When ordering from the menu of upscale small plates at Entwined Wine & Cocktail Bar, thank executive chef Michael Hite — a homegrown talent who built his career through local kitchens rather than formal training.
He developed his palate by dining at Evansville Country Club, Angelo’s, House of Como, and Mattingly’s 23 before it closed in 1996, but his first experience inside a kitchen came at age 13 at the former Maxine’s Café and Bakery on North Green River Road. “I was 13 and in the back helping make pastas and salads, sweeping the floors. You got to eat when you worked … so that really helped solidify my love of food,” Hite explains.
After being immersed in the restaurant atmosphere, the North High School graduate was hooked, and he sharpened his cooking skills at the Fresh Harvest Deli in the Old Post Office. Owner Scott Nickens threw him right in; Hite rose to the challenge. “He went to the school of hard knocks. I’m proud of him,” says Nickens, who now operates the deli at Old National Bank’s headquarters. “He was really the influence on what I like to do,” Hite says.
Hite gained more experience in kitchens at the former Lone Star Steakhouse, Madeleine’s Fusion Restaurant, and Zaps Tavern in Mount Vernon. In 2013, he spent a year operating his own Posey County shop, Hite’s Pizza. A switch to selling insurance in 2020 didn’t suit him; he wanted back in the kitchen. He went to work under Entwined’s then-executive chef Stephanie Hay and succeeded her in June 2021. With owner Morgan Lemond, Hite molded the menu from sandwiches and tacos into small-plate tapas. “We were looking for more of an upscale dining experience at night,” Hite says. Lemond adds, “He gets our vision of creating a complete experience, not just a meal, and that’s reflected in everything that comes out of his kitchen.”
Entwined’s menu is seasonally refreshed, but the flatbreads and mix-and-match charcuterie are staples. Bone-in short ribs are surrounded by cranberry chutney and buttery potatoes. Creamy risotto is topped with saffron and squash — or tender seared scallops. Veal, beef, and sausage meatballs are served with house-made marinara and mozzarella, the smell wafting off a cast-iron skillet. Hite’s dishes are curated to pair well with Entwined’s extensive list of wine, spirits, and craft gimlets, old fashioneds, martinis, and more cocktails. For the restaurant’s wine-and bourbon-pairing private events, Hite develops a three-course meal specifically to complement glasses filled with samples from the evening’s host, be it Ridge Vineyards or Bardstown Bourbon. “His creativity in developing dishes that complement our wine and cocktail selections has really set us apart,” Lemond says.
Hite credits travel for helping develop his love of and skill in cooking — traditional French cuisine inspires Entwined’s plates and takes diners on a culinary adventure. “One of the things any chef should do is travel for culture,” he explains. “If you want to feel like you’re somewhere else while you’re dining, you need to know what it feels like dining somewhere else.” He sees the result in happy diners, he says: “I enjoy the gratification of seeing someone enjoy what I have made, to see the customers be intrigued and satisfied.”
