Brothers Bryan and Michael Voltaggio competed against one another on “Top Chef” and have run restaurants across the nation. Now, they’re opening a concept together in their hometown of Frederick, Maryland.
Michael posted on Instagram Tuesday that after almost 20 years living in Los Angeles, “I’m looking forward to getting back to my roots working with my brother @bryanvoltaggio on this long anticipated homecoming.”
Their Wye Oak Tavern, a tavern and steakhouse, will launch in a few weeks inside Frederick’s Visitation Hotel at 211 E. Church St.
The eatery takes its name from a centuries-old oak tree in Talbot County as well as the white oak, the official tree of Maryland. In addition to steak, the menu will offer pastas, seafood and local game. The décor includes stained glass windows, an upstairs organ and a bar atop a deconsecrated altar.
The Voltaggios will also be behind a grab-and-go café and espresso bar called Acorn Provisions as well as all event catering for the hotel.
Earlier this year, Bryan stunned local foodies when he announced he was stepping away from his Frederick restaurant Thacher & Rye, which had replaced his acclaimed eatery Volt. He previously opened and closed two restaurants in Baltimore: Inner Harbor eateries Family Meal and Aggio, as well as a branch of Family Meal in Frederick.
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While Bryan has lived in Frederick throughout his career, the brothers have in the past collaborated on concepts like Retro, a one-year residency inside Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, as well as the Voltaggio Brothers Steak House at MGM National Harbor, which is still in operation. They also own Vulcania in Mammoth Lakes, California, and a nationwide concept called Volt Burger, which is a partnership with Live Nation.
The duo competed against one another during the sixth season of “Top Chef”; Michael won. Michael was the chef for a Michelin-starred restaurant and was a finalist for the James Beard Best New Restaurant award in 2009, while Bryan has been a Beard nominee and semifinalist.
Visitation Hotel, located in a former convent and Catholic school of the same name, is downtown Frederick’s first hotel opening in 50 years, according to a press release. It launches this month under Marriott Bonvoy’s Tribute Portfolio.
The school closed in 2016 after a more than 150-year run. Visitation Academy was founded in 1846 as a Catholic boarding school for girls; nuns there cared for soldiers during the Civil War. Reimagined as a hotel, it will belong to the Historic Hotels of America program. The broader property is also home to 10 condos, with plans to build more over the next five years.
The 65-room boutique hotel’s décor pays cheeky tribute to its past use, with rosary beads used to hang “do not disturb” signs. Historic artifacts found during construction have been sprinkled through the guestrooms.
Developer Jim O’Hare is behind the hotel, together with business partner Lance Jaccard of OTJ Architects. O’Hare’s previous work includes properties in Fells Point, Annapolis and Lewes, Delaware. In a statement, he said he’s passionate about bringing “new life to spaces that have contributed so much to the surrounding historic districts.”
Correction: This story has been updated to correct the day Michael Voltaggio posted on Instagram, and how long he’s lived in Los Angeles.
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