. 1 2 "James Beard Foundation search for Volt". James Beard Foundation. Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  22. ↑ "It's a Girl For Bryan Voltaggio and Wife!". Bravo. 2013-07-13. Retrieved 2013-10-01.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.