BTB: Riley Johnson
To know him is to love him- his energy, passion, and love for the community are truly contagious! We are sure that most of you have interacted with him in some way, whether it’s through buying bread or chatting about your day!
This week we introduce you to,
Today, Riley is our front-of-house manager at Laguna, but you might also remember him from our Lido location where he first started. He has now been with Rye for over 4 years! His dedication and hard work have played a huge role in the community and friendships built at the shops!
Here’s where Riley’s story begins…
Riley is a born-and-raised OC local. Although not a baker himself, his sister Claire was the first to instill in him a passion for high-quality baked goods and culinary experiences. Being a proficient baker herself, she helped our owner, Sara, even before a storefront existed. After graduating from UCLA, Riley was encouraged by his sister and her fiancé, Alan Lezama, to take on a Front-of-House position at the new storefront in Lido.
Since then, Riley has been passionate about understanding and addressing the needs of our amazing clientele, saying it feeds his hunger for curating excellent experiences.
His favorite part of the job is the interactions he has with team members and loyal customers. These meaningful connections bring him joy and pride, and says they serve as his motivation on challenging or tough days.
Some of his favorite memories are the ones after a huge rush, or busy holiday weekends. Everyone is a little delirious and giddy, but feeling that sense of accomplishment is unmatched!
In addition to loving our customers and the environment, Riley loves working with his family. It’s a privilege to work alongside some of the closest people in his life.
Time has flown by, but he is grateful that with each passing year, he feels stronger and more capable in his role. As a manager, he has learned that respect and patience are essential, especially when working with those who are still learning the process.
Over the years, Riley has developed a deep appreciation for sourdough, heritage grains, and living in each season. It’s exciting for him to see all the new and returning products each season. It allows him to truly appreciate things like a peach in summer and squash in fall so much more than he would normally.
Some of his favorite products are the porridge loaf for turkey sandwiches, matcha lemonade, and the baklava croissant (should we bring this croissant back??).
You will usually see Riley early in the morning opening up the shop. He says this is one of his favorite tasks.
When he’s not at the bakery, he is most likely out and about with his dog Monty, finding the best new hiking and walking trails!
We absolutely love Riley, and are so lucky to have him part of the Rye team!
