[Obituary]
Ryan Hidinger a beloved husband, son, grandson, brother, award-winning chef and community leader died at home in Atlanta, GA, on January 9, 2014 with his wife, Jennifer Wells Hidinger, by his side. He was 36. The cause was complications from gall bladder cancer. Ryan was born in Indianapolis, IN, on August 14, 1977, and grew up in nearby in Zionsville. He had long nurtured a strong love for the craft of cooking, so it came as no surprise to friends and family when he decided to attend culinary school at the Art Institute of Atlanta in 20??. After graduating with an exemplary record, he decided to move back to Indianapolis, where he set out to learn as much as he could about all aspects of cooking. He trained everywhere from a large catering operation to an intimate high-end sushi bar. Ryan soon met and fell in love with Jennifer, whom he first spotted working as a cashier at a local market. After working up the nerve to ask her out, he had another hurdle to pass: her parents. Charles and Mary Wells. They insisted on meeting this chef who was wooing their college-bound daughter, five years his junior. He passed the interview with flying colors, and they loved him like a son long before Jennifer graduated. Soon thereafter, the young couple married and relocated to Atlanta. Hidinger found work in some of the city's finest restaurants, including Bacchanalia and Floataway Cafe. But the Hidingers dreamed of opening their own restaurant something as casual and comfortable as a sandwich shop but serving impeccably sourced high quality food. They even had a name for their dream restaurant Staplehouse. To that end, Ryan took a job at Muss & Turner's in Smyrna, a well regarded deli that was starting to flirt with full-service dining. Under his leadership, it became a destination for creative comfort food prepared with fine-dining precision. He and Jennifer concurrently ran a supper club from their bungalow home, Prelude to Staplehouse, that raised a little seed money and more importantly gave would-be customers a taste of things to more. Tickets to these prix fixe dinners sold out within minutes (and sometimes seconds) online. After Ryan was hit with his cancer diagnosis in December 2012, he chose to live as full a life as he possibly could while suffering the effects of the disease and the aggressive course of treatment he sought. Working with friends and colleagues, the Hidingers thought about how they could help others in their circumstances. They founded The Giving Kitchen Initiative, a nonprofit charity that awards grants to underinsured hospitality workers facing loss of work through disease or injury. The Giving Kitchen Initiative will share a space with Staplehouse, the dream restaurant finally come to fruition. Jennifer will run the restaurant with Kara Hidinger, Ryan's sister, and her fiancé, the chef Ryan Smith. Though he prepared fine cuisine, Ryan was a huge fan of chicken wings, and on his rare day off he loved to indulge at Taco Mac restaurant. If his beloved Indianapolis Colts were playing on the television, all the better. His other tastes ran to Haribo Gummi Bears an Starburst chews, as well as craft beers and good American whiskey. He was a member of the Jack Daniels Tennessee Squire association. Ryan was also a huge fan of horror films, the schlockier the better. He counted the "Evil Dead" series among his favorites and loved donning elaborate zombie costumes for Halloween. In addition to Jennifer and his sister, Kara, he is survived by three brothers Scott Hidinger, Matt Hidinger and Andrew Hidinger his mother Deborah Collins and stepfather Warren Hollins, his father Mark Hidinger and stepmother Vicki Hidinger, his grandfather Edward Calvin Hidinger and his stepgrandmother Mary Angelicchio, and his grandmother Edna Pryor and his stepgrandfather Howard Pryor. Last but not least, he is also survived by his two canine children, Vida and Camper, who stayed by his side at all times. A Celebration of Life will be held from 11-2pm on January 19, 2014 at the GA Railroad Freight Depot, 65 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr, Atlanta, GA 30312. 404-656-3850. SouthCare Cremation and Funeral Society. 770-692-1181