Service Director

As the service director at VOLT, Johna Ritchie works with almost every person on staff in the restaurant—helping oversee all facets of it with the general manager, bar manager, and sommelier, as well as training and supervising staff. It’s a role that comes to her naturally, as she started at the restaurant in May 2009 as a hostess and server, growing into the management role she had today. "I have learned and continue to learn so much, personally and professionally, every day," she says. "Starting fresh out of school and growing into this role has been an honor."

Ritchie’s journey to working in a world-class restaurant started at a young age in Warsaw, NY. She describes her mother as a "great cook, who cooked almost every dinner we ate, so learning about food was a big part of my childhood." Following her passion, Ritchie enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, in 2005. During her Associate in Occupational Studies program she externed at Charlie Palmer Steak in Washington, D.C., where she first met Chef Bryan Voltaggio. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in culinary management, Ritchie traveled in Europe, and when she came back to the States, she says, "I came home and found Bryan and VOLT, came to Frederick for an interview, and started a few weeks later."

In the two and half years since, Ritchie, 24, has grown from an entry-level position to her current role as service director, putting not only her childhood passion and education to work, but continuing to develop a love of the restaurant business as a whole. "My love for food, culture, and hospitality made my time here at VOLT what it is today," she notes.

Ritchie currently lives in Frederick, MD, and is married to VOLT Sous Chef Graeme Ritchie. When she’s not at the restaurant she enjoys being outdoors, practicing yoga, and, naturally, cooking.