Nick Lammering is the toastiest, crispiest and sauciest fan of Major League Soccer’s newest club. By day, he’s an art director at a local ad agency, but by night (and day games), he’s Toasted Ravioli Man — or T-Rav Man.
“I love soccer. I love St. Louis, and I love toasted ravioli,” Lammering said. “One day I was sitting on the couch and I asked my girlfriend, ‘Do you think we can make something where my head is the center of toasted ravioli and I could start going to City games like that?’”
During a cold mid-March game against the San Jose Earthquakes, screenshots of the Apple broadcast of Lammering celebrating clad in parsley-flecked toasted ravioli headgear created a mystery that fans were hungry to solve.
It didn’t take long for Lammering to reveal himself as T-Rav Man. The fandom has also turned into a side hustle where he and his partner, Laynee Knipmeyer, sell the toasted ravioli headgear and other merch.
Lammering and Knipmeyer are struggling to keep up with the demand. “They sell out within a minute each time, and we're trying to meet the demand as much as possible,” Lammering said. “It's getting a little hectic out there.”
Lammering’s professional skills are helping him show his passion for the team. His Instagram features Photoshopped images of him bathing in a tub of marinara sauce, posing below the Gateway Arch and rowing a boat down a river of marinara.
Despite his fame, Lammering is accessible to his fans. People often approach him for hugs and photos, and he’s happy to oblige. And, he’s committed to donning the hat throughout the toasty summer months.
“I think it's my St. Louis pride,” he said. “I love this city, and I love showing up in this way. It's amazing. I love giving it back to St. Louis and showing up as big as I can, and as crispy as I can.”
To hear more of T-Rav Man’s origin story, listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcast, Spotify or Google Podcast or by clicking the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Ulaa Kuziez is our production intern. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
