Meet Executive Chef Michael Katz

On the menu: fresh Florida fare, updated classics, and rich, unexpected flavors prepared the Chef’s Way

Within two days of donning his toque blanche at Naples Yacht Club, Michael Katz embraced one of his first tasks as executive chef. The Ladies Book Club was planning a last-minute virtual discussion and he graciously agreed to video his preparation of three Columbia Restaurant dishes complementing the book Next Year in Havana.

It is this kind of intimate involvement— preparing exquisite food and engaging directly with members—that he loves most as a chef. Katz, who appreciates NYC’s unrivaled prestige and waterfront location, says he felt “an instant connection” when he met with NYC leadership. “The Club has a philosophy that if we’re going to do something, we’re going to do it right,” he says. “It was just a perfect match for me, and it’s been a pleasure every single day to step through the door.”

Katz is a N ew York native whose first career stint in Southwest Florida spanned more than a decade. He returned to the area in 2018 after eight years as an instructor for the esteemed Culinary Institute of America (CIA).

As par t of the interview process, Katz reviewed the menu with a singular mission: to shine the light on Florida cuisine, while emphasizing local and sustainable ingredients. “The conversation we had was, ‘Honor the classics; take us into the future,’” he says.

Expertise in regional classics and innovative approaches has become second nature for Katz through his extensive culinary experience. A graduate of the CIA in Hyde Park, New York, and an American Culinary Federation–certified executive chef, the classically trained Katz is a farm-to-table and ocean-to-table specialist with advanced expertise in butchery and farming. He has studied international cuisine under world-class chefs. “I got to see trends before they were trends, because we created a lot of them,” he says of his time at the CIA. Katz also plans to use his wealth of connections to hire the best for NYC. “I helped graduate thousands of students; they’re all over the planet.”

Mos t recently at Quail West, Katz has held numerous Southwest Florida positions including executive chef and food and beverage director at Gasparilla Inn & Club in Boca Grande and executive chef at Lely Resort and The Ritz-Carlton, Naples. He went on to teach at the CIA’s campuses in San Antonio, Texas; Hyde Park; Napa, California; and Singapore.

Katz le ft Southwest Florida in 2010 for the CIA instructorship with the desire to push his knowledge beyond his extensive skills. “When I graduated from the CIA in 1993, I said to friends, ‘I wish I could go do that whole thing again.’ And I was blessed to do it like 30 more times when I taught for the school,” he says. “Every chef thinks they know a great amount—

and that includes me—but there was just so much more to learn. I got to work with more master chefs at the CIA than one could ever hope for in their entire career.”

At NYC, Katz has made some menu adjustments and crafted several unique dining experiences. Mostly, he has favored skillful

enhancements. For the traditional “local catch” one evening, Katz took a basic grouper dish that typically comes with rice and vegetables and paired it with a spinach pesto risotto, scallops, and a passionfruit butter sauce.

Along with traditional lamb chops, Ka tz has added a Chef’s Way version, pan-seared with a sauce of rosemary, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and lamb stock built in the pan. Katz proudly credits the dish to one of his beloved mentors, chef Joseph DiPerri, one of his CIA instructors who later became a cross-training peer in Hyde Park. “It’s a fun talking point at the table,” he says of the menu item.

Sharing nuanced delights—in the front and back of the house—is part of what Katz loves about NYC. His changed-up Chef’s Way approach will keep diners returning for new twists on favorite classics. “I cook on the line. I’m actually preparing food. I enjoy that process,” he says. “As soon as I’m finished, I take my apron off and go out into the dining room, and I try to visit every single table. At this stage in my life, I’m confident enough to be able to enjoy feedback from the membership. That helps me grow. It helps me refine the menu.” 