Personalities

Gary Rulli

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Owner, Master Pastry Chef- RISTOBAR

Gary Rulli is an internationally renowned pastry leader honored for his mastery of his craft. Rulli’s dedication to the art of pastry making has earned him awards, accolades, and long-time fans, including TV celebrity chef Giada de Laurentiis, who recently featured Rulli’s panettone Milanese (traditional Milanese Christmas bread), on The Food Network’s show “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” that aired December 2009.

A San Francisco native, Rulli had humble beginnings as a part-time donut and Danish maker in Ignacio, Calif. Though Rulli was more interested in his ’70 Camaro SS than in honing his artisanal baking skills, his Italian-born grandfather encouraged him to visit his mother country and explore its traditions; what ensued for the 19-year-old Gary Rulli was a fateful trip to Italy that sparked a passion for Old World baking. Rulli apprenticed with pastry chefs in Milan and Turin to learn the time-honored traditions of Northern Italian pastry making before returning to America determined to preserve their art; he’s been serving traditional breads, cookies, cakes and confections to his dedicated patrons ever since.

Upon returning to the states after completing his apprenticeships in Italy, Gary Rulli’s first business focused on wholesale cakes and his famed panettone, but his reputation for producing profound pastry grew rapidly and inspired him to open his own pasticceria (pastry shop) in Marin, CA. Settling in the heart of Historic Downtown Larkspur his new bride Jeannie ran the storefront while he labored in the kitchen. Greeted by overwhelming success, Rulli expanded the pastry shop into two neighboring storefronts in the 90's. In March of 1997, the business re-launched as Emporio Rulli, Inc. - Caffeteria, Pasticceria, Torrefazione, Enoteca (wine bar) and Emporio.

In 2009, Rulli was invited to join Italy’s Accademia Maestri Pasticceri (Academy of Master Pastry Chefs), during his annual pilgrimage to the international pastry show in Rimini (located in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region), which he has attended every year for the past two decades. Rulli journeyed to Naples for his formal induction in November 2009, making him the first U.S. born pastry chef of Italian descent to receive an invitation to join this prestigious group of Italy’s top pastry chefs. Rulli also served as a judge for the 2009 competition, which was the first time a U.S. born pastry chef was bestowed with the honor to judge Italian bakers.

A committed member and supporter of the Slow Food movement for over two decades, Rulli recently launched an organic coffee blend called "La Miscela Golosone" in honor of Slow Food Founder Carlo Petrini. Gary Rulli’s coffee is celebrated throughout the region for good reason; he learned his bean roasting skills from Alfred Peet of Peet’s Coffee and blended in Italian roasting traditions.

His contributions to the community he serves have been recognized by the Larkspur Chamber of Commerce and Community Association, who crowned him “Larkspur Citizen of the Year.” Rulli has also donated his skills and resources to City of Larkspur, San Francisco’s St. Anthony Foundation, and a host of local schools in Marin and San Francisco as well as countless non-profit organizations over the past two decades. Rulli is also active with Italian heritage organizations, including the National Italian American Foundation, San Francisco’s Associazione Liguiri nel Mondo & Museo Italiano as well as San Fransico’s Slow Food Chapter.

Rulli's Bay Area outposts include the flagship Larkspur caffè, pasticceria & wine bar, the Union Square caffè & wine bar, and the Marina restaurant/wine bar RISTOBAR, the newest addition to Union Square, Bancarella as well as the three caffè locations at SFO’s International Terminal and the Casual Dining/ Bar at SFO’s United Airlines Terminal.