Prime + Proper

Caitlin's experience in the restaurant industry began when she started working in a fine pastry shop at 14 years old, scrubbing dishes and floors and eventually learning the art of pâtisserie. She worked in restaurants all through college, both as a line cook and in the front of house, until graduating from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Economics & Policy. Caitlin was drawn back to the industry when she realized how much she missed sharing her passion for food and wine with people. She spent several years overseas in Australia and New Zealand working at Relais & Châteaux properties and other highly-acclaimed resorts, eventually returning to the U.S. and coming to us most recently from The Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado. Outside of work, she loves cooking, skiing, camping, college football, horseback riding, and traveling above all else (she’s already planning a trip to her 35th country!

Growing up on the east side of metro Detroit, Jonathan has been watching the Detroit revival his whole life. He has a passion for Detroit and is delighted to be a part of the culinary renaissance happening in Detroit right now. Jonathan's hospitality journey began with the Matt Prentice Restaurant Group working at Jewish delis and then worked his way up to floor manager at Coach Insignia. He finished his tenure with the Epicurean Group as Director of Food and Beverage at Novi Chophouse before joining the Prime + Proper team. In his free time, Jonathan performs sketch and improv comedy all around the greater Detroit area.

Chef Vince’s culinary and hospitality career started off at the young age of 17 in Rochester, Michigan. He started his career as a food runner and quickly fell in love with the grind and passion of restaurant life. After graduating high school Vince became a line cook at his first job and later grew into the role of lead line cook. With Detroit’s restaurant boom and Heirloom Hospitality’s new concept at the time (Prime + Proper), Vince made his way downtown to join the venture. Starting off as a line cook at Prime + Proper, Vince was quickly promoted to the role of Sous Chef. His passion continues to grow as he now leads the culinary team as Executive Chef at Prime + Proper. Outside of the restaurant scene, Vince enjoys fly fishing and cooking for his family.

Shelby began her journey as a butcher at Oakland Community College as a culinary student. One class was all it took to fall in love with the craft. Since then she has worked as a line cook in various restaurants across the metro Detroit area, as well as dabbling in the baking and pastry arts. After working as a line cook at Prime and Proper, Shelby spent some time at a small butcher shop learning the art of breaking down whole carcasses before returning to study under Walter Apfelbaum. She is excited to showcase her passion for full utilization of an animal in specials and brunch items as Lead Butcher, as well as sharing her knowledge of different cuts with her fellow coworkers and Prime + Proper guests!

Living out her dream of working in hospitality and wine, our Wine Director and Sommelier Liz Martinez pulls from extensive experience in renowned restaurants around the country to develop a program for Heirloom Hospitality’s Capitol Park Steakhouse. While maintaining accessibility, Martinez encourages adventurous selections and educates her staff on every aspect of the program, defining a humble, genuine, and anticipatory service culture to guide exploratory and traditional imbibers alike. Raised in Denver as the eldest of four children in a Mexican-American family, Martinez began working in restaurants and gained experience that propelled her through the industry. A lover of music and dancing, she also spent time as a house music DJ and a Brazilian dancer. In her free time, Martinez enjoys socializing with her new friends in Detroit, often heading to a local wine bar to dance to house music on Saturday nights.

Meghan's culinary career started in Boulder, Colorado where she studied Baking and Pastry at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. After the program she accepted a position at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs where she gained experience working on detailed desserts in a luxury resort environment. Although Meghan loved living and working in Colorado, her Detroit roots pulled her back to the city. Upon moving home, she joined the Prime + Proper team as a line cook and worked her way into the Pastry Chef position. Meghan is so grateful for the opportunity to work in Detroit and continue to pursue her passion for baking and pastries. Outside of the kitchen, Meghan likes to travel, spend time with her fiancé and enjoy the outdoors.

Marisa’s culinary journey began when she was just 14 taking vocational culinary classes throughout high school. She quickly fell in love with the industry, moved to New York and enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America. She graduated with her Associates in Baking and Pastry, then with her Bachelor’s in Business Management. She worked at The Lodge at Woodloch in Pennsylvania and the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach as lead pastry cook for each of the hotels’ fine dining restaurants. She joined the Prime + Proper team in July of 2018 and has quickly worked her way to a Chef de Partie. She loves the world of fine dining because of its attention to detail and high standards of each of our guest. Outside of work, Marisa is an avid cyclist and enjoys reading books.

Tiffany is a Metro-Detroit native with over 14 years of experience within the cities nightlife and entertainment industry. She joined the P+P team to implement her knowledge to help transform Heirloom Hospitality’s visions into a one of a kind experience for their guests. Best’s attentiveness has dubbed her the 2-time reigning Maitre D of the year by Hour Magazine. Simply in her name. In her spare time, the tequila enthusiast enjoys relaxing with her two Boxers and relishing the adventures the city has to offer.