…of Bill White Restaurant Group
Bill White does things right. He’s the creator, mastermind and owner of Bill White Resturant Group (BWRG). With a portfolio including eight of Park City’s most popular restaurants, White has the Midas touch as a successful restauranteur. His secret? “I hire great people,” said White. Case in point: Mike Brown, Beverage Manager for the Bill White Restaurant Group for over 20 years. Spend just ten minutes with Mike and you know you’ve met someone you would trust with your heart and your money. His warm smile and unpretentious character assure you he’s a salt-of-the-earth man who loves his family, loves his town, and loves his job.
Mike’s story sounds like so many Park City ‘locals.’ As a young man in 1986, he came here on a ski vacation with his family and fell in love with what he found. The dry, light, Utah powder that went up to his waist, the year-round bluebird skies, and the tight-knit community of hard working people were his idea of paradise. Before that vacation ended, he had decided to make Park City his new home. Mike flew back to New York, packed a few suitcases, and was back on a plane three days later chasing his dream in Park City.
Mike had grown up working in his parent’s restaurant in upstate New York, performing every position from dishwasher to counting the till. Whenever an employee didn’t show, Mike and his siblings were called upon to cover and get their homework done. He learned to work hard, be smart with his money, and how to be true to himself while giving someone else his all. When Grappa Italian Restaurant opened in 1993, Mike first signed on as a bus boy/food-runner. It didn’t take long for Bill White to notice the young man’s work ethic, natural instinct and ability to please guests. His dedication to making everything work earned him a promotion to Bar Manager in less than a year. Bill and Mike have been together ever since.
Over the years, BWRG has given Park City one great restaurant after another. On Main Street, they offer gourmet Italian at Grappa, upmarket Southwestern cuisine at Chimayo, and epicurean Asian at Wahso. A few blocks north of Main, Windy Ridge Café and Windy Ridge Bakery offer a more casual dining experience and are acclaimed local favorites.
In Kimball Junction, Ghidotti’s Italian and Sushi Blue Asian restaurants continue BWRG’s tradition of exceptional dining. Their most recent addition has become a destination for anyone who loves cars as much as great food: Billy Blanco’s Motor City Mexican. Dine in the ‘auto shop’ and enjoy authentic street tacos, juicy burgers, and icy margaritas.
Mike took on the company’s bar business as his focus in 1994. Since then, thanks to his diligence and determination, all eight locations have become well known for outstanding wine lists, creative cocktails, and distinctive atmospheres. Each and every day, Mike is in the restaurants. He personally delivers inventory, talks with employees about what’s working and what’s not, and gets behind the bar so he never forgets who his customers are. “This business is in my blood and I love it. I live in the best town and work for the best company in that town. BWRG has provided me with opportunities and chances to make my goals a reality. What else could be asked of life?” Now, those are the words of a truly happy man.
