Micah Arvin, Head Chef
When we say we start them young in our company, we’re not kidding! Micah Arvin, head chef at Windy Corner, began his Holly Hill career as a dishwasher with our catering team at Woodford Reserve while he was still in high school.
Ten years later, Micah’s now in charge of the kitchen at Windy where he looks forward every day to new challenges and being part of a successful culinary team. It comes naturally. Culinary talent runs in the family; Micah’s sister Hannah Arvin is our chef de cuisine at Holly Hill Inn.
His favorite food to cook? “By far, a delicious steak! I’ve always been fascinated by all the ways to cook proteins and all the science behind a perfectly cooked piece of meat.”
Micah still lives in his childhood home in Lexington with his partner Natalie Fields. He loves fishing, hanging out with friends at his favorite local dive bar, and riding his motorcycle down country roads.
“I’ve spent my adult life studying Kentucky cuisine, most of which I’ve learned in Ouita’s company with the help of many talented chefs and mentors”, Micah says. But he always had a Plan B: Micah studied classical music for eight years, with an eye toward playing upright bass.
Neal Johnson, General Manager
General manager Neal Johnson was just a kid when his family started coming to Sunday brunch at Holly Hill Inn after church services at Midway Baptist where his father was minister at the time.
During dinner at Holly Hill Inn celebrating his brother’s college graduation, Neal’s folks asked Ouita if she had any jobs available. Ouita had just opened Windy Corner with chef Cameron Roszkowski. Neal says, “I had dishwashing experience from Bistro La Belle in Midway, so Ouita called Cameron and off to Windy I was.”
And he’s been working for Holly Hill restaurants ever since. From Windy to Zim’s to Smithtown to Zim’s and back to Windy where he runs the whole show now. One of his favorite dishes is shrimp and grits: “It taught me how to make a pan sauce.” Neal may have been kitchen-raised but he loves talking with guests, and bonding with Windy staff from both the front and back of the house. He’s big on building connections.
His other loves – in no particular order – are waking up and stretching with his cats, Alice and Bella; cooking with friends and family; and drinking Miller Lite. And cheering for a certain Division I men’s basketball team which happens to wear red uniforms.
Ouita Michel, Owner
Ouita Papka and Chris Michel met on the first day of chef school at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.. Chris was a Long Island native; Ouita had moved to New York City from Lexington, Ky. to forge a future in the culinary world.
Five years later, they were married in Lexington and proceeded to rewrite the story of the agricultural and restaurant economy in Central Kentucky.