Chefs Kevin Gillespie and Joey Ward, of Gunshow in Atlanta, are bringing back their popular “Hired Guns” series for the third year. This year’s guest chefs will cook dinner on Sunday and Monday—nights Gunshow is normally closed—with a limited number of tickets sold for each night. Kicking off the series is Gillespie’s Top Chef friend and one of Washington, D.C.,’s most recognizable culinary talents, Bryan Voltaggio. Tickets for his January 31 and February 1 dinners are $95 each.

For those who want to attend all six dinners in the series, season tickets are available for $85 per person. Voltaggio’s family of restaurants includes VOLT, Lunchbox, Family Meal, RANGE, and AGGIO, and is a collection of experiences from fine dining culinary adventure to casual comforts and grab-and-go. He has won accolades for his ability to merge tradition and innovation using fresh, local ingredients.

“I have long admired Bryan’s skills and look forward to having him in the kitchen at Gunshow,” Gillespie says. “I’m really excited about all the chefs who are coming this year. At these dinners, the show is the food. We're going to be graced with rock-star chefs giving some of their best performances. Make sure you get your tickets to this show." 

“With only 100 guests dining each night, the setting is intimate and will allow the guest chefs more time to mingle throughout the room,” Ward says. “Hired Guns will still present their signature dishes for all guests to sample alongside favorites from the Gunshow kitchen dudes, including Kevin and me.”

Future additions to the "Hired Guns" lineup are:

March 13-14: Vishwesh Bhatt, executive chef of Snackbar in Oxford, Mississippi, is coming to town with his French brasserie fare and Creole Southern flair.

May 22-23: Brian Baxter from HUSK in Nashville, Tennessee.

June 12-13: Kenny Gilbert of Gilbert's Underground Kitchen in Fernandina Beach, Florida.

Vivian Howard of Chef & the Farmer in Kinston, North Carolina, is lined up for October, and one more surprise chef has yet to be announced.

Hired Guns began in 2013 as a way to lure some of the country’s most talked about chefs to Gunshow for a two-night showcase of their signature flavors and personalities alongside the restaurant’s featured items. For the past two years, this creative collaboration with chefs from around the nation has brought in award-winning talent like Chris Shepherd of Underbelly, John Currence of City Grocery, Joseph "JJ" Johnson from The Cecil, and Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton of Ox. 

"Each chef has blown us away with creativity and passion for what they do, bringing their 'A' game and inspiring us to match it," Gillespie says.