Black Scranton
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03/28/2026
Chef Ryan von Smith left Scranton to take a shot.
He landed in LA and got a job at TAO Los Angeles, working the door. Not the kitchen. But he stayed close, learned everything he could, and worked his way in.
That path took him through NYC, LA, Vegas and Macau. High-pressure kitchens. Big moments. A real career taking shape.
Then COVID hit.
He came home and started cooking out of his mom’s kitchen. What started as a small pop-up turned into Chef Von & mom.
And then things took off again.
International competitions. Big wins. Third place in the MasterChef World Competition. 2024 World Rice Champion. And even Next Level Chef FOX with Gordon Ramsay.
This week on HarmonyTALK, Greg Frigoletto gets the full story.
🎧 Listen now
👉 Link in comments
This is what 100 years of Black History Month looks like in Scranton. 🖤
Last Sunday we kicked off our Black History Month Centennial Celebration — and y’all showed up and showed OUT.
Music. Art. Community. And messages left on our phone that hit different. 📞✨
“You’re doing an amazing job. This is a wonderful space.”
“This is such a fun event. It’s so important for our history.”
This is why we do what we do.
100 years since Dr. Carter G. Woodson created Negro History Week. 100 years since our building was built. And we’re just getting started.
Thank you to everyone who pulled up. More events all month long — link in bio. 🔗
☎️ Leave us a message in the comments — what does Black History Month mean to you?
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1902 N. Main Avenue
Scranton, PA
18508
