Urban sophistication comes east.

Michael King brings urban sophistication to his post as general manager of JP Prime in North Wildwood. A graduate of the Philadelphia Restaurant School, he spent five years as a food and beverage manager at the Philadelphia Ritz-Carlton.

He also has deep roots at the shore where he spent several years managing Sunset Bay in North Wildwood, where he met Jon Paxton, founder of JP Prime. "I planned to work here for one summer but fell in love with the place and never got away again," he explains.

Jon had his eye on Michael as a possible GM for his new steakhouse venture. "I floated the idea to Michael and he was very enthusiastic, recognizing the need for more fine dining on the island," he recalls. Michael excelled during the interview process and won the position, long before the restaurant opened.

JP Prime was just an empty lot and a construction trailer when he arrived and Michael was there to help with labor pains and delivery playing a key role in the restaurant's look, style and personality. He worked with Jon and the culinary staff to develop the entire concept offering solid advice on design, decor, workflow and the impressive wine list.

"Michael is an awesome resource. "Jon says. "The years he spent at Ritz-Carlton put him in a perfect position to develop our wine list and bar protocol. His signature touch is everywhere you look." he says.

Wine at JP Prime is a triumph of Michael's know-how. He oversaw the selections, filling the 460-bottle red wine tower in the dining room, careful design of cold storage and installation of a 16-glass wine Cruvinet ®. The Cruvinet ® is the only one of its kind in southern New Jersey a state-of-the-art cabinet that holds 16 bottles at appropriate red and white temperatures and preserves each with nitrogen gas as the wine is dispensed.

Michael's experience helped ensure smooth sailing the grand opening. Since then he continues to fine-tune the program, promoting JP Prime to new clientele, overseeing live entertainment and building a handsome catering and wedding business.