Ryan Tracy has been in the culinary world since he was 13, and he hasn’t slowed down since. At the ripe age of 13, Tracy had an apprenticeship at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans. Being at Commander’s Palace not only encouraged his love for cooking, but also developed his technical skills. He also got the opportunity to do an externship traveling around Italy while expanding his culinary knowledge. Throughout high school, Ryan worked in kitchens and later got his first executive chef position when he was 23.
Through his apprenticeship experience, he met Jamie Shannon, executive chef at Commander’s Palace. Ryan recalls Jamie being one of his culinary influences early on. Later in his career, Michael Symon played a big influence on him as he owned “the restaurant to be at” around the time that Ryan was 21. The restaurant was Lola in Cleveland, which Symon still owns.
When asked what job gave him the most meaningful experience, Ryan said owning and operating his own restaurant. In 2009, he opened Bros Brasserie Americano located downtown Sioux Falls, where they served creole inspired Americana food. Although he is no longer a restaurant owner, Ryan Tracy continues to express his culinary skills at Harvester Kitchen by Bryan in Sioux Falls.
Q & A:
Q:Do you have a special philosophy or approach when it comes to cooking?
A: Keep it stupid simple.
Q: What are your favorite tools in the kitchen?
A: Immersion Blender. I love an Immersion Blender. You can’t beat a nice comfortable whisk either. Knives are kind of whatever, as long as they are sharp they are fine.
Q: Where is your favorite restaurant? (lt does not have to be local, it can be international)
A: Cochon in New Orleans, Louisiana because its regional southern cooking refined into a fine dining-esque atmosphere.
Q: What dish inspires you most?
A: I definitely would say regional southern cooking and mainly any food with pork. That just reminds me of my childhood and that’s where I fell in love with food. I love pork and southern regional cooking especially with pork.
