Chef
Michael Costa
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Washington DC, Washington DC, United States
i. Biography
Michael Costa’s career reads like a study in movement: from classrooms to kitchens, from Paris to Washington, D.C, from Baltimore to a return to the place that has become central to his professional identity. At every stop, the work seems to have sharpened the same sensibility—precise, hospitality-minded, and alert to the small pleasures that make a meal linger in memory. Costa trained at University of Virginia and El Centro College before beginning his rise in the kitchen as chef de partie at Michel Rostang in Paris, France. The Paris chapter carries its own quiet glamour, but what is notable in Costa’s trajectory is not simply the geography; it is the way each kitchen appears to have deepened his command of craft. He later served as private dining chef at Citronelle in Washington, D.C, where the intimacy of the setting would have demanded a different kind of attention, more exacting and more personal, before taking on larger leadership roles as head chef at Zaytinya in Washington, D.C, and executive chef at Pazo in Baltimore, MD. He also worked with ThinkFoodGroup, adding another layer to a career already shaped by ambition, discipline, and adaptability.
The Path
Michael Costa trained at University of Virginia and El Centro College before beginning his rise in the kitchen as chef de partie at Michel Rostang in Paris, France. He later served as private dining chef at Citronelle in Washington, D.C, then as head chef at Zaytinya in Washington, D.C, and executive chef at Pazo in Baltimore, MD. Today, Michael is concept chef of Zaytinya.
The Work Today
Costa’s work includes Zaytinya in Washington, D.C. His approach to hospitality suggests a chef who understands that dining is never just about the plate in front of a guest; it is also about memory, anticipation, and the emotional texture of an occasion. “Annual rituals naturally bring out nostalgia.” For Costa, that nostalgia is not an obstacle to creativity but a starting point. He sees the challenge in honoring what people arrive expecting while still surprising them in a way that feels effortless rather than forced. “The key is to nod to what guests expect, then add just enough of a twist to make it interesting; that balance is what creates a truly memorable experience.” It is a succinct philosophy, but one that carries the weight of experience: respect the familiar, then gently shift the angle so the familiar becomes newly vivid.
In Their Words “The key is to nod to what guests expect, then add just enough of a twist to make it interesting; that balance is what creates a truly memorable experience.” “Big game food doesn’t have to be heavy or processed to be comforting and satisfying.”
Acclaim
Michael's honors include Chef of the Year Nominee (2010). Across his career, Costa has moved between kitchens of different scale and style, yet the thread remains consistent: a belief that good hospitality lives in the details, and that the most memorable meals are often those that feel both reassuring and just a little unexpected. That sensibility seems especially apt for Zaytinya, where his current role as concept chef places him at the intersection of tradition, interpretation, and the patient art of making guests feel at ease.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Michael
What is Michael Costa's current role?
As of 2026, Michael Costa is Head Chef.
Where did Michael Costa train or study?
Michael Costa trained at University of Virginia and El Centro College.
What recognition has Michael Costa received?
Chef of the Year Nominee (2010).
