Ryan Farr's culinary career had an early start.  At age seven he was creating a recipe for microwave hot dogs that found its way into the family cookbook.  From there his journey has taken him to San Francisco as the Interim Executive Chef  at the Fifth Floor and most recently as Chef de Cusine at Orson, a trendy new restaurant in the Bay Area.  While family remains a key component for Farr in the kitchen, fortunately his tastes and ingredient choices have evolved.  

Farr’s hometown is Kansas City where he grew up eating Kansas City barbecue and Creole dishes his family cooked regularly.  Anxious to get into the food industry, his first paid kitchen job at the age of 15 was as a dishwasher in Denver, Colorado.

Farr’s formal education was at New York City’s Peter Kumps Institute (now the Institute of Culinary Education).  While attending classes, he honed his food preparation skills at Aquagrill, a popular seafood restaurant in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood.

The next step in Farr’s career landed him in California, where he claims to have “learned what a tomato tastes like.”  It was while working at Calistoga’s All Seasons Bistro in Napa Valley that Farr discovered the area’s bounty of farm fresh produce, and began developing relationships with local purveyors as well as adapting to the Northern California restaurant scene.  He also met his wife Cesalee, a Napa Valley native. Together they traveled extensively throughout Spain and Japan, Farr got up close and personal at the early morning markets.

Farr then took a position as sous chef at Charles Nob Hill with acclaimed and then-executive chef, Melissa Perello.  He then followed Perello to the Fifth Floor, after almost 3 years and one Michelin Star Ryan left as the Executive Chef. 

He organized and executed the opening of Orson in San Francisco; a trendy and up and coming restaurant ahead of the times.  Farr has been a Private Chef and provide his clients all meals whenever and wherever they wanted, traveling with them across the country if necessary.

Farr’s greatest inspiration continues to be his food-loving family and he strives to have a family atmosphere present in the kitchen at all times.  He attributes his success at a young age to the people he works with and believes a team approach.  As well as reliance on the fresh flavors from products he finds at the farmers’ market every week, to be the main ingredients for outstanding cuisine and a well-run restaurant.