Chef Michael Ferraro
If Chef Michael Ferraro could capture his persona in a single spice, it would be salt—unique yet universal, powerful in its presence, and even more so in its absence.
Ferraro’s story begins with his family, who immigrated to the United States from Southern Italy in the 1950s. Food was the heartbeat of their home; his parents owned a family business, and young Michael spent his days gardening and cooking alongside them. By his teenage years, he and his brothers had opened a restaurant, but a piece of sage advice from his father—to do it the “right way”—led him to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).
In 2002, armed with passion and determination, Ferraro graduated from the CIA and headed straight to New York. “I was young and driven,” he recalls. “I packed up—no money, no job—just a passion for cooking and a refusal-to-fail mindset.”
He cut his teeth in some of the most coveted kitchens in New York. Working under celebrity chefs like Waldy Malouf at Beacon Restaurant and Jean-Georges Vongerichten at Mercer Kitchen, Ferraro quickly learned that success in the kitchen hinges on understanding its hierarchy and discipline. By 2003, he had earned the chef tournant position at the renowned Four Seasons Hotel and later honed his craft at the Biltmore Room before taking his first Chef de Cuisine role at the Patina Restaurant Group.
Ferraro intentionally moved across New York kitchens, believing every position offered new lessons. In 2008, with seven years and six kitchens under his belt, he became chef/owner of Delicatessen in SoHo. The menu celebrated seasonality while leaning into nostalgic comfort food favorites. Delicatessen’s success inspired a second concept in 2009: Macbar, a playful homage to America’s favorite side dish, macaroni & cheese.
Recognition followed quickly. Ferraro earned a spot in Zagat’s inaugural “30 Under 30” (2011) and appeared on The Cooking Channel, Food Network’s Iron Chef America and Chopped, and judged Beat Bobby Flay. He was also a recurring guest chef expert alongside Jon Taffer on Paramount Network’s Bar Rescue.
After 11 years, Ferraro and his partners sold their restaurants. Shortly after, the global pandemic hit, reshaping New York’s dining industry and giving Ferraro a moment to reflect on his next chapter.
In 2021, he made a bold move to Orlando, taking the position of VP of Food & Beverage for Tavistock Restaurant Collection. Within the portfolio, he oversees 17 unique restaurants and played a pivotal role in two successful re-openings of the iconic Timpano in Fort Lauderdale and Tampa—the latter recognized in Michelin’s inaugural Florida guide. He also helped secure the collection’s first Michelin star in 2023 for Atlas, located in Atlanta’s St. Regis hotel. In 2025, Nami, located in the Wave Hotel, was also added to the Orlando Michelin Guide under his oversight.
Today, Michael Ferraro’s resume reads like a compilation of culinary “best-ofs,” but despite his accolades, many still describe him as the true “salt of the earth.”
