Chef Bryan Voltaggio is a true son of the Chesapeake, born and bred in Frederick, Maryland. By the young age of 20 and after having served as sous chef and executive chef at two regional hotel restaurants, Voltaggio made the decision to enroll at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY. Upon graduating, Voltaggio staged at Aureole, in New York City, where he met his mentor chef Charlie Palmer. Following a stint at Michelin three-star Pic restaurant in Valence, France, Voltaggio reunited with Palmer as executive chef at Charlie Palmer Steak in Washington, DC. After almost a decade with Palmer, Voltaggio took a leap of faith and returned to Frederick, Maryland to open VOLT in 2008. In late 2011, Voltaggio expanded with Lunchbox, followed by Family Meal and RANGE in 2012.
Voltaggio is the executive chef and owner of six restaurants including VOLT, Lunchbox, Family Meal, RANGE, and two locations of AGGIO. As a finalist on Top Chef Season 6 and Top Chef Masters Season 5, Voltaggio is the first chef to compete on both Top Chef and Top Chef Masters.
About Home: Recipes to Cook With Family And Friends
Top Chef Masters finalist Bryan Voltaggio’s tribute to the American comfort food he enjoyed growing up, elevated with sophisticated and irresistible new recipes. Bryan Voltaggio brings an authentic love for seasonal, farm-to-table cooking and a playful and distinctive approach to classic dishes in his first solo cookbook. Many of the recipes celebrate his Middle-Atlantic roots in inventive ways, like Crab Waffle Benedict, Chicken Pot Pie Fritters, Sweet Potato and Chickpea Fries, and Spring Onion and Rhubarb Salad.
Voltaggio loves to cook for a crowd and a special occasion, and he has included his menus for the gatherings with family and friends that mean the most to him: weekend brunches, Sunday suppers, Thanksgiving dinner, the Christmas Eve Feast of Seven Fishes, and Super Bowl Sunday. With tips and strategies that will save time and result in unforgettable dishes, Voltaggio proves that the best meals are the ones cooked at home.
