Bryan Voltaggio (born 1976) is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and author. He is a

Top Chef ''Top Chef'' is an American reality competition television series which premiered on Bravo in March 2006. The show features chefs competing against each other in culinary challenges. The contestants are judged by a panel of professional chefs ...

television series alum; and he was a semi-finalist for the James Beard award. His brother is celebrity chef

Michael Voltaggio Michael Voltaggio (born September 29, 1978) is an American 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, Califo ...

. He resides in

Frederick, Maryland Frederick is a city in, and the county seat of, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. Frederick's population was 78,171 people as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Maryland, second-largest ...

and is known for Mid-Atlantic cuisine.

Early life and education

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

Holiday Inn Holiday Inn by IHG is a chain of hotels based in Atlanta, Georgia and a brand of IHG Hotels & Resorts. The chain was founded in 1952 by Kemmons Wilson (1913–2003), who opened the first location in Memphis, Tennessee. The chain was a division ...

in Frederick, Maryland. 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. Voltaggio received an AOS degree in

culinary art Culinary arts are the cuisine arts of food preparation, cooking, and presentation of food, usually in the form of meals. People working in this field – especially in establishments such as restaurants – are commonly called chefs or ...

s in 1999 from

The Culinary Institute of America The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) is a Private university, private culinary school with its main campus in Hyde Park, New York, and branch campuses in St. Helena, California, St. Helena and Napa, California; San Antonio, Texas; and Singa ...

. He was mentored by chef Charlie Palmer and Gerry Hayden, while working at restaurant ''Aureole''.

Restaurant career

In 2003, Voltaggio worked as the head chef at ''Charlie Palmer Steak.'' Bryan, along with brother Michael, opened ''STRFSH'', a fast-casual fish sandwich shop in

Santa Monica Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

, open from October 2017 to 2021. The Voltaggio brother had co-owned ''Estuary'' in Washington D.C., which operated under their leadership from 2019 until March 2022.

Restaurants

Active

* Voltaggio Brothers Steak House,

MGM National Harbor MGM National Harbor is a casino hotel in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. It opened on December 8, 2016, and cost $1.4 billion. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International. History MG ...

, Oxon Hill (December 2016–present) * Showroom, Frederick (2020–present) * Wye Oak Tavern at Visitation Hotel, Frederick (2024–present)

Closed

Television appearances

Voltaggio was the runner-up of the sixth season of ''

'',

Bravo Bravo(s) or The Bravo(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Groups and labels * Bravo (band), a Russian rock band * Bravo (Spanish group), represented Spain at Eurovision 1984 * Bravo Music, an American concert band music publishing compa ...

's cooking competition show, placing second to his brother,

; subsequently he was also the runner-up on the fifth season of ''

Top Chef Masters ''Top Chef Masters'' is an American reality competition series that aired on the cable television network Bravo (American TV network), Bravo, and premiered June 10, 2009. It is a spinoff (media), spinoff of Bravo's hit show ''Top Chef''. In the ...

'', and again runner-up to Melissa King on the seventeenth season of Top Chef: All-Stars L.A. He was the first chef to compete on both Top Chef and Top Chef Masters. In 2022, both Voltaggio brothers appeared on season three of Guy Fieri's '' Tournament of Champions'' on the

Food Network Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery, who manages and operates it as a division of the Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks Group. The channel airs both televi ...

Awards, nominations and accolades

* 2010

James Beard Foundation Award The James Beard Foundation Awards are annual awards presented by the James Beard Foundation to recognize chefs, restaurateurs, authors and journalists in the United States. They are scheduled around James Beard's May 5 birthday. The media awar ...

"Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic" Nominee * 2012

"Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic" Semi-finalist

Personal life

Voltaggio lives in Maryland with his wife Jennifer and their three children.

Publications

* * *

References

External links

* *
Showroom Restaurant websiteThacher & Rye Restaurant website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Voltaggio, Bryan 1976 births Chefs from Maryland American male chefs Culinary Institute of America alumni Living people People from Frederick, Maryland