Ryan grew up in the Atlanta area. After working at his father’s barbecue restaurant in Hoschton, GA, he worked under Zak Pelaccio (James Beard Best Chef, 2016) in NYC and Ryan Lowder in Salt Lake City (Plum Alley, Bon Apetit “Top 50 Best New Restaurants,” 2012). He later moved to LA where, after winning the pilot episode of “Food Truck Faceoff,” he launched Southern-inspired truck Peaches Smokehouse (LA Times, “Meet the Peaches’ Country Fried Steak Sandwich…,” 2016) and was later the cofounder and co-exec chef of Poppy + Rose in downtown LA (Thrillist, “Best Fried Chicken Sandwiches in LA,” “Best Chicken and Waffles in LA”). He now owns and operates Peter Trout’s with his wife, artist and photographer Alexandra Loftus (Maine Magazine, “Southern Comfort Food Meets Maine Classics…,” Down East Magazine, “101 Reasons to Love Summer in Maine,” Eater, “18 Essential Maine Restaurants”).