The sixth winner of Bravo’s popular reality series Top Chef will be crowned later tonight, and like last year, when Silver Spring-based caterer Carla Hall climbed her way into the final three, we’ve got a chef-testant with local ties representing in the final three: Volt‘s Bryan Voltaggio.

It’s been a season of mostly ups for Voltaggio, 33, who was born in Frederick and left D.C.’s Charlie Palmer Steak to open Volt in his hometown last year. He is the season’s only contestant never to have faced the chopping block, winning four elimination challenges — including last week’s, which required chefs to compose two dishes using completely local ingredients, a concept close to Voltaggio’s heart. His goat cheese ravioli with delicata squash puree and bronze fennel, along with his fig-glazed short ribs, clinched a finale appearance.

Voltaggio’s serious, level demeanor throughout the show underscored a man who lets his cooking do the talking. Throughout the season, Bryan only became visibly emotional (or agitated) when speaking about the antics of his younger brother, Michael, who was also a contestant this year and joins Bryan in the finals. When talking to the cameras last week about how Michael ticked him off, he delivered the confessional lines with his characteristic monotone. But that’s why we love him!

We caught up with Bryan before tonight’s season finale (10 p.m., Bravo) and discovered the sense of humor behind that cool demeanor. (Yes, he does laugh.)