The Voltaggio brothers, Bryan and Michael, talk about when to expect a new restaurant in Maryland and changes to the steakhouse’s menu

Celebrity chefs Bryan Voltaggio and Michael Voltaggio, known together as the Voltaggio Brothers, grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland and got their start in the food industry at a Holiday Inn.

In an interview with WTOP, Bryan joked that the hotel, which has since been renamed, was “the premier hotel in Frederick, Maryland, at the time.” It was the first kitchen he and his brother Michael shared. Soon, the brothers will be working together again on another hotel restaurant project.

At the beginning of this year, The Washington Post He said the brothers plan to open a restaurant, called Wye Oak Tavern, in the nearly 170-year-old Visitation Academy in downtown Frederick, Maryland.

The former Catholic convent and boarding school for girls is currently being redeveloped by developer Jim O’Hare into three new condominium buildings, plus a Marriott-affiliated boutique hotel.

In an interview with the chefs, WTOP learned of the opening of Wye Oak Tavern It is scheduled for this fall.

While Bryan couldn’t provide any information about the menu or other details, he said the brothers are excited to open the doors to the public in the future: “It’s a bigger place. It’s a bigger opportunity.”

WTOP met with Bryan and Michael at their 8-year-old restaurant, known as the Voltaggio Brothers SteakhouseLocated at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, the restaurant represents “the home we always wanted to grow up in,” according to Michael, as well as the brothers’ first business partnership.

Since opening the restaurant in 2016, the brothers have partnered on STRFSH in Los Angeles and Estuary at CityCenterDC’s luxurious Conrad Washington, DC hotel. However, STRFSH has since closed and The Voltaggio brothers split from Estuary in 2022.

According DC Dining RoomThe brothers are also partners with Live Nation and have 47 Volt Burger locations nationwide, including one at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia.

The couple first rose to fame on the sixth season of the competition television show, “Top Chef,” which originally aired in 2009. That season, Michael won against his brother, Bryan, who came in second place.

As for what to expect next from the brothers, the Updated menu for the Voltaggio Brothers Steak House includes what Michael describes as “an ellipsis of everything.”

“It’s traditional steakhouse food, but each item on the menu comes with its own surprise,” Michael said.

Some of the versions now on the menu include the Blue Crab Pop Tart, which features a crab cake inside a buttery puff pastry crust and is topped with Louis sauce and Old Bay seasoning, and the Voltaggi O’s, which is an O-shaped pasta dish with chicken parmigiana meatballs and arrabbiata sauce.

Bryan told WTOP he is proud of the region and what can be found there.

“It’s a very interesting food scene,” Bryan said. “It’s probably one of the best in the country right now… I’ve seen it evolve over the last 20-plus years and it’s been amazing to be a part of it.”

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered straight to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2024 WTOP. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.