Rick Malir began his restaurant career in 1999 smoking brisket in a makeshift kitchen, hoping to turn a love of barbeque into a successful business. Today, teams are serving up authentic, smoked-on-site barbeque in more than 65 City Barbeque locations, and the brand expects to serve and create happiness across more of the country in the years to come. 

As founder and chairman of City Barbeque, Rick has a passion for the art of barbeque matched only by his dedication to the team. Every day, he works to safeguard the brand’s culture and champion its core values; foster continued growth and success, both for individual team members and the company as a whole; and guide City Barbeque during a time of rapid expansion. 

Rick holds an MBA from the University of Illinois and a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­In 1999, Rick Malir left a career with John Deere, partnered with a competition barbeque team, bought an old doughnut shop in Ohio, and opened the first City Barbeque. Today, City Barbeque has more than 68 restaurants, with Rick still on board as founder, chairman, and head pitmaster. The restaurant’s success is derived from the culture Rick has created and nourished: a dedication to competition-quality food and incredible hospitality; a drive for continuous improvement; and a promise to stay true to the purpose of serving and creating happiness.

Rick, his wife Bonnie, and their five Labrador Retrievers live just north of Dublin, Ohio. In his spare time, Rick enjoys traveling, riding motorcycles, and recreational aviation.