Travis Wright Bio, Wiki
Travis Wright was a celebrated chef and owner of The Shark on the Harbor restaurant in Ocean City, Maryland. He is reported to have died on August 18th, 2019 at the age 45 according to Burbage Funeral Home.
Travis Wright Background and Education
Wright was originally from Arlington, Virginia, and attended college in Charleston, South Carolina. Wright grew up spending summers in Ocean City. It was there that he would later open a restaurant, The Shark on the Harbor, which he ran for nearly two decades with his wife, Jody Kelly Wright.
Travis Wright Maryland’s Chef
Travis Wright was was the owner of The Shark on the Harbor restaurant in Ocean City, Maryland. He Was Named as Maryland’s Chef of the Year in 2014. In a tribute to Wright, the Restaurant Association of Maryland says that in 2014, Wright was named as Maryland’s Chef of the Year.
The Shark on the Harbor has been in its current location for 10 years. According to his obituary, Wright had run the restaurant since 2000. The tribute says that a celebration of Wright’s life will take place on September 4 at The Shark on the Harbor.
The restaurant was featured by the Baltimore Sun earlier in August 2019. Wright told the newspaper at the time that he worked seven days a week in order to keep in touch with local seafood suppliers to ensure his restaurant got the freshest fish and seafood.
Travis Wright Wife (Jody Kelly) & Son
Travis Wright is survived by his wife, Jody Kelly Wright. Jody Kelly ran the The Shark on the Harbor restaurant with her husband. She confirmed her spouse death in a Facebook post describing him as being, “so much more than a local chef and restaurant owner. He was a devoted son, husband, brother, friend and leader in our business community.”
According to Jody Kelly, her husband was a keen musician who played drums for a band in the Northern Virginia/Washington D.C.-area. Jody wrote that their “mutual love of music gifted us the best of times together.” In another paragraph, Jody wrote, “Travis was fearless, although I don’t think he would have described himself that way. Even so, I know it to be true. He was smart and creative and just quirky enough to make everyone around him feel that it was okay to be exactly who they were. He empowered people in his world to be great. Including me.”
Jody wrote of a friend, Jon Tremellen, saying of her husband, “Travis is a man of few words. But, when he speaks he has something thoughtful and important to say. So when he leans forward to say something, I listen.”
Travis Wright Death & Cause
Travis Wright died on August 18th, 2019 at the age 45 according to Burbage Funeral Home. Her death was announce by his wife, Jody Kelly Wright, who ran the restaurant with her husband in a Facebook post.
The cause of death was not immediately clear.
A celebration of his life is planned for 4 p.m. on Sept. 4 at The Shark on the Harbor.
“Travis played a huge role in changing the game not just in Ocean City, but in the region,” friend and fellow chef Chad Wells wrote online. “I am so thankful for his important contributions to our food community and I am at an absolute loss for words. Our culinary world lost a superstar and even more so, the world lost an awesome person.”
The post confirming his death asks for donations to be made to the Jesse Klump Suicide Awareness and Prevention Program, 10737 Piney Island Dr. Bishopville, MD 21813, or the Worcester County Humane Society, P.O. Box 48, Berlin, MD 21811.
