Today we’d like to introduce you to Phillip Walters.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It all started at a rather young age with a healthy obsession with food. Inspired by my mother’s cooking, my father’s backyard barbecues, and chefs on TV, that obsession grew and grew. I officially entered the world of hospitality as a thirteen-year-old, serving as a line cook at a local restaurant in Iowa Falls. I worked my way up to Executive Sous Chef, all the while earning a Master’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Iowa State University.
I’ve seen and done quite a bit since then. I moved to more Front of House positions, gaining knowledge in wine, service and business strategy. I became wine director and eventually general manager for restaurants around Chicago and beyond.
Knowing Chicago was where I wanted to anchor myself, I connected with my longtime friend and restaurateur, John Ross, introduced him to Chef Chris Pandel and B. Hospitality Co. was born. Our first project in 2008 was The Bristol, a farm-to-table restaurant in Bucktown. It was an amazing experience to build a one-of-a-kind menu, and drive a comprehensive wine, beer and cocktail program. All of which led to four-star reviews from Time Out Chicago and CS Magazine, a Michelin Bib Gourmand Award, and top rankings from GQ and Esquire. All that hard work really paid off!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Running restaurants is equally challenging as it is rewarding. But the biggest struggle for me was in transitioning to ownership of a restaurant, and then a few restaurants. Constantly needing to balance the myriad of roles you play, putting on one hat for training, servicing and operating amazing restaurants as a manager, and then the next day putting on your ownership hat to deal with economic, political, and social pressures that affect major urban environments and the businesses therein.
But that’s part of the job, and that isn’t likely to change, so it’s all about striking a balance and navigating as best you can.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the B. Hospitality Co. story. Tell us more about the business.
B. Hospitality Co. is a Chicago-based group of hospitality-driven restaurants including The Bristol, Formento’s, Nonna’s, Balena, Cold Storage and Swift & Sons. The latter three restaurants are partnerships with Boka Restaurant Group. As the operating manager alongside John Ross, I specifically oversee beverages in all of the houses, as well as training and direct operations.
B. Hospitality Co. prides itself on providing compelling food creations grounded in tradition, along with thoughtfully selected, world-class wine and beverage programs. Our goal is to establish classic restaurants that withstand the test of time. Each restaurant offers unparalleled warm and attentive service, leaving a lasting impression on all guests that walk through our doors. I am really proud to say that we truly deliver on that promise, and our group has several unique concepts that can bring that to life in extraordinary ways.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bhospitalityco.com
- Phone: 312.690.7295
- Instagram: @bhospitalityco, @bristolchicago, @formentoschi, @nonnaschicago, @balenachicago, @swiftandsons, @coldstoragechicago
- Twitter: @bhospitalityco, @bristolchicago, @formentoschi, @nonnaschicago, @balenachicago, @swiftandsonschi, @coldstoragechicago
