Ryan Harris, server and bartender at Laura Lee’s (Photo by Jay Paul)
Laura Lee’s regulars (and Secco Wine Bar regulars before that) will instantly recognize the rainbow hair and impish smile of Ryan Harris, a Chesterfield native who has spent the last decade working in area restaurants. Whether you spot them pouring drinks, roller skating or walking their dogs around their Near West End neighborhood, you can reliably expect the 28-year-old server to light up your day.
Richmond magazine: Tell us a bit about your background. How did you get started working in restaurants?
Ryan Harris: I grew up in North Chesterfield, right outside of Richmond. I went to Lloyd C. Bird High School, where I did almost all the performance arts offered to me. I moved to the city after graduating high school in 2013, and that’s when I started my first service industry job.
RM: What were some of your first jobs?
Harris: I worked at The Tobacco Company for a couple of years as a server. Working there definitely taught me a lot of fine-dining service points that I still use today. It also helped me realize what parts of that environment weren’t for me, like wearing full tuxedos at the time that I worked there. By the time the infamous fire happened at Tobacco Company in 2017, I had already started working once a week at Secco, so switching over to full time there was quite easy.
RM: What was your experience like at Secco?
Harris: Secco, owned by Julia Battaglini and Dave Martin, was such a treat to get to work at. It had such a good balance of serving top-quality food and drinks, while keeping the vibes very approachable and fun. I know the restaurant family motif is a little cheesy, but this one really was a tight-knit little family. This place taught me extensively about wine and was also where I learned how to bartend. After Secco closed in 2022, I made the easy jump over to Laura Lee’s.
RM: Tell us about your role at Laura Lee’s.
Harris: Currently, I both serve and bartend. What I like about the service industry is that there isn’t really a “typical shift.” Some days I’m helping Seonaigh [Westhassel], the amazing bar manager, with cocktail ideas, and some days I’m serving a full section on our beautiful patio.
RM: How do you like to spend your free time?
Harris: I spend a big portion of my time with my partner, Sean, and our two 70-pound hound dogs, Rascal and Brodie. Some other hobbies you might catch me doing include taking ballet/dance classes at TAOU studio, roller skating, playing Dungeons & Dragons, going to drag shows, or playing video games at home. I’m also a big foodie, so you may run into me at your favorite Richmond restaurants.
RM: Let’s hear about your amazing tattoos.
Harris: I’ve been getting tattooed since I was 19. I started by going to Kim [Graziano], who has since become the owner of Black Rabbit. Kim did my Studio Ghibli nature half sleeve, as well as my Princess Peach and my “Adventure Time” thigh piece. I’m a bit of a nerd, if you can’t tell already. I’ve gotten tattooed by some other lovely ladies since then, including Tannis [Almond], who did my over-the-garden-wall tattoo, and Dana [Carlson], who did my most recent floral sleeve where there are lots of cute critters and fruits blended in with the flowers. I love that I’ve only had women/femme people tattoo me, and it’s something I’ll look to continue doing in my life.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
