Chef Michael Voltaggio has been in the kitchen since he was 15 years old. By 21, he had completed his formal training at the Greenbrier Culinary Apprenticeship Program. He was immediately hired to work at the Ritz Carlton in Naples, where he first immersed himself with what were considered unconventional techniques, enabling him to cook adventurously with increased precision and informing his signature style. Michael has helmed the kitchens for a number of esteemed chefs and restaurants, including Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, where he earned a Michelin star, and the Bazaar by José Andrés in Beverly Hills.
Voltaggio was a finalist for the James Beard Best New Restaurant award in 2000, the same year he also earned the title of Top Chef on Bravo TV’s Emmy award-winning show. He has established a reputation for what critics heralded as “serious” food that is playful, visually stunning and flawlessly executed.