Hey V-Fans,

Guess what? Bryan is a 2011 RAMMY Award finalist for Chef of the Year! The RAMMY Awards recognize and award excellence and achievement in the DC Metropolitan restaurant industry. The theme this year is “Carnevale da Cuisine,” and celebrates the international and multi-cultural carnevale of cuisine in the DC area.

Way to go, Bryan!

Bryan has also been tweeting about his new collaboration with Flying Dog called Backyard Ale.

Flying Dog Brewmaster Matt Brophy teamed up with Bryan to create a smoked amber ale that’s the perfect complement to all things grilled, charred, broiled, roasted, and (obviously) smoked!

Looks like a very tasty adult beverage! We will be sure to stay on top of its release to the world at large…yum!

In other news, it seems Michael is in the midst of new project himself, at least according to this recent tweet:

This book sounds like it will be flying off the shelves! We can’t wait!

That’s it for this week’s Voltaggio update. Here’s some great advice via Michael’s twitter to hold you over until next week:

You're welcome.

Please leave any and all questions or thoughts in the comment section below. Enjoy!

Hey V-fans,

Check out some of the great photos the Voltaggio brothers snapped during their recent trip to Sonoma for the Pigs & Pinot event:

Looks like a good year!


Suckling pig...yum!


What's the matter, Bryan...too much pork n' wine?

And once the brothers left Sonoma, they went straight to work on some new BBQ recipes for @Williams-Sonoma! Check it out:

Also, word has it that Michael's new place, ink., has a fresh paint-job and is now set to open in May...

That's it for this week's Voltaggio update! Check back next Friday to find out what's happening in Voltaggio-land. Enjoy!

Hey V-Fans,

As promised, here's the fishy discovery we made regarding Michael's new restaurant, ink.

How fun! We love how inventive and playful Michael is when it comes to putting together his delicious and creative menus—we can't wait for ink. to open! How do you feel about his take on every kid's favorite fishy finger-food?

And now, at a user's request, we have for your viewing pleasure—an informative yet entertaining video of Michael making bread in a microwave!

That's it for this week's Voltaggio update. Check back next week for more delicious details about what the V-bros are up to. Enjoy!

Hey V-Fans!

If you live in the D.C. area, get ready for Cochon 555! This is a one-of-a-kind traveling culinary competition and tasting event, comprised of five chefs, five pigs, five wine makers, to promote sustainable farming of heritage breed pigs.

The D.C. event takes place on March 13, when Bryan and four other chefs will each prepare a 175-pound heritage breed hog from head to toe for this friendly competition for charity. Guests will sample the chef's creations along with wines from five small producers, and help choose one local champ! Tickets are $125 per person. Click HERE for more information.

Like we mentioned last week, Bryan and Michael recently finished the last leg of the #fireandsmoketour sponsored by @Williams-Sonoma. And according to Twitter, there may be more to come regarding this BBQ-road-trip-extravaganza:

Check out this great photo of Michael fooling around in a smoke pit (we especially like the caption!):

Last week, Bryan co-hosted the Barilla Interactive Lunch with Claire Robinson at the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival. The afternoon began with hundreds of guests munching on ham and cheese appetizer sandwiches, and once the wine started flowing, Bryan took to the stage and taught guests how to make his main course of balsamic-marinated hanger stake with polenta.

Photo Credit: WorldRedEye.com

That's it for this week's Voltaggio update! Check back next Friday, and please leave your comments, questions, and general musings below. Enjoy!

Photo: StarChefs.com 2010 International Chefs Congress

Hey V-fans!

The holidays are quickly approaching, which means Esquire is currently featuring their “Eat Like a Man Thanksgiving Chef Survey.” Among the expert chefs featured in the survey is our very own Bryan Voltaggio, who had this to say in regards to ruining his first Thanksgiving turkey (or should we say, turkeys!)…

"I ruined 16 of them when I worked for a hotel in Frederick [in Maryland] around age 16 or 17. I set the temperature too high the night before, and they were ruined the next day. Didn't get fired, but it was the biggest lesson in the kitchen. Ever."

In other news, Michael was recently named a finalist for Eater LA's Los Angeles Chef of the Year in the 2010 Eater Awards! Check out all of the other nominees, finalists, and big winners HERE.

Not to be out done by his little brother, Bryan was recently honored with the Innovative Firm of the Year Award for the positive impact VOLT has had on Frederick’s local economy.

According to the Frederick County Business Development Advisory Council and Frederick County Office of Economic Development, Bryan received this honor for playing an integral role in making Frederick a "culinary tourism destination," and for being a major supporter of the local agricultural community. Read more about Bryan’s prestigious award HERE.

Bryan and his VOLT business partner, Hilda Staples.

That's it for this week's Voltaggio update. Leave your thoughts and questions about the V-bros in the comment section below and check back next week for another Voltaggio information overload. Enjoy!

Hey V-Fans,

Hopefully all of you have fully recovered from your Halloween candy-hangovers by now (we're still working on ours). Either way, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the holiday for just a moment longer, in order to recognize the very creative trick-or-treater pictured below.

Picture from @ElvioG Tweeted at @MVoltaggio

A magnificent Michael Voltaggio Halloween costume if ever we saw one! Why didn’t we think of that? Nicely done.

Hmm…it appears as though Bravotv.com recently sent a spy, ahem, we mean Senior Editor Monica Reyhani (pictured with Bryan below) to check out Bryan’s restaurant VOLT. Read her shining review HERE.

The Gourmet Pigs blog currently features a fabulous review of Michael's work at a recent dinner event at Sashi in Manhattan Beach—where Michael prepared a Thai inspired Wagyu Beef dish. Check out the photos below and read more about this tasty meal HERE.

According to Grub Street LA, The Langham, aka Micheal Votlaggio's old stomping ground, is set to welcome a new restaurant, The Royce, on Friday, November 12. Rumor has it the Pasadena restaurant will have a farm-to-table menu that mixes California cuisine with technique-heavy American (dare we say, Voltaggio-esque) dishes. For more information, click HERE.

Well friends, that’s it for this week’s Voltaggio update. Join us again next week, same time, same place. And as always, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below. Enjoy!