George Ruan

The Climb

Craftsmanship, seasonality, precision, and Japanese culinary tradition formed the base of George Ruan’s training. That foundation carried through the rest of his work, sharpening his sense of restraint and his eye for detail. He began at Masa as a server in 2004, where the pace of service and the standards of the room shaped his understanding of hospitality. He then moved into the kitchen as sushi chef at Masa from 2004 to 2022, years that deepened his command of precision, patience, and the formal discipline behind the experience. In 2022, he became Executive Chef at Jōji in New York City, a role that gave his sensibility a direct outlet.

Today

At Jōji, the restaurant carries George Ruan’s name and his reading of omakase, grounded in Japanese ingredients and the variety of the seasons. The menu moves with that logic: considered from first course to last, and paced to reflect the changing character of the year. The restaurant’s identity is tied to Ruan’s own working principles—seasonality, technique, and close regard for the ingredient. The result is a clear expression of his craft: patient, exacting, and centered on the meal as a disciplined form.

In Their Words “I look forward to sharing my deep love and admiration for the diversity of seasons and Japanese ingredients with our guests.”

Recognition

The central recognition in George Ruan’s career is the long training path that led from Masa to Jōji. Years of service, study, and refinement sit behind that progression, and the sequence itself tells the story of the work. “I trained under Chef Masa for nearly two decades, and from him I learned to have passion and care in all that I do.” Read plainly, it points to a professional ethic built on consistency, humility, and attention to the details that define the guest experience.