Cooked Up So Far
Brian Malarkey is one of America’s most dynamic and accomplished chefs and restaurateurs, known for his bold culinary vision and flair for concept-driven dining experiences. His portfolio of restaurants generates over $35 million in annual revenue, a testament to his enduring influence in the hospitality industry.
Malarkey leads two distinct restaurant groups: The Puffer Malarkey Collective (PMC) and The Brothers Malarkey. PMC currently operates four acclaimed and stylistically diverse restaurants in San Diego — Herb & Wood, Herb & Sea, Animae, and Le Coq — the latter two helmed by James Beard-nominated Chef Tara Monsod, bringing cutting-edge innovation to the culinary scene.
His newest venture, Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge, is a modern cowboy-inspired restaurant and bar located in his hometown of Bend, Oregon, and is part of The Brothers Malarkey portfolio. In 2025, the group will debut its second highly anticipated concept in Portland, Oregon, continuing its expansion into the Pacific Northwest.
In addition to his restaurants, Malarkey is the founder of Chefs Life, a fast-growing culinary lifestyle brand of premium cooking oils and products available in over 4,000 grocery stores nationwide.
He also runs his own production company, House of Malarkey, where he develops original food and lifestyle content for television. Malarkey is the host of the Food Network’s upcoming reboot, Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out, and is a familiar face to viewers as a frequent judge and contestant on Guy’s Grocery Games, Chopped, Tournament of Champions, and Wildcard Kitchen. He also appears in the new competition series 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing.
A fan favorite from Top Chef Season 3 and Top Chef All-Stars (Season 17), Malarkey went on to win as a mentor on ABC’s The Taste with Anthony Bourdain, cementing his place as one of television’s most engaging and influential culinary personalities.
Most recently, Malarkey has expanded his voice into the world of podcasting. He co-hosts a lively and thought-provoking relationship podcast with his partner, Danielle Harley - The Harley Malarkey Podcast: Old Dog, New Tricks. Blending Gen X wisdom with Millennial insight, the couple dives into honest conversations about modern love, connection, and partnership—with heart, humor, and vulnerability at the center of every episode.
Ranch Roots to Rock Star Kitchens
Born in Portland and raised cowboy-style on a sprawling ranch in Central Oregon, Brian Malarkey’s love of food began early—somewhere between rustling cattle and rustling up dinner for his family. As the son of a single mom, he quickly took the reins in the kitchen, learning the ropes of ranch meals by necessity and discovering a deep affection for the ocean’s bounty during sun-drenched summers on the Oregon coast.
College didn’t quite stick. After flunking out of the University of Portland—where his father jokingly suggested he’d make a better host than a leading man—Malarkey leaned into what he did best: gathering people around unforgettable meals and great cocktails. He enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu in Portland, trading scripts for sauté pans, and never looked back.
Before launching his first restaurant, Malarkey cut his teeth at the legendary Citrus in Hollywood, famously featured on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. There, he had the rare honor of working alongside the great Julia Child in a glass-box kitchen where celebrities peered in like it was prime-time TV. It was loud, fast, thrilling—and he loved every second of it. That “rock star in an apron” feeling never left. It inspired the title of his first—and last—cookbook: Come Early, Stay Late, a nod to the era’s grind-it-out kitchen culture, where 75-hour weeks were paid like 40.
These days, Malarkey is dad to three amazing teenagers—Hunter, Sailor, and Miles—and partner to his equally dynamic soulmate, Harley D. He splits his time between the wild beauty of Central Oregon and the sun-soaked shores of San Diego, continuing to dream up bold new restaurants that bring people together with laughter, stories, and damn good food.
When he’s not lighting up the screen or launching new culinary adventures, Malarkey gives back generously to causes close to his heart. He’s lent his support to organizations like Golden Rule Charity, Rady Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, Berry Good Food Foundation, Chimps Inc., Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Surfer’s Healing, and many more.