NOVEMBER 2025 16 with Executive Sous Chef Mireya Ryan of T. Cook's 5200 E. Camelback Road • royalpalmshotel.com In the Kitchen C hef Mireya Ryan’s culinary journey is one rooted in tradition, hard work, and a love for food. A fourth-generation Arizonan with a passion that sparked in childhood, she’s carved out a career that blends cultural heritage with creativity. Now at the helm of T. Cook’s at Royal Palms, Chef Ryan reflects on her path, the flavors that shaped her, and the evolving world of resort dining. Give us a little insight into your upbringing. I’m from Tucson, so I was born and raised in Arizona, just not in the Valley. I’m a fourth-generation Mexican American so food is really centralized for us, holidays and family gatherings are important. Tamales, right? Like a week or so after Thanksgiving, we pick a day and coordinate this whole thing where we make a ton of tamales. That’s been an ongoing theme throughout my childhood. Are any of your family members in the restaurant industry? No, actually – no one in my family is in the industry, but my mom worked two jobs, so I got my work ethic from her. I’ve been in restaurants since I was 13. One of those ‘paid under the table’ kind of things [ laughs ]. I’m 33 now, and that feels like forever ago. My mom told me that when I was little, like four or five, I would walk around the kitchen telling everyone ‘I want to be a chef.’ I don’t remember that, but she says it was fate that brought me to where I am now. Did you attend culinary school? I went to Le Cordon Bleu when it was open in Scottsdale, and it gave me a great foundation for the restaurant industry, but it was more day-to-day stuff. What other establishments have you worked at? Funnily enough, T. Cook’s was my first real job, back in 2012. I started under Chef Lee as a line cook and worked my way up. My husband and I – he was a chef at the time as well – moved to San Diego for his career, and we were there for about five years. We really missed our families and wanted to come back to the Valley. I don’t know if the stars aligned or it was kismet or what, but Chef Lee was hiring a sous chef and an acquaintance that was working here said, ‘Hey, you should look into this,’ and I thought ‘Why not?’ It was destiny. What are the most popular dishes at T. Cook’s? During the Chef Lee era, the most popular dishes were probably paella and the bread and pesto. Something my team and I are proud of now is the elote rigatoni, which was featured in the Phoenix Eats + Drinks book, which is cool. It touches on our roots, and I love that. We used to be known as Mediterranean cuisine and now I think we’re more global and take inspiration from other cuisines. Another staple is Chef Lee’s carbonara, that one does really well. The polenta, too, but I think across the board everyone has their faves here. What’s one item in the kitchen you find yourself using all the time? For a while my sous chef and I were putting chili crunch on everything. I don’t know why. We just really loved it, to the point where servers were asking if we were planning on adding it to every dish. We have a ton of it [ laughs ]. Do you have a process for coming up with new menu items? Yes, and it’s been the same process forever [ laughs ]. My sous chefs and I create a little ‘war room’ and we discuss where we are seasonally, check if anyone has any new ideas, anything they’ve seen or read, and of course, we ask, ‘What tastes good together?’ We’re ingredients first, technique and execution later. Does this work together? How do we make it taste and look good? Any awards or accolades you’d like to shout out? Last year, Royal Palms received a Michelin Key, which is really rad and humbling to be part of. Earlier this year, we got the No. 4 spot for USA Today’s Top 10 for Hotel Restaurants so that was awesome. Personally, being featured in the Eats + Drinks book was so cool because there are a lot of amazing chefs in there and it’s awesome to be among them. J M Chapman Agency Inc Jay Chapman, Agent Bus: (480) 945-7122 7055 E Thomas Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85251 jchapman@amfam.com American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. & its Operating Companies, 6000 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53783 ©2015 006441 – Rev. 2/20 – 12923221 CALL (480) 945-7122 FOR A NO-OBLIGATION FREE QUOTE. INSURANCE DESIGNED WITH YOU AND YOUR DREAMS IN MIND. J M Chapman Agency Inc Jay Chapman, Agent Bus: (480) 990-8855 7055 E Thomas Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85251 jchapman@amfam.com erican Family Mutual Insurance Company, & its Operating Companies, 00 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53783 015 006441 – Rev. 2/20 – 12923221 ALL (480) 945-7122 FOR A O-OBLIGATION FREE QUOTE. SURANCE DESIGNED WITH OU AND YOUR DREAMS IN IND. J M Chapman Agency Inc Jay Chapman, Agent Bus: (480) 945-7122 7055 E Thomas Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85251 jchapman@amfam.com American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. & its Operating Companies, 6000 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53783 ©2015 006441 – Rev. 2/20 – 12923221 CALL (480) 945-7122 FOR A NO-OBLIGATION FREE QUOTE. INSURANCE DESIGNED WITH YOU AND YOUR DREAMS IN MIND. INSURANCE DESIGNED WITH YOU AND YOUR DREAMS IN MIND. CALL (480) 990-8855 FOR A NO-OBLIGATION FREE QUOTE.

17 NOVEMBER 2025 What’s new on the menu now? New menu items for the fall and winter include a bone-in ribeye from K4 Ranch, a pork tomahawk, winter veg, etc. We brought the rigatoni Bolognese back. All of our pastas are made in-house, every couple of days. We make a lot of pasta [ laughs ]. Working in a resort setting, does it get crazy busy for the holidays? Absolutely! The big holidays see a lot of families – and it’s returning families, which makes it even more special. That’s why we don’t mess with the main dishes. Thanksgiving and Christmas, we know which dishes people are looking for. We try to switch up a few things, keep it fresh and absolutely worth the experience of dining here. What eateries would you recommend to someone who is new to the Valley? My mind goes immediately to Mexican food. I immediately think of Taco Boys, Carolina’s and The Tamale Store. If you go to Carolina’s, get the butter tortilla. They make them to order and they are insane. Who are some other chefs that inspire you? José Andrés and his humanitarian efforts is the first that comes to mind. I think of Francis Mallmann; he’s got a central approach to food, especially with the way he talks about meat and vegetables; Nancy Silverton and her perfectionism. With ‘real life’ people, there are too many to mention. It’s not just chefs, it’s line cooks and prep cooks and dish staff. I’ve learned a lot from a lot of different people. Chef Lee right off the bat has taught me so many valuable lessons. What is your favorite part of the restaurant or hospitality industry? The diversity amongst coworkers. I really enjoy all the different personalities you come across. I’ve heard about countless once-in-a-lifetime experiences from so many people. I’ve learned about different cultures and lifestyles. This industry has become an education in people. How do you balance creativity with the diverse tastes of guests? I think knowing your guests is a huge advantage. We see a lot of returning families. Also, for instance, you know someone who orders a steak isn’t looking for you to reinvent the wheel. Just give them a solid meal and make it with love. Make a sauce, but make it really well. Pick a steak, but from a good ranch and of quality. On the flip side, what’s your least favorite part? It’s bittersweet, but definitely the consuming aspect of those early years of being in a kitchen. To an extent, ambition requires this isolating drive. I think that’s why kitchens become like your second family. Things are much more balanced for me now, but there are still days where I only get to see my son active and awake for a couple hours. What trends or changes do you see shaping the future of resort dining? I think guests are looking for more intentionality with their food. Sustainability, local sourcing, and more transparency. We’ve definitely already seen this happening, but I think more from a health standpoint – like seed oils versus palm oil – that sort of thing. Wellness driven menus are what comes to mind. What’s next for Chef Ryan? It’s still T. Cook’s. I started here when I was 18 and I’m 33 now; I’ve spent a good chunk of my life here. I have a different kind of love for this place, it’s kind of spooky, like – why was I brought back here? I think (without too much ego, but a little bit) I want to leave it better than I found it, but I’m not going anywhere any time soon! …it was fate that brought me to where I am now. 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE CHARLES SIDI REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL Charles@TheBrokery.com | 480.330.6506 CharlesSidi.com l o v e a r c a d i a l i v i n g ™