Originally from Frederick, Maryland, Michael Voltaggio became known as the Chef de Cuisine at Bazaar by Jose Andres. He studied cooking via the Greenbrier Hotel Culinary Apprenticeship Program and says his favorite summer recipe is soft poached egg with morel mushrooms, fava beans, and Jamon Iberico consommé. He boasts of several culinary awards under his belt, including the AAA 55 Diamond and Mobil Award. He also has a James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant. He gained fame for winning the sixth season of Bravo's Top Chef. He was even in the competition against his brother, Bryan. Since then, he has participated in food festivals and cooking competitions like 2010's Philadelphia Food & Wine Festival. He then returned to season seven of Top Chef, assisting eventual winner Kevin Sbraga.