Ruben Cabrera
MAASS Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale
MAASS open kitchen with Chef Ryan Ratino
To say Chef Ryan Ratino is driven would be an understatement. At 33, he is the executive chef and owner of two Michelin-starred restaurants in Washington, D.C. — Bresca, with one star, and Jônt, with two stars. Recognized for his talent, Ratino was awarded the Michelin Guide’s 2023 Young Chef Award for Washington D.C. His success propelled him to expand beyond the capital with Ômo by Jônt in Orlando, and his latest venture, MAASS in the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences in Fort Lauderdale, which marks his first foray into the South Florida dining scene.
Ratino’s culinary career began as a junior sous chef at Walt Disney World’s Shula’s Steak House, a role he landed after graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando. He went on to work alongside some of the nation’s most celebrated chefs, including Todd English, Wylie Dufresne and José Andrés.
Despite the star-studded company he has kept, Ratino credits his mother for nurturing his passion for cooking.
“My mother was a big influence in pushing me to cook. I loved to cook as a teenager and would make meals after watching the Food Network. A lot of this was to relieve the pressure my mother would feel getting home from work to cook dinner. Once I started to cook, I never thought I would do anything else. I fell in love with it,” he says.
Ruben Cabrera
MAASS Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale
MAASS interiors featuring a spacious bar and plush seating
It was Ratino’s mother who suggested culinary school, a path that, according to him, was not commonly taken in his hometown of Medina, Ohio. Once he entered professional kitchens, he quickly absorbed the skills that would pave his way to success.
“Organization, cleanliness, cooking, discipline, culture — experiencing these restaurants under great leadership from these chefs is the most valuable thing to a young cook’s career. I think in those years I learned and absorbed so much … like how to bring the team together as a unit, understanding how to organize a kitchen and manage a team with mise en place,” he says, referring to the meticulous setup essential to professional kitchens.
Ratino’s culinary ethos is deeply rooted in environmentally friendly practices, a commitment that was recognized in 2018 when Bresca became the first and only carbon-neutral restaurant in the nation’s capital. He achieved this by partnering with Zero Foodprint, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping restaurants reduce their climate impact. His efforts include recycling, composting and sourcing products from sustainable purveyors.
At MAASS, Ratino aims to blend playfulness with innovation while maintaining his unwavering commitment to excellence. Diners can enjoy dishes like Foie Gras Macaron, Hearth Focaccia Bread with Caccio pepe dip and Raspberry Mochi “Taco” with yuzu curd.
“It is fun to have fun when you are cooking,” he says.
Ratino’s love for wood-fire cooking inspires many of the dishes, such as Charred Avocado with lobster salad, caviar and grilled scallion; Wood Fired Asparagus with chili and lime vinegar and Smoked Potato Ravioli with red wine glazed beef maitake. All the while, diners are privy to the open kitchen for a full view of the action.
“Visually, I love to look into the kitchen and see the large hearth rolling in the back. I think it also brings a touch of nostalgia to our cooking as everyone has a fond memory of cooking on a barbecue or wood fire,” Ratino says.
Despite his many successes, Ratino is quick to credit his team. “‘Team’ is the first word that comes to my mind. You can only do what we are doing and maintain the level of excellence with an amazing group of people. Everyone is pushing in the same direction and chasing the same goals,” he says.
And those goals are far from finished. Ratino notes that two new openings in Los Angeles are on the horizon, along with a cocktail bar in D.C.
“We will continue to try and push the hospitality industry with our talents and ambitions.”
Rey Lopez
Chef Ryan Ratino Omelet Recipe
French Omelet with Comté
French Omelet With Comté
Serves 1
INGREDIENTS:
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon crème fraîche
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for cooking)
• ¼ cup Comté cheese
INSTRUCTIONS:
Warm a nonstick pan on the stove to medium-low heat. While the pan is warming, beat the eggs until emulsified. Add salt, heavy cream and crème fraîche and beat gently. Add butter to the pan. Slowly move the eggs around to allow the uncooked eggs to settle and cook. When the eggs begin to set, turn the heat to low and let the omelet form. Add the Comté cheese to the center. Roll the omelet and cook for an additional minute to melt the cheese. Finish with a brush of butter and a sprinkle of sea salt.