San Diego Magazine's Happy Half Hour

The iconic Mister A’s is being sold (don’t worry, it’s not going anywhere, and this is a good story). Last week, we talked with Bertrand Hug—the restaurateur of restaurateurs, the don of dining and longtime steward of the rooftop restaurant—about why he chose to sell to his right-hand man. Today on the podcast, we have the man himself, Ryan Thorson. Ryan earned this (and paid for it). The SDSU grad got his first job at Buster’s Beach House in Seaport Village, then landed a low-level managers job at Mister A’s and just dedicated his life to it. Worked 100-hour weeks at times. He rose through the ranks over 11 years, becoming Director of Operations. He and Hug developed a father-son relationship, and, when Hug decided it was time to let go and focus on his original baby—the world=class French restaurant Mille Fleurs in Rancho Santa Fe—he turned down offers for more money and entrusted Mister A’s to his young partner and friend. Ryan tells us the whole story—including how he originally got turned down for the jo