THE MICHELIN STARS are nice. Ryan Ratino has five—which is kind of unheard of for a 35-year-old—for his wildly creative fine-dining restaurants Bresca, Jônt (both in D.C.), Maass, and Ômo (both in Florida). But Ratino’s also proud of the big numbers he’s putting up in the gym. “I recently made it into the 1,000 Pound Club,” he says, meaning he’s hit a combined one-rep max of 1,000 pounds on the squat, bench press, and deadlift.

He lifts, with a trainer, six days a week and for up to two hours on heavy days. To fuel all this work, Ratino aims for between 150 and 200 grams of protein daily and lots of vegetables. One of his favorites is tuna or beef donabe—a fairly hands-off meal that delivers big on flavor and nutrients. “This meal can be prepared in one pot,” he says. “So there are less dishes. Which I love.”

Yields: 1 serving | Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins | Total Time: 35 mins | Cal/Serv: 915

Ingredients

  • ½ c. short-grain rice
  • ½ head (3.5 oz.) maitake mushrooms
  • 2 scallions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch-long pieces
  • ¼ c. diced sweet potato
  • 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • 4 oz. ahi tuna steak, brought to room temp
  • 1 Tbsp. neutral oil
  • ½ head endive, halved
  • ½ apple, cored and sliced
  • 1 medium-boiled egg (boil for 6 minutes; immediately run under cold water), peeled and halved
  • Chopped chives, for garnish

Instructions

Step 1

In a donabe (or small pot), add the rice, 1 pinch of salt, and enough water to cover by ¼ inch. Add the mushrooms, scallions, and sweet potato. Bring to a boil, cover, then lower to a simmer. Cook until everything is tender, about 20 minutes.

Step 2

While the rice cooks, make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, olive oil, and honey. Set aside.

Step 3

Season both sides of the tuna with salt and pepper. In a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, add the neutral oil. When it shimmers, sear the tuna, 2 minutes a side. Transfer to a cutting board to rest.

Step 4

Slice the tuna and arrange on top of the rice and vegetables with the endive, apple, and egg. Give the dressing a final whisk and pour over everything, to taste. Add the chives and serve.

Nutrition per serving: 915 calories, 44 g protein, 129 g carbs (11 g fiber), 25 g fat