Local chefs find success in California
as Paramount Pictures and Fox Studios are nearby.
Inspired by the city’s diverse ethnicities, cultures and industries, Voltaggio has coined the food at ink. and the ambience as “Modern Los Angeles” — where the Getty Museum, Rodeo Drive and the lush Hollywood Hills all beckon.
Fresh and organic ingredients drive his food ambitions, as he aims to create a multisensory experience. “The produce here in California is some of the best in the world,” he said.
In a region whose dynamic dining scene ranges from food trucks to groundbreaking chefs like Wolgang Puck and Alice Waters, his menu changes seasonally. A recent peek revealed fare that critics have praised as “playful,” “visually stunning” and “flawlessly executed.” Think kale pasta with kale pesto, pecorino and pumpkin seeds, or Baja sea bass with uni butter and a mushroom pancake.
The 38-year-old chef launched his culinary career in high school, working for his older brother, chef Bryan Voltaggio, at a hotel kitchen in their hometown. By 19, he’d landed a prestigious apprenticeship at the Greenbrier in West Virginia. He went on to four-star restaurants such as The Bazaar by José Andrés in Beverly Hills.
Voltaggio’s artisanal sandwich concept, Sack Sandwiches, is situated in the same complex as ink., but has its own space.
Customers can munch on 4-inch-thick sammies that are unique yet familiar: cold fried chicken, a Vietnamese banh mi, or a take on a Spanish omelet. House-made spicy “crab” potato chips are on the menu, too. Hungry air travelers can find a smaller sandwich outpost — ink. sack — inside the Los Angeles International (LAX) airport.
Along the way, Voltaggio has gained fame on “Top Chef” (Season 6 competitors in 2009 included his brother) and hosted the Travel Channel series “Breaking Borders.” In 2013, he was recognized as one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs.
“I’m 100 percent about the food. Being a chef is not about being a TV star — although there are privileges,” he said.