Big Dreams

Rob Michie, owner of Corks Wine and Charcuterie, was so passionate about cooking that he opened a restaurant for fun.

nNot many people can honestly say they love their work even more than their time off. Rob Michie, owner of Corks Wine and Charcuterie, was so passionate about cooking that he opened a restaurant for fun.

“My family has been in the restaurant business for generations.” Rob’s father owned multiple restaurants where Rob recalls spending the bulk of his childhood. As a high schooler, Rob gained some regular customers. “These guys used to come in and tip me $50,” he recalls. “In 1993, that was huge money.”

One day, the men told Rob they worked at the car dealership down the road and offered to get Rob into the business. Needing a break from the family business, Rob took the men up on their offer. “I’ve been in the car business ever since,” he says.

While building his career in the automotive industry, Rob maintained his passion for food. He attended Florida Culinary Institute, now the Lincoln Culinary Institute, where he gained practical knowledge about cooking. “My passion has always been cooking and sourcing great products and making those products come to life,” Rob tells me.

However informative Rob found culinary school to be, he did not love it. Comprised of terms, menu design and food cost calculations, the schooling lacked the creative expression Rob craved most in the process of cooking.

“It was a lot of book work,” he says. “It gave me all the fundamentals to be successful in business and to learn to cook, but it was never as challenging as I would have hoped it would have been.” Feeling limited in the culinary realm, he completed his education but determined to cook for pleasure from then on.

Rob shares his dreams for Corks and the excitement of what is up ahead. “We’re hoping to move to a bigger location soon – the sky’s the limit.” He wants customers to know how genuinely happy he is to offer the community this incredible dining experience.

Rob says. From cancer patients to single parents, they bless others with a warm, home-cooked meal. In 2021, they gave away 130 turkeys at Thanksgiving and 100 Boston butts at Christmas. “We’ve been very blessed and as much as we can give back, we do.”

Corks has received incredible recognition for nearly every possible aspect of the restaurant you can think of. From best steak to best place to take out-of-town guests, they surpass competitors by a landslide. “We won The Best of the Best for Southwest Georgia for Albany Heralds Readers’ Choice Awards,” Rob says proudly. They won a total of 25 categories, an outstanding achievement for any restaurant.

Around 20 years ago, Rob met his wife, Melissa Thompson, in the motorcycle industry. Rob and Melissa worked together for a decade before dating and then got married in 2021.

Melissa shares Rob’s enthusiasm for food and wine, and together they dreamed of turning their hobby into a business. “Some people buy a boat or a jet ski, I buy a restaurant,” Rob jokes.

Corks, the upscale wine bar, opened on New Year’s Eve 2019. “It