Nicolaas was laid off from Oak & Ola due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(L-R) Nicolaas and Greg BryonPasta Packs
In these times, we’re all looking for any kind of convenience to add to our lives—that includes figuring out dinner. If standing over pots and pans to cook an elaborate meal sounds like no fun, Tampa brothers Greg and Nicolaas Bryon have a plan.
The Bryons are co-owners of Pasta Packs all-in-one, already prepared meal kits.
The brothers moved to Florida from the Bronx when they were kids. Nicolaas, 31, graduated from Johnson & Wales with his culinary degree in 2010 and bounced around Florida working at various restaurants and opening hotels like B Ocean in Ft. Lauderdale. Greg started out studying as a biomedical science major at University of South Florida in Tampa, where he also developed his photography skills.
Greg landed big opportunities like going on tour in Jamaica in 2011 and documenting behind the scenes action for Dynasty who was signed to a small record label named “Macten Sounds.” Currently, Greg is a partner at local creative studio Pep Rally Inc. and owner of his own photography business Eight 20 Eight Inc. A few of his projects at Pep Rally Inc. involve murals for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Lightning plus the shipping containers at Sparkman Wharf.
“The photography got really big for a college student. I took a semester off to go to Jamaica and I didn’t look back after that,” says Greg.
Cooking and food were important in the Bryon family, so learning about flavors and different foods came naturally. Being first-generation American (their mother is from Guyana and their father is from Aruba), they grew up with the understanding that food varies from place to place whether it was a friend’s home or restaurant.
“The diversity of food is pretty complex, so we always paid attention to food. Without having to study it from a traditional sense, our background is food culturally,” Greg says.
Pasta Packs stemmed from an idea the brothers threw around for over a year before deciding to finally develop it when Nicolaas was laid off from Oak & Ola due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nicolaas gave himself a short break before immediately starting to test various pastas. Greg says within the first week, they’d completely developed Pasta Packs and were ready to launch. They wanted to develop and produce dishes that are fresh and travel well.
“We wanted to figure out how people can still get an amazing plate of food and be safe,” Greg explains.
Nic developed his noodles over two years. One is an egg noodle made from double zero flour, a soft wheat flour used to make pizzas and pastas. Another noodle he developed is a plant-based noodle made with basil and spinach aromatics.
Pasta Packs
“Each dish I made with the noodles was different every time. I can eat pasta every day; it’s a complete enjoyment for me,” says Nicolaas.
There are six varieties of pasta to choose from on the Pasta Packs menu, all made by Nicolaas. Greg says Pasta Packs has a “contemporary” taste to it that helps it evolve and adapt with the times.Over the fall, Nicolaas and Greg slowly released their fall pasta lineup, starting with a pumpkin agnolotti; seasonal ingredients like winter squashes, pumpkin, and beets are all used, and aromatics like rosemary and sage paired alongside the dishes, too. As of late, the Bryons are almost out of lobster ravioli, and sharing shots of their white lasagna, plus pesto spaghetti garnished with prosciutto di parma.
“The fall menu will have dishes that are a bit heavier and filling. Dishes to make you feel warm and cozy like ragu and gnocchi, preferably sweet potato gnocchi,” Nicolaas says.
Each meal (including sides) is made from scratch and comes with meal instructions. No meal takes more than 10 minutes to complete.
“Whether we’re in season or not, I’m always trying to think ahead and be prepared for the future,” says Nicolaas.
The meal kits average about $35 for two people. If you’re interested in private dinners for a small group of people (no more than 10), prices run between $80-180 per plate depending on the menu and budget. Private dinners create a different experience and feature more elaborate ingredients than what you get in a regular pack.
“You get a personal chef making the pasta exactly the way it is intended to be eaten and you get great conversation, if desired, from the chef. We put on an eclectic blend of music that is relaxing and calming,” Nicolaas adds.
Guests can meet Greg and Nicolaas at a pickup location in Ybor City between noon-2 p.m. Once pickups are complete, Greg and Nicolaas hand deliver orders to homes from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. as long as they’re within a 10-12-mile radius from downtown Tampa. Pickup and delivery is Wednesday-Monday. The packs are made fresh so it’s important to order within a 24-hour window.
“We try to keep it interesting and exciting. I don’t want people to get comfortable. I want them to try something new,” says Greg.
They are hoping to expand to shipping and keeping Pasta Packs as an e-commerce concept. Greg says even people who live outside of the radius contact them. Some don’t mind making the drive from St. Petersburg or Clearwater for a Pasta Pack.
“Most people have an idea we aren’t shipping but they’ll ask anyway. We do have a significant amount of people who want it that bad,” says Greg.
There was no hesitation with starting this kind of business during a pandemic.
“What do we have to lose? Once we put the first photo up on the internet, it went crazy with our family and friends. It was literally that simple,” Greg says.
Regardless of all the issues happening currently, Greg and Nicolaas are amazed they were able to start a unique business like Pasta Packs as a way to show others they can do it too.
The brothers did their first TV interview with CNBC program “The Exchange” recently to talk about starting Pasta Packs during a pandemic.
“The experience was pretty surreal, it was such a great opportunity. We have been extremely humbled and grounded throughout this process. Being recognized on such large platforms lets us know how far we have come in such a short amount of time. It drives us to work 10 times harder,” says Greg.
“It really is an awesome feeling especially when we’ve gotten emails from Sicilian moms saying the pasta tastes just like theirs or a grandmother’s,” says Nicolaas.
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December 30, 2020 at 12:25AM
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In 2020, Tampa's Nicolaas and Greg Bryon launched Pasta Packs to give people good food that travels well - Creative Loafing Tampa
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