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 more than $50 million in annual revenue, a testament to his enduring influence in the hospitality industry.
Brian 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.
The Brothers Malarkey portfolio includes Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge, a modern cowboy-inspired restaurant and bar in Brian’s hometown of Bend, Oregon. Their newest concept, The Malarkey, opened in Portland, Oregon, at the end of July and has already made its mark on the city’s dining scene.
Beyond the restaurants, Brian has expanded his voice into podcasting. He co-hosts The Harley Malarkey Podcast with his partner, Danielle Harley, where Gen X wisdom meets Millennial perspective in honest conversations about modern love, connection, and partnership — with plenty of heart, humor, and vulnerability along the way.
Brian also runs his own production company, House of Malarkey, where he develops original food and lifestyle content for television. He hosted Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen: Knives Out and is a familiar face on Guy’s Grocery Games, Chopped, Tournament of Champions, Wildcard Kitchen, and the competition series 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing.
A fan favorite from Top Chef Season 3 and Top Chef All-Stars (Season 17), Brian also went on to win ABC’s The Taste as a mentor alongside Anthony Bourdain, further cementing his place as one of television’s most recognizable culinary personalities.
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 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.