Today we’d like to introduce you to Anthony Vipond and Chad Crete.
Chad and Anthony met their freshman year in 2003 at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. The two quickly became friends and before long the pair was throwing weekly dinner parties for their close friends. Word got around of the duo’s talent for cooking and soon the number of others wanting to come try their dishes caused for the number of seats around their table to grow! With many late night cooking sessions, farmer’s market runs and entertaining family and friends their friendship strengthened over the years. Their passion for food and entertaining sparked up an idea to one day open a restaurant. After much hard work, Chad and Anthony have proudly turned that idea into a reality. Whiskey Bird.
Chad started his Atlanta culinary career as one of the Founders and the Executive Chef of the Iberian Pig. At the Pig, he introduced Decatur and Atlanta to the world of Spanish tapas and to his bold flavors and creative combinations. Before coming to Atlanta, Chad worked with China Grill Management in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, Lettuce Entertain You in Chicago and Hillstone Restaurant Group in Scottsdale. He is excited to continue to give Atlanta diners dishes that are unique, innovative and ultimately delicious.
Anthony brings over 10 years of experience from some of the best restaurant groups in the country, including Hillstone Restaurant Group and Chopt. He ventured away from the restaurant world to attend Cornell, get an MBA and qualify for the CPA exam, but after a year of accounting he decided to return to the restaurant industry and hasn’t looked back since. He is now at the helm of Whiskey Bird and oversees the operations and bar program.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Overall things have been relatively smooth and we have been very fortunate but there are always obstacles when starting a new business. For us and many small businesses, capital constraints are always something we are dealing with. We are constantly reinvesting in the restaurant and trying to find ways to improve it. We are sometimes faced with unforeseen capital expenditures and how you properly manage those can be a make or break for many companies. In the end I think the biggest challenge is being able to be dynamic and to constantly pivot in order to adapt to your customer base, staff levels, equipment and capacity constraints and still deliver a great product and keep moving forward.
Whiskey Bird – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
At Whiskey Bird, we bring together the vibrancy of Asian flavors with the diversity of American tastes to create dishes that embody our inventive and creative spirit. We want our dishes to be unexpected, uninhibited and most importantly, unforgettable. And at the end of the day, we hope to be a favorite neighborhood restaurant.
We strive to offer dinners a unique culinary experience through our creative dishes and carefully crafted classic cocktails while providing dinners with quality and value.
We are proud of the culture we have created with our staff where they feel empowered to take care of our guests. We want to help them grow and develop as a part of Whiskey Bird and in their lives outside the restaurant.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
We think success is seen through creating raving fans and brand ambassadors. When you provide guests with a dinning experience in which they leave so happy that they cannot wait to share it with others, you have done something amazing. When you can provide that same experience to the majority of your dinners, you are now successful because this guest base will help you to grow and develop over time.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1409 North Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta GA 30306
- Website: www.eatwhiskeybird.com
- Phone: 4046005797
- Email: morningside@eatwhiskeybird.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiskeybird/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eatwhiskeybird
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/whiskey-bird-atlanta
Image Credit:
Christina Kwan
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