ABOUT US

Family and tradition are 2 of the most important things to Rich Karwan and his team. We go back over 80 years to Ma Panza and her husband Joseph coming all the way from Napoli. They started with a bakery in Mechanicville and they were the first in the area to bring Neopolitan style brick oven pizza to the region. They worked hard and their cooking showed it. Not long after, they were famous for their cuisine and secret recipes. That’s a little bit of what RK Hospitality wants to bring to you. A special event bringing family and friends together over amazing food.

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83 years later, it's still in the family and if Richie Junior takes over the business one day, that’ll be 7 generations of Panzas carrying on a proud tradition.

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Rich actually learned all of the restaurant fundamentals from his great grandfather Andrew Panza, front of the house and banquet hospitality from his Uncle Michael Panza, and how to manage a kitchen from his other uncle, Tony Panza. That’s not to say there haven’t been others since Rich started washing dishes at the age of 13. From there, he was working at the track when he got a break when a different busser didn’t show up. Then Rich ran home to get a tie to take their position and has eventually taken on every position in the business. Other than serving in the US army in Afghanistan and his carpentry skills that he uses to make repairs on the property, Rich has had the service industry coursing through his veins from a young age.

And when the event is finished and guests are all done with one of our incredible meals, Rich really wants people saying “Wow! That was delicious.” But most of all, he wants them feeling the tradition of family and hospitality that proudly runs through the family