FOR THE BIRDS (AND BISCUITS)
Published in the Dec. 27, 2025 issue.
When asked where the idea for two top-rated chefs to leave their prestigious jobs and start a restaurant based on the biscuit came from, Brandon Brocia simply said, “beer.”
Brocia, along with his wife, Theresa Brocia, make up the business side of the operation, while former Vulcania chefs Ryan Bock and Nate Johnson lead the culinary vision. Over beers, the team started brainstorming.
“We said, if we could start something, what would it be?” Brocia said. “We wanted to do something that was unique, something outside the box, that could be elevated without having a price tag on it.”
The resulting concept, Bird and the Biscuit, is the antithesis of Vulcania. Shifting away from fine dining, the team is creating a Southern-inspired, fast-casual restaurant rooted in approachability and affordability. A concept they say fills a gap in Mammoth’s dining scene, particularly for breakfast and quick meals.
“At some point, the town just hits price fatigue,” Brocia said. “Everything gets more and more expensive, and people get boxed out. We wanted to do something that serves the community without compromising quality.”
The restaurant will be located in the Gateway Center, in the space formerly occupied by zpizza, next to Looney Bean and Subway. The site was selected for its high visibility, ample parking, and easy access for locals. Construction is currently underway with an expected opening in March.
The menu will be tightly focused, with biscuits serving as the foundation for both breakfast and lunch. Guests can expect biscuit breakfast sandwiches, biscuits with house-made jams, honeys, and butters, and classic biscuits and gravy in the morning. As the day progresses, the chefs
plan to pair the biscuit with fried chicken, sides, and rotating seasonal elements.
The simplicity is intentional.
“We asked ourselves, ‘What can we make our focus?’” Bock said. And what embodies love more than the biscuit?
Nearly everything will be made in-house, from the biscuits themselves to sauces, jams, gravies, and even beverages like iced teas and lemonades. By cooking from scratch and keeping the
menu streamlined, the team believes they can maintain both quality and consistency while keeping prices accessible
A basic breakfast of a biscuit and coffee is expected to cost around $7, with breakfast sandwiches starting in a similar range. Even the highest-priced menu items are planned to stay
well below typical dining prices in town.
“Just because there aren’t many [dining options in Mammoth] doesn’t mean you should charge whatever you want,” Brocia said.
Though Bird and the Biscuit marks a creative shift, its founders bring deep experience to the table.
Brocia is a longtime Mammoth restaurateur who previously owned Bleu Handcrafted Foods and now owns The Eatery at Mammoth Brewing Company. He also served as executive chef at the Westin Hotel when it opened. Ryan Bock has lived in Mammoth for 11 years and spent nine of those working alongside Brocia. During that time, he helped open several local restaurants and served as a chef at Blue Handcrafted Foods, with most of his background rooted in fine dining.
Chef Nate Johnson moved to Mammoth three years ago to open Vulcania after spending more than a decade working with the Voltaggio Brothers. Originally from Maryland, Johnson helped open and operate five of their restaurants before being tapped to launch Vulcania.
Despite those resumes, the goal with Bird and the Biscuit is deliberately stripped-down.
“This concept doesn’t have the ego that fine dining has,” Bock said. “It’s just good food that makes people happy.”
The chefs say working for themselves, after years of building concepts for others, was a natural next step. After three years working closely together, trust played a major role taking the leap.
“It’s hard to find the right people to go into business with,” Johnson said. “But we work well together, and that made the decision easier.”
Despite opening near the end of winter, the team isn’t overly concerned about seasonality.
Thanks to its casual format, affordable pricing, and breakfast-focused menu, the team expects steady business even during the slower winter months.
* This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Ryan Bock’s name
