Breaking Bread and Barriers: Rizzo’s Bread Wins Hearts—and Competitions—in Mason County
Small-Batch Bread Company Hopes to Expand Its Local Footprint by Opening a Farm-to-Table Restaurant
There’s a new bread maker in town, and it took him no time at all to get others on board with his ideas. This year, chef and entrepreneur Trevor Lehew walked away with prize money from not one, but two, business pitch competitions in Mason County. And he has quickly gathered a group of people around him who support the vision and mission of Rizzo’s Bread.
Lehew has been a chef for over 20 years and has formulated the “perfect” recipe for Rizzo’s bagels, which are now available at several local locations. After moving here from the Pacific Northwest and building his business from the ground up in a short amount of time, his next goal is to expand his product line and transform the company into a year-round endeavor.
Lehew’s simple mission: “I just want to feed people.”
“I care a lot about people, and we are working together to make food the way we think it should be made,” he said.
“How we eat is how we treat ourselves. I want to use all of the beautiful fresh ingredients we have here in Northern Michigan.”
Spring Beginnings
Rizzo’s Bread was established just weeks before the May 2025 Momentum Business Pitch Competition, an event hosted by the Chamber Alliance of Mason County and Pennies from Heaven to support emerging entrepreneurs.
Lehew admits he wrote his business plan at the last minute, but his presentation at the event charmed audience members, who unequivocally chose him to receive a $5,000 People’s Choice Award.
He has since worked to create pop-up shops at Pentwater Farmers Market, Red Rooster Coffee & Community, State & Main Coffee, and Starving Artist Brewing.
Earlier this month, Lehew also threw his hat into the ring for the Momentum 5x5 Pitch Competition, an event sponsored by Epworth Assembly. Of five finalists, a panel of judges chose him to receive a first-place $5,000 cash prize to support his business further.
Rizzo’s was selected as the winner for its strong potential to scale through wholesale operations, which positions the business for significant growth beyond its current footprint, according to Brandy Miller, president/CEO of the Chamber Alliance. The Epworth judges were also impressed by its ability to fill a unique product niche—one that not only serves the needs of the local community but also has appeal across the broader region.
“With this funding, we can scale immediately – take our small-batch operation and bring it to more stores, cafes, markets and hungry locals across the county,” Lehew said.
He said he’s been shocked by Rizzo’s seemingly overnight success. In just four months, the company is already hosting five community events and 9-12 private events per week.
“I had goals for the year, and we accomplished them in two months. I want to provide good food at a fair price, and the community is behind us. People here have been so kind to me and helped me exponentially, which speaks to what a beautiful place this is.”
Building Community
Rizzo’s Bread now has three partners – Lehew, Patrick Ladipaolo and Drew Koessler – under a profit-sharing business model. The team wants to continue to focus on collaboration, community building, and launching a farm-to-table Italian restaurant in Ludington, Lehew said.
“I want to serve people. I think that’s what I am meant to do. This community’s foundation is strong, and people are continuously showing up for me.”
The team hopes to create more jobs and eventually offer cooking classes.
“Cooking is the new skateboarding,” he said, speaking to its cool factor and street credibility. “This is about teaching people how to make food and making food accessible to everyone.
“Food is about community; it’s about coming together.”
Lehew has some big news on the horizon, but he is first taking a much-needed break in September to iron out the details before an announcement. Stay tuned!
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Want to find Rizzo’s? Stop by the Pentwater Farmers Market on Monday or Thursday this week (10 a.m.-1 p.m. on the Village Green) to sample his fresh pizza. Fresh bagels are available every Sunday at State & Main Coffee and every Monday at Red Rooster Coffee & Community. Rizzo's will also be serving fresh pasta from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28 at Cenzo's in Pentwater.
Watch for updates on Rizzo’s social media pages.