About Jack Ryan and the birth of Ryan Restaurant Supply

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I was born in Brooklyn in 1970 — raised in the era of Pat Benatar, Bruce Springsteen, and real New York hustle. Long before I ever thought about owning a restaurant supply company, I was loading deli meats onto a Boar’s Head delivery truck. That was my first real job — and the moment I fell in love with the food business.

 

Over the next 35 years in New York City, I earned my education the old-fashioned way — on the floor, in the kitchen, and behind the bar. I attended NYU three separate times while working my way up from busboy to line cook, waiter, bartender, bar manager, general manager, and eventually food and beverage manager at some of NYC’s hottest spots. I’ve lived every role in a restaurant. I know what it’s like when the ice machine breaks at 7 PM on a Friday. I understand the pressure of food costs, labor margins, and customer expectations — because I’ve been there.

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During the dot-com boom, I pivoted into marketing and built my own company, eventually serving as CEO. After selling the business following 9/11, I returned to what I truly loved — hospitality. That passion took me to Costa Rica, where I spent ten years and opened my first restaurant, SALT. It was there that I learned how critical reliable equipment, sourcing, and supply relationships are to a restaurant’s survival.

 

When I came home to be with my three young boys, I started again — this time with Brooklyn Rolls - a pre-packaged NY Deli outside of NY. What began as a food cart grew into two brick-and-mortar locations. I built it from the ground up — concept, operations, sourcing, vendor relationships, and growth strategy.

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Ryan Restaurant Supply was born from that lifetime of experience.

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This isn’t just a supply business. It’s built by someone who has stood exactly where you stand. I understand urgency. I understand budget. I understand that when equipment fails or supplies run short, it’s not an inconvenience — it’s your livelihood.

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What I Believe

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• Restaurants deserve suppliers who understand operations, not just sales.

• Relationships matter more than transactions.

• Speed, reliability, and transparency build long-term partnerships.

• Small operators deserve the same level of support as large groups.

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Whether you're opening your first concept, scaling multiple locations, or simply need a better partner, my goal is simple: help you operate smarter and more profitably.

I’ve spent my life in this industry. Now I use that experience to support yours.

 

Welcome to Ryan Restaurant Supply.