How Ryan Ratino Makes Michelin-Starred Dining Personal

9 Minute read

09 Sep 2026

Chef Ryan Ratino

The Hive Hospitality founder discusses the values, leadership lessons, and approach to hospitality behind his five-Michelin-star restaurant group.

When Ryan Ratino opened Bresca in 2017 on Washington, D.C.’s 14th Street corridor, he saw the chic reimagining of a French bistro as the beginning of something larger: a restaurant group that could play a meaningful role in guests’ lives in different ways. Today, Hive Hospitality operates across Washington, D.C., and Florida, with four of its restaurants holding a combined five Michelin stars. They include two-Michelin-starred Jônt in D.C., a bespoke tasting-menu experience blending Japanese and French traditions, and the one-Michelin-starred Chef’s Counter at MAASS inside Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Fort Lauderdale, where French techniques meet Japanese ingredients and Florida influences.

The group continues to expand, with several projects in development, including its first Los Angeles restaurant, Ôde by Jônt, a partnership with Petrossian. “California is the Loire Valley of America,” says Ratino. “So, we’re excited to be on the West Coast and have direct access to all their produce, as well as all the seafood.”

Before entering a partnership, Ratino and his team ask themselves three questions: Is this a brand they want to align with? Are its people great? Will they love doing the work? “I don’t want to open a restaurant that’s not true to our values just to satiate a business partner,” he says. “Like, ‘If you come in our hotel and do this restaurant that’s so out of left field for you, but it’ll make a bunch of money.’ That feels soulless and it doesn’t feel like us.”

As Hive Hospitality’s portfolio has grown, so has its team. “When I started this company, I was on a salary of roughly $65,000 a year,” says Ratino. “Now we have 30 positions earning six figures.”

Ratino also had to adjust to running a larger organization. “I was used to not letting go,” he says, “but I’ve learned to trust our key players on the team. The teammates who are the strongest only became the strongest when I finally let them do their job, and I wasn’t over them touching everything. And when I stopped that, it gave me the mental clarity to run the whole company.”

Ratino’s cooking has evolved over the years, especially at Jônt and its sister concepts. He and his team have honed their wood-fire techniques, bringing precision to the raw power of flame and embers. The dishes have grown lighter, too. “My comfort zone used to be cream, butter, and a little bit of gluten here and there,” he says. “Now it’s less salty, less sweet, a lot cleaner. We are very focused on the ingredients. We want to find the nicest fish, the most beautiful melon, the best pear available.”

The same attention to detail shapes Ratino’s approach to hospitality. At each Jônt restaurant, a dedicated staff member researches diners before their visits, then helps tailor the evening. If a guest owns a dog, the kitchen might send them home with handmade treats in a bag bearing the dog’s name. If someone has a long trip home, they might receive extra bites for the ride. These gestures are meant to make each guest feel seen.

The most recent addition to the Hive Hospitality portfolio is Ox & Olive, a gothic-chic steakhouse with a martini program in Georgetown. The menu draws from farms around the world and highlights different breeds of cattle, including hybrid wagyu raised by Ratino’s parents’ neighbor in Ohio. “I grew up next to the farm, so it’s cool to be able to have a full-circle moment by cooking their beef,” he says.

For Ratino, every restaurant serves the same larger purpose. “I want to be a part of our guests’ lives,” he says. “Every anniversary, I want you to feel like you must go to a Hive Hospitality restaurant.”

The Chef

Ryan Ratino leads Michelin-starred restaurants across Washington, D.C., and Florida, combining French-Japanese technique, live-fire cooking, and hospitality through Hive Hospitality.

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About the author

Nevin Martell is a D.C.-area based food and travel writer, parenting essayist, recipe developer, and photographer who has been published by The Washington Post, National...

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