Born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in Lee’s Summit, MO, Ryan Murphy moved to Lawrence, KS, in junior high. Ryan attended the University of Kansas for his freshman year before transferring to the Hospitality Management program at Johnson County Community College.

While in college, Ryan worked in nearly every restaurant position—line cook, kitchen manager, host, expo, server, and bartender—before stepping into management at 22 as the bar manager at J. Wilson’s, a fine dining restaurant in Lawrence. It was there that he discovered a passion for wine, working alongside the Sommelier to learn about wine service, pairings, and executing wine dinners.

Ryan then helped open Six Mile Chophouse, the first-ever prime steakhouse in Lawrence, where he served as beverage director. He developed a bar program and wine list that complemented the Kansas-sourced prime beef and scratch-made menu, as well as organized quarterly beer and wine dinners. In 2015, Ryan moved to Overland Park, KS, to take on the role of bar manager at North Italia, where he deepened his knowledge of Italian wines and created an engaging reserve wine list.

The pinnacle of Ryan’s restaurant career came when he became the GM and Wine Director at Rye, a renowned restaurant on the Plaza in downtown Kansas City, owned by James Beard Award-winning chefs Colby and Megan Garrelts. After leading Rye for three years, Ryan relocated to Phoenix, AZ, in 2021 to become the Food & Beverage Director with Pacific Hospitality Group allowing Ryan to travel extensively and assist with F&B operations across a variety of locations.

In 2024, Ryan transitioned out of hospitality management and entered the sales world, returning to Kansas City to join Classique.

Outside of work, Ryan enjoys attending concerts and music festivals, cooking at home, hosting family get-togethers, and playing pool. A competitive pool player for nearly 15 years, he has participated in APA and BCA leagues, with a notable achievement in 2022, when he competed at the APA World Championship in Las Vegas, leading his team to a 9th-place finish nationally.

Ryan has a particular fondness for South American wines, especially Carmenère and Malbec from Mendoza, as well as Italian wines, particularly Langhe Nebbiolo. A fan of single malt Scotch, his favorite is Laphroaig, known for its smoky peat, which pairs perfectly with a cigar.