Brian Batsel


A former Navy officer, Brian Batsel developed a love of cooking and exploring new cuisines during his Navy travels throughout the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and the Pacific. 

His final sea tour on a patrol boat in Key West led him to appreciate catching and cooking the freshest seafood, while enjoying the tropical ingredients and influences found in “Keys Cuisine”.  Brian left the Navy in 1990 to pursue his passion to be a chef. 

He graduated with honors in 1991 from L’Academie Cuisine in Bethesda, MD.  Since then, he has worked his way up from line cook, to sous-chef, to chef de cuisine, and finally as chef/owner of his own fine dining restaurant.  Brian worked with renowned southwestern chef Mark Miller while opening Red Sage restaurant, as well as with French two-star Michelin chef, Gerard Panguad. 

Brian’s restaurant and hotel experience includes work at Red Sage, Gerard’s Place, The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, and The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, where he was chef de cuisine.  Chef Batsel combined his knowledge of Southwestern, French, and Asian cuisines when operating his own successful restaurant, Café Atlantis, in Amelia Island, Florida.  Currently on hiatus from the restaurant business in order to have more time for his family, Brian teaches school here in Vienna at Wolftrap Elementary School. 

Brian is excited to be sharing his love of cooking with students at Culinaria – from basic knife skills and stocks to exciting regional cuisines. Brian is ServSafe certified in the DC Metro area.


A former Navy officer, Brian Batsel developed a love of cooking and exploring new cuisines during his Navy travels throughout the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and the Pacific. 

His final sea tour on a patrol boat in Key West led him to appreciate catching and cooking the freshest seafood, while enjoying the tropical ingredients and influences found in “Keys Cuisine”.  Brian left the Navy in 1990 to pursue his passion to be a chef. 

He graduated with honors in 1991 from L’Academie Cuisine in Bethesda, MD.  Since then, he has worked his way up from line cook, to sous-chef, to chef de cuisine, and finally as chef/owner of his own fine dining restaurant.  Brian worked with renowned southwestern chef Mark Miller while opening Red Sage restaurant, as well as with French two-star Michelin chef, Gerard Panguad. 

Brian’s restaurant and hotel experience includes work at Red Sage, Gerard’s Place, The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, and The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, where he was chef de cuisine.  Chef Batsel combined his knowledge of Southwestern, French, and Asian cuisines when operating his own successful restaurant, Café Atlantis, in Amelia Island, Florida.  Currently on hiatus from the restaurant business in order to have more time for his family, Brian teaches school here in Vienna at Wolftrap Elementary School. 

Brian is excited to be sharing his love of cooking with students at Culinaria – from basic knife skills and stocks to exciting regional cuisines. Brian is ServSafe certified in the DC Metro area.