Ryan Shelton, Chef | Owner

Though born in the Bay Area, Ryan began his career in Southern California, soaking up world culinary knowledge from stints at various bistros featuring everything from Vietnamese to French to Indian cuisine. He cut his teeth in fine dining and pastry at the Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel before joining a team that would go on to earn two Michelin Stars at Baumé Restaurant with Ryan as Chef de Cuisine. He enjoyed stints as Executive Chef of several restaurants throughout the greater Bay from Santa Cruz to San Francisco, where as Chef of Verbena in Russian Hill, he decided to finally “put down roots” in The City and open Merchant Roots. Ryan is a passionate chef with a proud Italian heritage, who has spent his career honing his skills. He is is devoted to handmade pasta, charcuterie, and all things sweet.

Christine Hirtzel, General Manager | Wine Director 

An early fascination with studying people in their historic, cultural, and social context led Christine to earn an anthropology degree from Vassar College. And while anthropology and cuisine are on seemingly different ends of the spectrum, Christine finds plenty of parallels between the two subjects: They engage rituals and processes, rely on a strong shared culture, depend on communication as a critical component of survival, and require curiosity to fuel evolution and innovation.

A native San Franciscan, Christine got her start at beloved neighborhood sister restaurants Pizzetta 211 and Pearl, then progressed on to cook at refined, chef-driven restaurants, working for Chef Melissa Perello at Octavia and Chef Alexander Hong at Sorrel before joining Chef Ryan Shelton and the Merchant Roots team.

Christine not only cooks but also manages the restaurant’s wine program, where she curates interesting and nuanced wine pairings for each course of the restaurant’s themed tasting menus. She celebrates being fully immersed in the truly collaborative, genuine nature of Merchant Roots.