Christian Ross

IN THE KITCHEN WITH CHRISTIAN ROSS

Tell us about yourself:

My name is Christian Ross, and I am the Culinary Director at Ability Culinary, a premium performance-focused food company that curates and executes meals and services for elite performers and professional athletes & teams. My job sits at the intersection of high-level execution and real-world volume food that tastes great, holds well, travels well, and still supports performance without feeling like “health food.”

How did you get involved in cooking?

I’ve liked cooking and eating ever since I was a kid, I was always curious about flavor and how food actually worked.

I wanted to go to culinary school right out of high school, but I graduated during the recession and there was too much uncertainty at the time. It didn’t hurt that I was going to play rugby in college, too, so I stayed on that path.

But most of my time in college was still spent in the food world, reading cookbooks, obsessing over technique, and watching No Reservations with the late Anthony Bourdain instead of attending class or studying. That show stuck with me because it wasn’t just about cooking, it was about culture, intensity, and perspective.

And, I’ll be honest, I like working with my hands. I like getting things done. I probably could’ve been happy doing anything that gave me tangible results, but cooking is instantly gratifying and mentally stimulating. Whether it’s something you make for a client, a loved one, or yourself, it matters right away.

Describe your cooking style:

I describe my style as “Refined Minimalism.” It’s like a classically trained musician who just wants to play punk rock.

I like food to be simple on the surface, but intentional and layered underneath. I’d rather use a few ingredients and do them really well than hide behind a bunch of unnecessary components. Clean flavors, real depth, and a plate that makes sense.

How did you learn about grass-fed meats?

I first learned about grass-fed meats at a restaurant where we bought a half dairy cow from our dairy supplier and butchered it ourselves — this was probably about seven years ago.

The texture of the meat wasn’t ideal, and it was difficult to work with at times, which makes sense when you think about the difference between an older animal raised to produce milk versus an animal raised specifically for slaughter and consumption.

But the flavor was excellent — really beefy, really grassy, and more complex than what we were used to. We were learning how to utilize it and come to find out those dairy cows grazed and were rotated on grass pastures. That was the moment it clicked for me — how much sourcing can completely change the final product.

In fine dining, we started doing beef dishes where we’d serve something like imported Japanese Wagyu next to something grass-fed that was beefier and more complex, just to show the full range of what beef can be.

These days, I prefer grass-fed beef in my personal life and with our professional athlete clients. It’s leaner, higher in Omega-3s, Vitamin A, and conjugated linoleic acids — in short, it’s more nutrient dense. I can eat a 6oz portion for breakfast and be satiated for most of a 16-hour workday, and it’s a great whole food source of recovery after a game for our clients.

What is your favorite recipe featuring grass-fed meat?

Steak au poivre is my favorite. It’s grass-fed ribeye cooked properly, paired with a cognac peppercorn jus made from grass-fed beef bones. Classic, sharp, and it never misses.

You’re stranded on a desert island; luckily, you’re stranded with your top 5 ingredients and one must-have kitchen tool:

I’d have to choose my chef knife. My five ingredients would be salt, grass-fed butter, grass-fed beef, olive oil, and shallots.

Best cooking secret/tip/piece of advice you’ve learned:

Season at every stage of cooking, not just at the end — that’s how food gets real depth.

Also, letting proteins dry uncovered overnight before searing makes a huge difference in texture and creates a much better crust.

What’s your favorite quote/song for culinary inspiration (if any)?

I’ve got a lot here, so I can’t just give one answer.

Michelin Star by Mick Jenkins references the grind and hard work of building a career through the lens of starting in restaurants at the lowest level and working up to the pinnacle of “Michelin stars.” It’s not something I’m seeking out these days, but I still try to approach what we do for our clients with the same tenacity and attention to detail that I — and some of our team — had when we were operating at one and two Michelin star restaurants.

Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd is more of my north star. When things get complicated and busy, it’s a reminder that what’s important is being something and doing things that I “love and understand.” Same goes for food — it’s hard to compete with whole foods and quality ingredients. Quality ingredients are going to beat technique every time.

And as far as a quote — a station partner told me years ago, “the way you do anything is the way you do everything.” I never forgot that. Cooking isn’t just a job — it’s an embodiment of values and principles, and how you show up in one area is usually how you show up everywhere.

Anything else you want to share?

Cooking is fun. I say this pretty much daily to our team, especially when we get to play with and eat high-quality ingredients every day.

It’s also a bonus that we work with suppliers like US Wellness Meats who are aligned in values and perspective — quality matters, sourcing matters, and the standards should match the mission.

Your social media links (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube):

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-ross-0bbb0a156/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ablty-culinary
Company Instagram: instagram.com/ablty_culinary

Enter To Win!

Enter to Win our February 2026 Gourmet Grass-fed Giveaway for a chance to win $175 bundle of delicious & nutritious grass-fed and pastured meats. Contest runs from February 1 – February 11, 2026.