Alchemy Restaurant Group is a multifaceted company that serves various sections of the food system. Our flagship restaurant and lounge, Alchemy Cultural Fare & Cocktails is in the quaint neighborhood of South Park near downtown San Diego. We also cater to private and business clients throughout San Diego County with interesting fare and craft cocktails. Additionally, we teach cooking with our Scratch Culinary Education program for both youth and culinary professionals.
Ron Troyano
Ron Troyano has been the managing co-partner of the sustainable, South Park eatery Alchemy since its establishment in 2009. A graduate of San Diego State University, Troyano dabbled in several industries before settling in the food services world. Along the way he collaborated on several art galleries in San Diego and Santa Monica and worked in advertising for many years.
Ron believes in business that gives back to the community it serves, and San Diego is lucky to have a restaurateur that is passionate about sustainable food, creative expression and healthy people. He led the founding of Alchemy’s student cooking class in partnership with the Albert Einstein Academy and McKinley Elementry School. The course “graduation” is an evening at Alchemy, where parents and teachers enjoy dinner prepared and served by the student chefs. Additionally, he co-created the Scratch Culinary Education Training Program to teach school food service personnel various scratch cooking techniques to support the healthy school food movement. Ron also received a nod from San Diego Metropolitan Magazine, among esteemed business people and local activists, for the publication’s annual ‘40 Under 40 Awards’ in 2011.
Troyano has been a member of the American Sommeliers Association for 6 years and is an acting member of the San Diego Farm to School Task Force, sits on the board of the San Diego Hunger Coalition and chairs the board of The Front Burner fund which he co-created to aid kitchen workers with unforseen medical bills. He was recently presented with a Childhood Obesity Initiative 2012 San Diego County Certificate of Recognition on behalf of Alchemy.
Matt Thomas
Matt Thomas puts a thoughtful spin on gastronomy at South Park favorite, Alchemy. His mother, an artist, owned her own gallery and even employed little Matt during his childhood. He worked his way through college and grad school, manning many a bar. His post-collegiate travels took him through Europe and Central America, feeding his desire for culture, food, art, and philosophy. His brother’s art gallery, Geoff Thomas Designs, benefited from Matt’s management before he made his way back to San Diego. At his final destination, Matt found himself nestled in the warm and comforting bosom of the restaurant and art industry.
Matt has been a member of the South Park Business Group for the past three years and is currently on the Board of Directors. Notably, the SPBG recently became a nonprofit in November 2011. Lately, when not busy stirring the pot at Alchemy, he volunteers as a member of the Greater Golden Hill Planning Committee and the Community Plan Update Advisory Committee, generating and developing ideas that will help this young city grow. Above all, his wife and children are his biggest passions.
Ricardo Heredia
Chef Ricardo Heredia’s culinary curiosity began at age nine when he set forth to tackle a single ingredient – the egg. Heredia has since gained years of invaluable experience but has managed to maintain the enthusiasm and ingredient inspired technique that transforms a meal into a sensory adventure.
After conquering the almighty egg, Ricardo began work in the kitchen of an Italian restaurant for the next 5 years. At the age of 23, with already 12 years of culinary experience under his belt, he began honing his skills in the kitchens of Columbus and Dayton Ohio. His influence spans the globe working with chefs from Italy, France, Thailand, and the Caribbean. Ricardo’s food philosophy is simple; Let the products speak for themselves. Most importantly our chef focuses on the many local farms that California has to offer. The diverse, creative dishes on the menu at South Park’s Alchemy are testament to Chef Heredia’s ideals, as well as his eclectic background.
Since joining the team at Alchemy when the neighborhood restaurant opened its doors over three years ago, Ricardo has discovered his love for educating children about local and sustainable food and has blossomed in his role as teacher for the Albert Einstein Academies Student Chefs Program. Ricardo is also a motivational speaker for at risk youth and foster children at Camp Barrett Youth Corrections, and the Polinsky Children’s Center. Ricardo’s recent accolades include coming in first place in Saffron’s Pad Thai Throwdown Challenge 2011 & the “Best Restaurant – Appetizer Completion” at the 2011 Beer and Saki Festival. Ricardo also holds an esteemed role as one of The San Diego Union Tribune’s Superdiners.
Erich Tramonti
Being extremely successful in the world of retail wasn’t enough for Erich (known to his friends as ET) he needed to challenge himself further with an even more stressful industry, the restaurant industry. ET brings his trained palette and keen sense of style to Alchemy to make sure the boys (and girls) keep their act together and the customers happy. Oh and maybe to sample the food and wine from time to time.
Geoff Thomas
A successful jewelry designer and artist, Geoff brings an outside perspective to the team. We rely on Geoff to supply us with art (and customers) from his contacts throughout the art world of Los Angeles. When in San Diego you can find Geoff at his favorite seat in the house…that would be the one with his name finely decorated on the back.
