Authenticity, consistency, discipline, high standards and quality are all key ingredients for seasoned Bajan chef turned entrepreneur Ryan Hill.

So when he wanted to take his near ten-year-old pizzeria and brand, Fire Brick Oven, to a higher level, Hill journeyed to Italy, widely recognised as the home of this popular dish, to procure a specially-made oven.

The business owner’s plans to elevate the experiences of his loyal and growing customer base literally came crashing down a few months ago when the authentic Italian fire brick oven, shipped from Italy to Barbados, was damaged during handling at the Bridgetown Port.

However, despite the setback, Hill is pressing on, having recently relocated and expanded the artisan restaurant from Warrens, St. Michael, after about six years at that location, to the heart of the tourist belt at the ArtSplash Centre in Hastings, Christ Church.

“The fully authentic Italian fire brick oven was made to order, so from the start of its construction to shipping it to Barbados was about 12 weeks. The incident with the oven at the Port set us back about a month, and then I had to find something else that could allow us to continue operating,” he shared in an interview at his south coast location.

Hill recalled that Friday evening when the Port operators were trying to get the oven out of the Port, but it ended up damaged beyond repair on the ground – “as a literal and total crush”.

“Luckily it was insured, but it will take some time to get another oven of that calibre again, likely not before next year,” the veteran chef noted.

“I had to find an alternative because to be closed for that length of time, when you still have your expenses and staff to take care of, just wasn’t an option. So we got the ball moving, and we’re doing the best we can in the circumstances with the alternative oven we’re using right now,” he said.

“In between the emotions of the incident and the fact that we’re not yet as efficient in terms of speed as I would like, because that Italian oven would have been extremely fast, I’m hoping it won’t be too much of a setback, especially since the tourist season is coming up.”

Having finally re-opened, the feedback has been positive and encouraging, he shared.

For Hill, this is not a sob story, but an experience that has made him more determined to succeed, especially considering that the mouths he has to feed are not only his customers but include his team of six staff members.

The businessman is a highly-trained and experienced chef. Over the years, he worked at some of the leading hotels and restaurants on the island, including Sandy Lane, The Lone Star, Hilton Barbados, The Crane, and The Cliff.

Hill remembered that as a teen he “really wanted to be a pilot because I like flying and travelling, but then I started doing home economics and I realised I had a knack for cooking.”

Work experience at a local hotel was eventually followed by schooling and training at Westminster Kingsway College in London, which is widely considered the United Kingdom’s leading school of hospitality and culinary arts.

He also had the privilege of working, and being trained, in the kitchen of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

“At first it was an adjustment to the culture, the timing, and the work, but after the first three months I got an employee award. It was 18 hours a day – you would go in on mornings and finish at night, but you would get two days off,” he said.

“It was a good feeling, and I didn’t leave Barbados and get a work permit to go there and joke around. So I tried to do my best to learn from the best. The first three to four weeks were hard because your body had to adjust to working those long hours.

“But once you got in the kitchen and you were working, you didn’t really feel the tiredness until you sat down. You have got to be passionate about what you do when you are a chef,” Hill added.

That experience “made me mentally stronger to take on challenges, to be well organised in carrying out whatever task you had to, and showed the importance of dedication, discipline, and having that drive,” he shared.

Hill said it also “showed me all of these things you would have to do if you were running your own business – including the long days and hours”. So, having operated Fire Brick Oven part-time while still doing his day job, he took the leap into entrepreneurship full-time in 2016.

On the recent move from Warrens to Hastings, the chef explained: “I wanted more room to expand and a better chance of having more foot traffic rather than waiting for everyone to come and
drive up to what was becoming a congested space.”

“Hopefully, we will also attract some of the visitors during the tourist season since we are now on the south coast.”

His plans include expanding the Fire Brick Oven menu, “and eventually I would like to get another location so that we could branch out a bit”. Ordering and paying online are also on the agenda. Meantime, delivery across the island has been introduced and while all the favourites on the menu still exist, specials are added often for variety.

He also said that long-standing customers have enthusiastically returned and that new customers are discovering what Fire Brick has historically offered, “the best of fresh local ingredients and a perfect crust”. Hill noted that even the sauces used are made in-house from scratch.

The chef also had some advice for prospective entrepreneurs.

“You must have a plan and try to get some people who can support your vision and help you along the way. I am grateful to those who rallied around me and the Fire Brick brand during the move and amidst the setbacks. Be prepared for the unexpected,” Hill recommended.

“Some people are happy to work for twenty years for someone, and others decide to go off on their own to make their own mark. I have no regrets – everything happened for a reason.”