The Story

Will grew up in the San Juan Islands and got a summer job at Amigo’s restaurant at age 12. He probably didn’t have his first nachos there, but certainly grew that certainly grew to love them there. After graduating high school, he attended Rice University in Houston, Texas. He probably didn’t have his first chips and queso or plate of buffalo wings in Texas, but certainly grew to love them there.

After graduating Rice, Will did what so many social science majors do and fell down the rabbit hole deep into the restaurant industry. His culinary journey has taken him from San Juan Island, to Ecuador, to Seattle (spots like Crush and Spring Hill), to San Francisco (Incanto, Restaurant Gary Danko), and back to Seattle (a couple years as sous chef of How to Cook a Wolf, a couple years as Executive Chef at Westward). Though the cities and the restaurants changed, the nachos, the wings, the queso and the love of divey little drinking spots never did.

Since leaving Westward, Will has been focused on bringing those foods he loves to the bars he wants to hang out at. First as pop-ups, and eventually to its own brick and mortar. Tio Baby’s is the product of that journey. It isn’t any sort of fine dining, but hopefully something that manifests equivalent care and attention to detail. The foods you want to eat, in the places you want to drink. Belly up.

If you are wondering where the name Tio Baby’s came from, his then four year old nephew looked him in the eye and told him “You look like a giant baby,” and has called him Uncle Baby ever since. Will politely disagrees, but invites you to come and decide for yourself. And hey, the name is the hardest thing to come up with…