Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Rizzuto.
Hi Ryan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Food has always been a comfort of mine. Growing up in an Italian-American household, regularly scheduled family dinners kept our family close. Even though the family table was home to siblings picking on each other and quick bites on our way to hockey games or soccer practice, it was also our foundation, a chance for us all to connect for one moment in our days.
These dinners inspired me create that experience with others. After studying Italian Language and International Affairs in college in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, I made my way to the bustling streets of New York City. In the Financial District of Manhattan I curated and taught Italian food classes at Eataly, an Italian food mecca located in the World Trade Center. I demonstrated pasta and pesto making to passerbys in city parks and piazzas before trading my teaching career to delve into the world of pizza making.
I learned the ins and outs from New York pizza legend, Paulie Gee, and his partner in creation, Mike Kurtz, of Mike’s Hot Honey. These two entrepreneurs connected me to an opportunity in San Diego at Tribute Pizza.
After moving to San Diego, I began as a pizzaiolo at Tribute Pizza under the guidance of Chef Matthew Lyons. There, I learned the intention of sourcing ingredients locally and from equitable vendors. I crafted weekly handmade pasta specials incorporating San Diego’s best local produce into my dishes.
In September of 2019, I dove into the culinary story that I craved sharing and opened up my own pop up soul food concept, Southside Biscuits. I began by selling a simple fried chicken biscuit at the Adams Avenue Street Fair on the stoop of my apartment. Unbeknownst to me, this concept would turn into a full-fledged business. Today, we’ve hosted over 20 popup events and continue to sling chicken biscuits and soul food creations for San Diegans to enjoy.
Additionally, I am now the Production Chef at local culinary nonprofit, Kitchens for Good. In this role I am able to train cohorts of culinary apprentice’s knife skills and life skills. Apprentices who arrive at Kitchens for Good have challenging pasts of incarceration, homelessness, and drug addiction but aim to overcome these pasts with a renewed sense of passion in the culinary arts. Over the course of a 12 week culinary training program and 20 month apprenticeship we equip our apprentices with the necessary skills to create lasting and meaningful careers for themselves. Through the assistance of our apprentices, volunteers, and amazing staff, I have led the charge in producing over 250,000 meals for Covid-related hunger relief in the past year.
Very recently I began writing as a food journalist contributor at Edible San Diego. I hope this path will allow me to further amplify the talents of the movers and shakers in the San Diego local food community.
All of these experiences built me into the chef I am today. I look forward to continuing my journey of philanthropy and self-exploration in the years to come.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
With any pursuit of passion there are trials and tribulations. I am fortunate to have the most incredible left-hand lady to navigate this journey with me. My girlfriend, Lady Ri’s ability to sense what I need to succeed in my passions is astounding. There have been days that I don’t want to rise to the occasion and balancing work and life and my own business has worn on our relationship. We always grow from these moments of intense dream chasing and come out on the other side stronger than before. Struggles will always be present; it’s how you greet them that define your character.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am deeply inspired by the love of the South. If you’ve ever traveled below the Mason-Dixon line, you know the sense of Southern hospitality and home-cooking I’m referring to. I felt this sense of Southern comfort was missing in San Diego. With the inspiration of my girlfriend’s mother’s biscuit recipe from Richmond, Virginia and in an attempt to replicate the sense of belonging I felt at the family table, I introduced Southside Biscuits to San Diego. I specialize in comfort food, the sinful kind that makes you want to take a nap after indulging in one of my meals. Imagine a soul-fried chicken thigh topped with homemade bread and butter pickles and drenched in chili-infused honey served in between a southern buttermilk biscuit. This is my specialty and I am honored to learn from those before me to continue perfecting the art of a finger-lickin’ good sandwich, one that feeds the soul.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I love to collaborate with creative of all kinds in San Diego. At Southside Biscuits, we often host collaborative events with creative throughout San Diego. We host seasonal cultural events that showcase the talents and creativity of our BIPOC neighbors in San Diego. Keep an eye out for our next large event scheduled for July and I encourage any artists interested in collaborating with me to reach out on social media.
Pricing:
- $8 chicken biscuit sandwich (Sir Duke)
- $10 Nashville-hot chicken biscuit sandwich (Ain’t Too Hot to Beg)
- $12 Seasonal Vegan sandwich special
- $5 slices of handcrafted pies
- $3 sweet teas and soulful sides
Contact Info:
- Email: southsidebiscuits@gmail.com
- Website: https://southsidebiscuits.square.site/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southsidebiscuits/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southsidebiscuits/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtac5ZXwWu4
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