Miguel Rizo is one of the head bartenders at the Village Tavern in Scottsdale but he didn’t easily walk into the position at the popular upscale Gainey destination where customers expect certain service even among the casual acoustics.

It took several years of bussing tables, working as a host then server at the restaurant until Rizo finally asked the owner if he could be trained to tend bar. 

Rizo wasn’t born into wealth but when customers engage with him, his optimism and infectious personality stand out and most see that Rizo’s richness lies in his zest to do well and help his family in the country he has grown to love. 

The dreams he has for himself and his family began when they immigrated to the U.S. from Guadalajara Jalisco.

Rizo told Northeast Valley News, “There were a lot of struggles. My family doesn’t have much, and at times, it felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. Working long hours, going to school, and trying to support my family wasn’t easy. There were days I didn’t think I could handle it all.”

Rizo says his family will always be his first priority and hard work has opened the door for a chance to make his dreams come true. 

“At the Village Tavern, workers come from all walks of life, Rizo said. “From college students like myself, highschoolers who are looking to make a quick buck, and people just trying to make an honest living.”

His family left everything that they had ever known in order to provide the best for their son and it has continued to inspire Rizo to “become the man that they had hoped he’d become.” 

At the age of 17 Rizo began working as a busser for the Scottsdale restaurant. He spent long nights scrubbing plates, polishing silverware and helping the kitchen staff with whatever was needed. 

As the years went on, Rizo moved through the ranks at the Village Tavern and in large part because of his work ethic, personality and charisma was promoted to host the front, greet guests and within months was given the opportunity to become a food server.

As a server, Rizo was finally able to start saving money not only for his family but for his future. 

His next goal—bartending. 

“Once I got comfortable behind the bar, I realized I didn’t want to stop there. Being head bartender meant more leadership, more responsibility, and more control over how the bar was run. It was about taking everything I had learned—from bussing tables to bartending—and stepping into a role where I could really make an impact. I wanted to lead by example, Rizo said.”

For now, Rizo’s plan includes staying in the restaurant business as a bartender and learning more about how everything works. 

He also wishes to travel and see how different places around the world run a restaurant in order to become more familiar with other cultures and diversity.