Meet the Chef: Jason Barato

Jason Barato came by his interest in cooking honestly. Being surrounded by family whose love language is food instilled the culinary gene in Jason from a young age. His mother is an acclaimed chef, celebrated for her Italian and Portuguese cuisine. His father is a trained sommelier.

Jason’s first attempt at cooking came at age six when he made a can of Libby’s beans to contribute to Sunday brunch at home. As a young man, he honed his craft more seriously by training in Italy and staging in different Michelin starred kitchens around Europe and the United States.

Jason’s main passion is making pasta from scratch and marrying the different shapes to classic sauces as well as a few original sauces he developed over his 30 years in the industry. Portuguese techniques also form the basis of Jason’s personal style, along with French, and you’ll see hints of these in his dishes.

Jason is a chef with a big heart and a deep passion for food. Nothing excites him more than making people happy through his cooking. He opened Ragu to do just that – to bring you a smile with every bowl.