More Than a Name.

The beginning

It began with loss

Some of the most beautiful things begin when everything else falls apart.

Parlor wasn't born from a business plan. It began with loss.

Before Parlor, I had another business with someone I trusted deeply. What started as a series of “what ifs” during the pandemic eventually fell apart, along with the relationship and the future I thought I was building.

During one of our final meetings, a single word came to mind. Parlor.

I didn't know what it meant or what it would become. But it stayed with me. Over time, that word became a symbol of starting over — of turning heartbreak, memories, and imagination into something beautiful. And eventually, into something you could taste.

A place to belong

More than waffles

Growing up, I never quite felt like I belonged anywhere. When I created Parlor, I wanted to build the kind of place I wish I'd had — somewhere everyone feels welcome, where being different is celebrated, and where the familiar and unexpected can exist together. A place that feels a little mysterious, a little whimsical, and strangely comforting.

Food became my way of bringing that world to life. My culinary journey began with curiosity and a lot of trial and error. I'm self-taught, and when I started, I didn't even know how to make whipped cream.

Today, Parlor's signature cookie-stuffed waffles have earned national recognition, including a Dessert Wars national championship for our Corn Mochi Waffle. But Parlor has never been just about waffles.

From comforting savory dishes and unexpected flavor combinations to our signature Butter Lantern™, everything we create begins with a simple question: What if we made something familiar feel extraordinary?

I'm a musician and storyteller at heart. Every dish is another way to express a memory, an idea, or a feeling. Some creations are nostalgic. Others are wonderfully strange. But every one of them should make you feel something.

Something bigger

A world of its own

Parlor is more than a kitchen. It's a world built around imagination, comfort, and connection. Even our visual identity tells a story — the vines, fog, crumbling walls, and lantern-carrying birds represent the struggles, choices, and unexpected turns that brought me here.

And while our story began with starting over, my vision extends far beyond where we are today. I dream of bringing Parlor to cities around the world, sharing our food and Butter Lanterns with more people, and creating places where imagination and hospitality come together.

But no matter how far Parlor goes, the heart of it will always remain the same. A place where you belong. Where memories become flavors. Where the unexpected feels familiar.

Whether you're here for a waffle, a meal, or simply because something about our strange little world caught your attention — I'm glad you found us.

Welcome to Parlor.

Find What Feels Good.

Ryan Whaley
Founder & Chef, Parlor Kitchen