Ralpheal Abrahante

As a native New Yorker, Executive Chef Ralpheal learned, from an early age, to cook from his mother and grandmother along with dining out often with his family in local New York City restaurants. Early on in his career, he would develop a passion for seafood and contemporary Greek cuisine. With this passion, he would become a sous chef at a newly established Thalassa Restaurant, an expansive, nautical, modern Greek restaurant located in Tribeca, which opened in 2002. Over time, in 2007, he was granted a promotion to Executive Chef. Throughout his career, he has consistently infused Thalassa dishes with his personal signature: a love of seasonal ingredients and a fundamental respect for the freshness and simplicity integral to the Greek palate. At Thalassa, he offers a modern twist on classic Greek recipes that are sophisticated and creative, yet simple and earthy. Chef Ralpheal’s menus represent the authentic cooking style of Greece with a particular focus on contemporary and classic Greek seafood dishes.

Chef Ralpheal explains: “The cooking of Greece in general is simple, earthy, and healthy. Although I’m continually creating new dishes, I remain inspired by my constant discovery of old Greek recipes so that my dishes evolve along with the menus. My philosophy with food is to keep the flavors simple and let the ingredients shine. If you over-complicate the food, the flavors become muddled.