In the latest episode of the Pizza Story Podcast, host Erica D’Arcangelo sits down with Ian Madan, the founder of Reno’s beloved South Creek Pizza Company. If you’ve ever stepped foot on Foothill Road, you’ve likely smelled the intoxicating aroma of charred oak and bubbling mozzarella wafting from his Stefano Ferrara brick oven.
But as Ian explains, his journey to becoming a staple of the Reno food scene didn’t start with a rolling pin—it started in a plastics manufacturing plant in New Jersey.
The Family Business: A “Behind-the-Scenes” Start
Ian’s connection to pizza is unique. His father ran an injection molding plant in Cranford, New Jersey. In the late 1980s, they were approached by a little company called Domino’s to design a specific product: dough proofing bins.
“Still to this day,” Ian says, “my family’s business manufactures the dough bins that Domino’s uses.” Because his father was so heavily involved in the industry, the Madan household became a hub for local pizza chefs. They would host bluegrass jams on the patio, where legendary chefs would bring their own dough and hold informal pizza-making contests in the family’s backyard wood-fired oven.
Ian grew up surrounded by the industry’s best, absorbing the “behind-the-scenes” mechanics of what makes a great pie before he ever stepped into a professional kitchen.
Cutting His Teeth at “Campo University”
After moving to Tahoe to escape the New Jersey factory life, Ian found himself working at Palisades (formerly Squaw Valley). But the call of the kitchen was too strong. He eventually teamed up with local celebrity chef Mark Esty at Campo in downtown Reno.
Ian calls this time “Campo University.” Working as the main pizza guy, he learned how to handle high-volume service, sometimes doing 500 to 600 covers a day. “I wanted to gather as much information as I possibly could,” Ian recalls. He sat in on front-of-house meetings and absorbed every detail of restaurant operations, preparing for the day he would strike out on his own.
The Birth of South Creek
In 2013, Ian opened South Creek Pizza Co. with his family. The road wasn’t without its hurdles—they originally wanted to name the place “Wildfire Pizza Company,” but a cease-and-desist from a larger restaurant group forced a quick pivot.
“It was a blessing,” Ian admits. “With all the actual wildfires in this region, South Creek feels much more positive.”
Opening a family business meant navigating the highs and lows of working with parents. In the early days, Ian’s mother acted as the host while his father “smoozed” guests with splashes of wine. Ian, meanwhile, was the engine in the kitchen, clocking 70-hour weeks to ensure every handcrafted topping was perfect.
The Secret to the South Creek Char
Ian’s tutelage came from some of the best in the world, including Michael Fairholm and Dan Richer of Razza. This education led to a menu defined by three non-negotiables, Imported 00 Flour from Italy, Fresh House-Made Mozzarella pulled from curd, and Denopoly Tomatoes for a balanced sauce.
While the Margherita remains Ian’s personal benchmark for quality, the customer favorite is undoubtedly the Frankie P. Named in honor of Ian’s late friend Frank Palumbo, this pie features an olive oil base, garlic, basil, soppressata, sausage, onion, and a signature hot honey drizzle.
Surmounting the COVID Wave
Like every restaurateur, Ian faced his darkest days during 2013’s pandemic. “The hardest day was laying everyone off,” he says. But through innovative “pizza kits” and strategic use of PPP funds to bonus his staff, South Creek didn’t just survive—it evolved. Today, their to-go traffic has doubled, becoming a permanent part of their business model.
Looking Toward the Future
After 13 years, Ian has finally hit a “sweet spot.” With an incredible crew taking the reins, he’s able to spend more time with his wife and four-year-old. He isn’t resting on his laurels, but he is finally enjoying the mountain-modern sanctuary he built.
“I’m watching the business run, and it’s a really great place to be,” he says. “I finally hit a bit of a sweet spot.”
Follow South Creek Pizza Co on Instagram @southcreekpizzaco
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