Her star is on the rise

Photography by Dom Casserly

Michele Ragussis is a reality TV celebrity and an executive chef at a popular P-town restaurant

Even though celebrity chef Michele Ragussis has appeared on seven major TV food shows and has more shows in the works, she has not let stardom go to her head. When guests dine at Central House at The Crown & Anchor Hotel in Provincetown, the gregarious executive chef makes it a point to step out of the kitchen and into the dining room, on the deck overlooking bustling Commercial Street, and chat with guests while they feast on her signature dishes, such as linguine and clams.

In recent years, Ragussis has appeared on the Food Network’s “Chopped,” “24 Hour Restaurant Battle,” and “Comeback Kitchen,” and was a finalist on the eighth season of “Food Network Star.” She also appeared on NBC’s “Food Fighters” and FYI’s “Midnight Feast” and was a judge on “Beat Bobby Flay.” She spent three seasons as executive chef at The Pearl, a waterfront restaurant in Rockland, Maine, before moving to Boston in 2014, and Cape Cod six months thereafter.

Now in her second season as executive chef at Central House, Ragussis says she is having the time of her life. “We are crushing it!” she says with a laugh.

Her boss, Rick Murray, The Crown & Anchor’s president and general manager, couldn’t agree more. “Michele’s homemade pasta dishes hit it out of the ballpark, like her lobster pappardelle,” he says, waving a hand as if smelling the savory aroma. “She has a gift for bringing out the flavor. She’s got high standards, and because of that, we have a lot of return customers.”