Mike Potts; Where He's Meant To Be

Mike Potts is one of those rare individuals who feels he's right where he's meant to be. Moreover, he's loving every minutes of it. 

     Potts is General Manager of the new Bellini's Ristorante at the Waterford complex and he was hand-picked by the new owners, Michel and Alain Buthion. Potts fits the profile the Buthions were searching for when they acquired Bellini's, and their decision was made easier because Potts was working for them already at their highly regarded French bistro, La Baguette Bistro.

     The Buthions have a reputation for offering quality cuisine and customer service and Potts had already embraced that philosophy while working for them at La Baguettte Bistro.  "I have learned a great deal from them because they bring expertise in the front of the house (dealing with the public) as well as the back of the house (the kitchen). I was lucky enough to be exposed to two experts who have an intimate knowledge of both aspects of the business".

   "Building a knowledgeable and highly competent team of professionals at Bellini's is both my primary goal and the most enjoyable part of my job," Potts said. "That and the chance to deal with my other passion, which is Italian wines."

The language and varietals (a specific variety of grape or wine) are certainly tricky, but it's also very rewarding."

   Potts is extremely proud of the extensive wine list at Bellini's Ristorante in OKC.

                         "It actually begins with the unique atmosphere at Bellini's. The ambiance is intimate and the place itself exudes elegance in a casual bistro atmosphere," he said. "It's up to us to make sure we match that with quality food and service."

                          It's also a matter of happenstance that Potts finds himself at Bellini's, where he had his first job in the restaurant industry. It was in his maiden voyage that he came up with the well-received idea of offering lunch deliveries to the other businesses located throughout the Waterford complex.

     The son of Methodist clergy who moved periodically to new church assignments throughout Oklahoma, Potts feels it gave him an opportunity to meet and appreciate people from varied walks of life, which serves him well in his current role. Although he pursued opera and musical theater at Oklahoma City University, he figures he's right where he's meant to be. 

     His wife, Sara (he calls her "the love of my life"), will soon graduate from the Oklahoma City University School of Law. Their daughter, Ripley Olivia Potts, just completed her first grade year.

     "I'm very fortunate to be working for the Buthion's and I look forward to coming to work every day," he concluded. "But it isn't really a job to me, although it can become pretty demanding at times. I just look at it as more like hosting a party every night. We take great pride in doing it right."