Our Story

2009
Louie's Wine Dive
2009

Louie’s Wine Dive was founded from humble roots by converting a small worn Jewish Bagel store and a Vietnamese seamstress studio into a small but warm wine dive. The fun and funky ambiance renowned at Louie’s Wine Dive came with time and the big personalities who have made Louie’s Wine Dive home throughout the years. Today, numerous rising stars are at the helm of Louie’s Wine Dive, which has catapulted the performance of this beloved restaurant.

2019
BRGR and Taco Republic
2019

BRGR Kitchen + Bar & Taco Republic: BRGR and Taco Republic were acquired in spring of 2019 marking the completion of our first significant transaction. Why’d we do it? Well, have you dined at these restaurants? The experience is second to none with craveable products, burgers and beer and tacos and margaritas! Hamburgers and tacos are next level at BRGR and Taco Republic!

2020
Taco Republic Truck and Romaine Calm Catering
2020

Taco Trucks & Romaine Calm Catering: W.VinZant Restaurants launches its Private Event and Truck Business under company catering arm Romaine Calm. Romaine Calm designs and launches two additional Taco Trucks, including the “Big Blu” truck and the smaller, more transportable yellow “Taquito” truck, later followed by the BRGR Burger Trailer for private events. Romaine Calm has the people and resources to perfect every need for private events with the style and product quality of W.VinZant Restaurants.

2020
Louie's Wine Dive
2020

W.VinZant Restaurants launches Fresko Natural Food in downtown Des Moines designing it to marry with Iowa’s bounty of natural food. Fresko is designed and built using sustainable material complimenting the product and methods applied Fresko’s food and beverage. Fresko partners with numerous Iowa farms, including cattle, pork, protein, dairy, cheese, and produce producers. In the first year of operation, Fresko wins the most Des Moines, ‘City Awards’ ever awarded a restaurant!

2020
Gram & Dun
2020

W.VinZant Restaurants acquired Gram & Dun during the darkest days of the Covid pandemic with the belief that an all-star team could be created to lead Gram & Dun into the future. New food and beverage menus, kitchen and beverage stations, dining room and kitchen designs were implemented and the result has been as inspiring as dining al fresco on Gram & Dun’s vaunted patio.

2021
Va Bene italian eatery
2021

W.VinZant Restaurants launches modern, casual inspired Va Bene. The goal, make simple, delicious Italian fare allowing rich ingredients to stand on their own complimented by a full bar of creative Italian inspired cocktails and wines.

2021
Latin King
2021

Terravecchia in an east Des Moines Icon… Founded in 1947 by transplanted Latin Quarter, New York resident Jim Pigneri, The Latin King has defined Italian fare in Iowa and beyond for over 75 years. W.VinZant Restaurants was honored to undertake the reins from The Latin King’s second owner-operator Bobby Tursi, who famously commented, “I sold it to Whitney (W.VinZant Restaurants) because I knew they’d keep the diamond polished!” The Latin King won Des Moines ‘City Award’ for Italian Food and Fine Dining 2022 and will soon feature a new extensive patio in Spring of 2023!

2022
Chicken Mary's
2022

Founded with a “late-night knock on the door,” Mary Zerngast discovered the reputation of her famous fried chicken recipe had spread far and wide, and so in 1942 she opened the door to Chicken Mary’s restaurant out of her country-side home near Pittsburg, Kansas. Mary’s chicken recipe has not changed and is as delicious today as it was back then and the Chicken Mary’s reputation is now nationwide. Check out more about Chicken Mary’s on the Food Network’s, “Battle of the Chicken Wars.”

2022
The BrewTop Pub and Patio
2022

The BrewTop Pub & Patio: Whether you want to grab a beer and a bite to a eat while watching your team or go see a musical group and dance all night, The BrewTop Pub & Patio brings guests the ultimate entertainment dining experience!

Who We Are

Meet the Team

Whitney Vinzant - CEO
Q

Whitney Vinzant -
CEO

Whitney is Founder, CEO and President of W. VinZant Restaurant group. In this role, Whitney has grown W. VinZant based upon building a talented, passionate, and experienced team with best of breed restaurant concepts performing at a high level of execution. Whitney began his restaurant career as a 16-year-old pizza prep cook. He is a business and finance graduate of Wake Forest University and is responsible for W. VinZant Restaurants conceptual development and growth ranging from design of original restaurants to acquisition of generations-old icons. Whitney is a husband and father, a sommelier and history buff, and an avid outdoorsman.

Whitney Vinzant
CEO

Corey Gonzalez - COO
Q

Corey Gonzalez -
COO

Corey has been Chief Operating Office for W VinZant Restaurants since November 2009.

Corey strategically focuses his passion of driving a unique dining experience that focuses on every guest every time. Corey believes the best marketing happens within your walls and this has led to a combined fourteen regional restaurants in counting. Corey graduated from Metropolitan State College of Denver in 2004, with a degree in Marketing. Prior to joining Louie’s Wine Dive, Gonzalez worked as the Senior Account Executive for The International PGA Golf Tournament and Colorado AvidGolfer magazine where he sold corporate hospitality and advertising on behalf of numerous national brands. Corey is married to his wife Angie and currently has two daughters Gia and Ivy, and a son Cruz.

Corey Gonzalez
COO

Kristene - Chief Strategy Officer
Q

Kristene King Thrall -
Chief Strategy Officer

Kristene has enjoyed a decades long career in hospitality holding every position in a restaurant. From designing cocktail menus as Bar Director to helping to create the pastry menu while being a Pastry Chef, she has become an expert in systems and operations. Kristene excels at improving costs and educating teams on sales success. She has led 100+ students to accreditation with the Court of Master Sommeliers and currently spearheads all training programs, HR and pop up concepts.

Kristene King Thrall
Chief Strategy Officer

Grecia Lucas - Marketing Director
Q

Grecia Lucas -
Marketing Director

Grecia is the Marketing Director for W. Vinzant Restaurants and has worked in the restaurant industry for 15 years starting as a host. The marketing journey began in 2011 with BRGR Kitchen & Bar, Urban Table and Gram & Dun. Later joining W. Vinzant Restaurants in 2019.

Working with 8 brands and 14 restaurants in Kansas City, KCMO, Iowa, and St. Louis, ranging from casual to fine dining has allowed growth and development of skills in design, operations, App development, online ordering, website design, and so much more.

Family is a very important part of Grecia’s life, as well as baking, furniture restoration and interior design.

Grecia Lucas
Marketing Director

Cory White
Q

Cory White

My name is Cory White. I was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. I graduated from Urbandale High School and am a proud alum. I have 15 years of restaurant experience from around the Des Moines area. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends over homemade dinners and drinks. My love for hosting family and friends carries over to my career and passion for providing our guests with a great dining experience and delicious food and cocktails

Cory White

Mikita - Social Media Director
Q

Mikita Burton -
Social Media Director

For most people, Social Media Management for 12 plus restaurants sounds like a huge undertaking and it is! For me, social media is my passion and I’ve been learning the ins and outs for years and this is truly my dream job. My experience initially started as a Mom Blogger, then with Sprint Corporation and now excited to be a part of the W. Vinzant Restaurant Group. My experience has afforded me this amazing opportunity to create brand recognition and mission focused content for all of our restaurants. By day, you can find me behind the @wvinzant social pages. By night, you can find me being a Mom of 3 or practicing yoga.

Mikita Burton
Social Media Director

Jeff Thrall - Regional Director
Q

Jeff Thrall -
Regional Director

After 20 years as an operator and sommelier in some of Kansas City’s finest restaurants, Mr. Thrall joined W. VinZant Restaurants in 2016. As Regional Director Mr. Thrall is tasked with executing the vision and upholding the exacting standards of quality operations while leading new growth in multiple restaurant brands.
When not at work he enjoys travel, cooking and gardening with his amazing wife, Kristene.

Jeff Thrall
Regional Director

Thomas Pelkey - Regional Chef
Q

Thomas Pelkey -
Regional Chef

“For me, food is an expression of gratitude.” An evolution of how an ingredient was harvested from a certain pasture, body of water, or farmer, to get to my cutting board. Ending a result of a pleasant experience or memory for one another, brings contentment to my everyday life.

Born and raised in Minnesota, Thomas began developing an appreciation for food at a young age, growing up with a mother and father who privileged hunting & fishing. Also being able to and still to this day cherishing memories with his grandmother from Italian descent whose food is next to great, as the best restaurant in the world.

After graduating culinary school in 2012, Thomas worked his way through the kitchen at Story, while still trailing in some of Kansas City’s best restaurants. Thomas made a move to NYC after submitting a cover letter & resume to some of the countries / world’s best restaurants. Having worked in NYC for 3 months he spent time in the Michelin star kitchens of Le Bernardin, Per Se, Nomad, & Marea. After returning to Kansas City in 2013 he accepted the sous chef position back at Story & during that year the restaurant was nominated for its first James Beard award. Seven years of gaining a great deal of knowledge from mentor chef Carl Thorne Thomsen, Thomas made a positive career choice to join W. Vinzant Restaurants.

Thomas began working at Louie’s Wine Dive in 2017 gaining his first executive chef position. Upon Joining the restaurants of Vinzant, Thomas has worked his way up the realms, developing dishes and menus for other sister restaurants of Vinzant & gaining the title of Regional Chef for his KC market restaurants. After the purchase of Gram & Dun in 2020 Thomas had found a new home with the company, becoming executive chef for the iconic Kansas City restaurant.

Outside of the restaurants, Thomas enjoys spending most time with his wife and three children.Teaching his 3 boy’s sports, how to hunt and fish, just as his folks taught him. If he is not spending time with his family, he finds peace in his blind duck hunting, scouting for new hunting grounds, casting a fishing line, or just simply reading a book.

Thomas Pelkey
Regional Chef