A Nourishing Feast Inspired By The Seasons, Cultures, and Stories of the San Francisco Bay Area

At Midsummer Kitchen, we celebrate the seasons by offering plant-forward, multicultural menus designed to nourish the here and now. Our inspiration comes from the rich cultural mosaic of the San Francisco Bay Area— a place where generations have gathered, made home, and shared food that reflects both memory and reinvention.

Led by partners in life and business, Chef Ryan and Cleodia Martinez began catering in 2011 as Absolute Celebrations.

Born from a shared desire to do work we love and create on our own terms, we chose to spend our days doing what we do best: helping gather and feed people.

We both grew up in the Philippines, where food was always more than a meal— it was a celebration. In Filipino culture, hospitality means making sure your guests leave not only full, but well-cared for. There’s always enough food to take home, not out of excess, but because nourishment is meant to last beyond one day.

Our formative years were shaped by the flavors of Filipino cuisine: a tapestry woven from Chinese, Spanish, Malay, American, Japanese, and other global influences, shaped by centuries of trade and history. Layered with our personal travels and adventures, we’ve come to see flavor as a kind of language: one that speaks of connection, creativity, and joy.

In recent years, Midsummer Kitchen has evolved alongside our personal journey of deepening wellness, returning to wholeness, and learning to fully embrace who we are. Encountering health issues after a decade of intense work brought Cleodia to study nutrition and for the family to adopt a plant-forward lifestyle. This has guided our shift to more plant-forward menus, recognizing that the way we feed others is also a reflection of how we care for ourselves.

Over the years, food has been our way of exploring, expressing, and belonging. From Manila to the Bay Area, we’ve cooked our way through many colorful chapters… scrappy beginnings with youthful idealism, following the script of success, rising from burnout and reclaiming our soul, and arriving in a space of presence, where we make an honest commitment to our art and make our offering with love.

Today, that looks like continuing to explore how seasonal living and global traditions can come together at the same table. Our hope is that the meal we prepare for you not only fills the table, but delights your senses, sparks connection, and leaves you with the kind of lingering joy that comes from savoring something that’s truly delicious.

In 2023, Midsummer Kitchen has formalized it’s commitment to sustainability and environmental preservation by getting certified by the Green Business Bureau. Our membership requires participation in initiatives around food services, energy & emissions, water use, transportation, and more. To our small business, this looks like avoiding single-use materials, using recycled and compostable products, carpooling, mindful use of service water, providing plant-forward meals to our staff and co-vendors, proper waste disposal, among others.

Founders

Ryan Martinez
Chef/Co-Owner

Chef Ryan Martinez brings heart, skill, and soulful flavor to every dish at Midsummer Kitchen. His culinary journey began in a small, family-owned Hawaiian restaurant in San Diego, where his thoughtful approach to comfort food and creative specials quickly earned a loyal following.

In Los Angeles, Ryan honed his craft at a range of kitchens including Yojie Japanese Shabu-Shabu and Sake Bar, The Hudson, and The Orlando Hotel. He trained under Chef Greg deMichiel at Maison Catering, where he developed a sharp eye for presentation and a deep respect for thoughtfully sourced ingredients.

Ryan later joined the Dolce Group to help open Lemon Basket, a new restaurant featured on VH1’s reality show Famous Food, where he rose from Sous Chef to Executive Chef. In 2011, he earned a scholarship to The French Culinary Institute in Campbell, California, where he formally sharpened his skills and deepened his culinary foundation.

Today, Chef Ryan leads the kitchen at Midsummer with creativity, care, and reverence for the rich bounty of Northern California. He brings global flavors to life through seasonal ingredients, hand-picked with intention and prepared with joy.

Cleodia Martinez
Nutritionist/Co-Owner

Cleodia Martinez is the creative and strategic force behind Midsummer Kitchen. Drawing from a lifelong connection to food and a deep personal journey in wellness, she helps shape Midsummer’s vision—from menu development and client experience to storytelling, partnerships, and long-term direction.

Cleodia studied Economics and Business Administration at Saint Mary’s College of California and Apparel Manufacturing at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles. Her background weaves together design thinking, business insight, and a love for beautiful gatherings. After experiencing health challenges, she pursued training in Plant-Based Nutrition and Nutrition & Healthy Living through Cornell University’s eCornell program.

As the author of Ay Sus! Whole Food, Plant-Based Global Filipino Cuisine, Cleodia brings a fresh voice to the evolving conversation around culture, nourishment, and identity. Her work has been published in Forks Over Knives and VegOut Magazine, as well as featured by the San Francisco Public Library and FilBooks Festival, where she’s spoken on reimagining Filipino cuisine through a plant-based lens.

At Midsummer Kitchen, she leads with intention, helping clients craft meaningful events that reflect their tastes and values—while supporting a team rooted in creativity, care, and cultural resonance.