Ryan Moore

Technique and discipline were set early at L'Académie de Cuisine, and they still shape Ryan Moore’s cooking. The work reads as composed rather than decorative, built from clear decisions instead of garnish or flourish. Since 2018, Moore has been chef of Sababa, and since 2020 he has also served as Head Chef of The Grove, roles that show a range across kitchens while keeping the same measured hand.

At Sababa, the menu is best read dish by dish. Not for the faint of heart does exactly what it says: flame-grilled hot peppers sharpened with harissa and zhug, handled as a controlled blast of heat rather than a stunt. Choban Salad Crudo moves in a different register, with ahi tuna, cucumber, chile, tomato, onion, lemon, and olive oil arranged for clean lines and contrast. Roasted Halumi leans softer, bringing charred lemon marmalade, honey, date, and dill into a sweeter, layered shape that still keeps its edges.

Kushari gathers chickpea, rice, lentil, pasta, fried onion, and spicy tomato sauce into a dense, textural plate. Schmaltz-Braised Lamb Shank goes deeper, with red cabbage, date, citrus, ginger, and cumin giving the dish warmth, fragrance, and weight. Across the menu, Moore keeps returning to the same discipline: sweet against sharp, soft against charred, earthy against bright. He has said, “It’s amazing what some salt can do or how some acidity can lift a dish so much.”

That line sits close to the center of the cooking. So does his preference for change: “I can’t see myself keeping one dish on constantly, I get bored very easily so it’s good to keep evolving new dishes.”

Ryan’s signature dishes include Not for the faint of heart, Choban Salad Crudo, Roasted Halumi, Kushari, and Schmaltz-Braised Lamb Shank.

Ryan’s honors include Michelin star. He studied at L’Académie de Cuisine in Bethesda and built his career starting in 2002 at Zola, before working at minibar by José Andrés, Zaytinya, and Bistro Provence. He studied at L’Académie de Cuisine in Bethesda and built his career starting in 2002 at Zola.