Matt Varga, Head Chef
bio coming soon!
Robin Marini, General Manager
When all is right with our Windy Corner world and things are clicking along, we know whom to thank. Robin Marini has helped bring order to our semi-organized chaos since the spring of 2016 when she came to work as a part-time counter person.
Robin grew up a mile away from Windy Corner and still lives nearby. Having battled and survived breast cancer, she says she deserved a fun job, so she’s been having fun with us at Windy Corner Market, Windy Corner at Fasig Tipton, Honeywood and Zim’s Cafe; she just wrapped up her first year as general manager at Windy Corner.
Robin loved being at Fasig-Tipton during the thoroughbred sales, where she got to know most of the Fasig staff by name and all their favorite dishes. But she’s glad to be back at the original Windy Corner, “where it all started. Because I grew up around the corner, I know a great deal of people that come through our doors, and enjoy helping make their visits memorable.”
When Robin’s not taking care of our Windy guests, she and her husband Bob take care of their numerous adopted rescue pets – the latest being a cat from Windy – and their ever-expanding garden. “My favorite time of the day is when I get home in the evening. Bob and I pour a glass of wine and walk the yard with the dogs and look at our flowers and vegetables. I really enjoy planting and growing flowers, and admiring how they brighten the landscape.”
Robin attended the University of Kentucky at the same time as Chef Ouita Michel, although their paths never crossed back then. While in school, she worked at a toxicology lab and eventually went on to several jobs in the tech and manufacturing sectors, telling us, “I have always liked variety and have thrived wearing a lot of different hats. I have finally found the hat that fits best, and it will be the last one I wear.”
“I feel like we are a big family, and I particularly like that Ouita has multiple restaurants. I have friends at every restaurant, and I know that they have my back if needed, and I have theirs. The greatest thing about working for Ouita is that she is the most amazing boss that I have ever had!”
We think Robin’s pretty amazing too. Tell her hi the next time you’re at Windy Corner and ask her for a recommendation. She’ll steer you in the right direction every time.
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.