09/10/2024
Dearest Community, friends, family, and industry partners:
20 years ago I came to Niagara with a dream. A dream that came to fruition with the help of all of you. I wanted to create a winemakers hangout modled after Nick”s Italian Cafe in Mcminville Oregon.
The Niagara region already had many great chefs by the likes of Tony de Luca, Ruth Anne Schriefer, Marc Picone, Tara Laidman, Claudio Mollica, Jason Parsons, Michael and Ana Olson, Steven Treadwell, Cathy O’Donnel and my good friends Eric Peacock and David Watt. It was a band of merry men and women that I wanted to be a part of. And they graciously accepted me into their community. Together all of us pushed each other and shaped Niagara into one of the greatest culinary destinations in the world. It has been an amazing 2 decades being a part of this of this great community as it has blossomed!
Alongside the blossoming culinary scene was the amazing cool climate wine region already in full bloom. I embraced the industry with open arms. I toured wineries, hiked vineyards, tasted wines and became fast friends with many of our early winemakers and assistants (many who are the winemakers now). Eventually I became a sommelier and even made my own wines with the help and guidance of this amazing community. We celebrated many a great Harvest party together. didn’t we? Again, it is so great to be apart of this community! Thanks to Charles Baker, Derek Barnett, Marty Werner, Thomas Bachelder, Geoff Dillon, Magdalena Kaiser, Suzanne Jenke, the late Paul Pender, and all the other great people that have helped us along our journey.
Heidi and Perry Johnson of Stone Road Grill allowed me to hone my skills in their famous “Rest”aurtant, while chef friends, Justin Downs, Andrew Mcloud, Justin Duc, Paul Harber, Tim Farley, and restaurateur Dave Legge gave me the courage and support to open my own place.
Backhouse was born 10 years ago and with the help of John Marsala (who left for a little while to help friend Andrew open his place, but returned to help run Ruffino’s) made it one of Niagara’s best farm to table restaurants. Alongside Backhouse, our little “Itty Bitty” 4 acre farm was also born during this time and continues to grow.
Over the years we’ve toiled with fires and have been inundated with weeds, but loved every second of it! You meet so many amazing people while owning a restaurant, including my beautiful wife Martha Brett. Together we survived COVID. Pivoted and out of the ashes opened Ruffino’s Pasta Bar & Grill with the help of the late Daniel Tong. Next came our sexy Wine Bar - BARBEA now renamed as BAR RUFFINO. We are so proud of our little restaurants that could!
But sometimes the universe has other plans. Our lease is expiring and we were unable to come to a mutual agreement with our landlord. And thus this chapter of our lives must come to and end.
You learn so much about yourself owning and running your own show. It’s a challenge. Its love. It’s dedication. It’s a privilege that took everything out of us.
We’ll miss Leeland Brunton, who opened the doors for many of our first guests at Backhouse and Ruffino’s. He helped welcome guests with open arms and a gracious smile as all of our staff did. He helped tell our story. He helped tell the story of Niagara. Unfortunately, we must now say good bye and thank everyone one last time. We will truly miss all of our cherished guests, you are the reason we do what we do!
It’s unfortunate that our little home that has housed so many people over the years has been forced to close. It’s allowed so many young chefs, sommeliers and staff to grow and flourish. For example my good friend Iain “Buckaroo” MacCallun. It’s always sad to see our staff leave, like your child going to school But it’s heartbreaking when now they will not have a home to come back to.
Martha Brett and I have decided to take some time with our beautiful daughter Zoraya and enjoy our family. We have had the pleasure of watching so many families grow before our eyes. Now it’s time for us to watch our little family grow and flourish.
We thank everyone for your kindness, love and support.
Sadly, we will soon be extinguishing our restaurant fires. We won’t be opening a restaurant soon, but plan to farm and run our little farm-stand as we figure out what the universe has handed us.
There is never Goodbye. But see you soon! You can follow our new adventures at .bitty.farm. co or come by our “Itty Bitty Farm” any day for your favourite bread, pâté, pasta and other offerings.
Love
Ryan, Brett & Zoraya
