Michael Costa

Concept Chef, Zaytinya; Washington, DC

Michael Costa is concept chef at Zaytinya, where, together with chef José Andrés, he offers an innovative mezze menu inspired by Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese cuisines served up in a sleek and modern setting. Originally from Alexandria, VA, Michael received a degree in government and foreign affairs from the University of Virginia. After graduating, he moved to Dallas, TX with his brother, where he enrolled in culinary school at El Centro College. Though he had previously spent time waiting tables throughout high school and college, it was his enrollment in culinary school that led him to realize his true passion for cooking. He began his culinary career at Abacus in Dallas, then later moved to Washington, DC, where he worked as a private dining chef at Citronelle before moving to the Michelin-starred restaurant, Michel Rostang, in Paris to work as chef de partie. Once back in the U.S., Michael took an executive chef position at Pazo in Baltimore, MD, where he was nominated for “Chef of the Year” by the Maryland Restaurant Association in 2010, before joining Zaytinya that same year. Beyond cooking, Michael’s favorite part of the industry is having the opportunity to mentor younger chefs, and positively impacting them to achieve their own goals. When he’s not in the kitchen at Zaytinya, Michael enjoys spending time with his two daughters, cooking for his family, and broadening his cooking expertise with podcasts and books. (Washington, DC) @ZaytinyaChef