Jim Woolford, the owner of Secret Recipes, came down to the station with manager Mike Osak to reveal their win in Vote 4 the Best. This is their first win, and also their first time participating in the contest! They won in American dining, our largest category, which had over 350 nominees competing for the top spot this year.
Woolford has been running the business for the last 26 years, and says that the secret to success is doing the basics right, and having great service.
Half of the employees working with Woolford have been there for at least 15 years, and he says that they're like family. Even the customers are part of the tradition now, with some regulars coming in every single day.
Recently, Woolford decided it was time to go green, and ditch the styrofoam take-out containers. They started by swapping out their plastic staws for the paper ones, which got mixed responses from their customers. Despite this, they continued to research eco-friendly options for their restaurant, with the goal of helping make the planet a better place for their kids. Now they've switched over to 100 percent green carry out containers, which are made from recycled and compostable materials.
The menu at Secret Recipes gets an update every two years, but don't let that stop you from ordering your favorite dish. Woolford says that they'll never tell a customer "no" when it comes to their food. "If you want a meatloaf ice cream sundae, you can have it!" he joked on set. "We'll make it, and then find a fair price."
"If we have the ingredients, we will make it for you," Osak added.
We’d like to thank Wallside Windows for their longtime sponsorship of Vote 4 the Best and their support of southeast Michigan’s local businesses. Wallside is a Taylor, MI-based family business that manufactures and installs custom replacement windows. Now in their third generation, they're celebrating the company's 75th anniversary.