Ripple owner Roger Marmet announced that Ryan Ratino will head the Washington, D.C, restaurant’s kitchen as executive chef. Ratino joins Ripple after a year working under prolific restaurateur Chef Richard Sandoval, developing menus for his international hotel restaurants as well as curating a 14 course-tasting counter at Masa 14.
Ryan brings to Ripple a diverse set of skills and a passion for cooking built in some of the most lauded restaurants in the country. During several years in New York City, Ratino was executive sous chef at the Michelin one-star restaurant Caviar Russe, which consequently earned three stars from The New York Times. His fast-track career also landed him several stage opportunities including one at Wylie Dufresne’s innovative, norm-challenging WD-50 as well as Dovetail NYC and minibar by José Andrés. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando, Florida, Ratino launched his culinary career as a junior sous chef at Shula’s Steak House at the Four-Diamond AAA award-winning Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin resort. After, Ratino spent a three-year tenure working under Todd English at Bluezoo where he advanced quickly to serve as the destination restaurant’s executive chef. Under his direction, the restaurant was named one of the “10 best foodie spots in Orlando” by USA Today. Prior to joining Sandoval’s team, Ratino served as executive chef at the renowned L’Auberge Provencale in White Post, Virginia, where he led daily operations for the award-winning inn and its restaurant, utilizing produce from the expansive orchards, vegetable and herb gardens he oversaw.
Ratino describes his cooking as, “seasonal American with European roots.” At Ripple he looks to build upon the restaurant’s almost seven-year tradition and strong chef-driven reputation with creative flavor fusions that range from truffled hen egg with sweet breads and pickled mushrooms to kampachi crudo with koji rice and Meyer lemons. Ratino is committed to serving farm fresh ingredients and is an avid supporter of local sourcing, often foraging and cultivating in-house herb gardens and fruit trees. “I am thrilled to welcome this young, trailblazing chef to Ripple,” Marmet says. “Ryan is dedicated to our core principles, and with his extensive experience and beautifully crafted food, we look forward to expanding the menu and continuing our tradition of quality and innovation.”
Ratino will spend the next month traveling and developing his inaugural menu for Ripple before taking over the kitchen in January 2017.
