Michael Morton
Born1964 (age 58–59)
Chicago, Illinois
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Businessman, restaurateur
Known forCo-Founder of the N9NE Group
SpouseJenna Marie Devries
Children3
Parent(s)Arnie Morton
Zorine Morton
FamilyHarry Morton (nephew)

Michael Morton (born 1964) is an American restaurateur. He is the co-founder of Morton Group which operates La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway inside Wynn Las Vegas, CRUSH inside MGM Grand and La Comida in Downtown Las Vegas.[1] He is also the former owner and co-founder of N9NE Group and the son of Arnie Morton, the founder of the Morton's Steakhouse.

Biography

Michael Morton is the son of Zorine and Arnie Morton, who founded Morton's Steakhouse restaurants. His father was of Jewish descent.[2] Raised in Chicago, Morton spent most of his young life in restaurants, which contributed to his co-founding the N9NE Steakhouse in 2000 with Scott DeGraff.[3] Before co-founding N9NE, Morton and DeGraff were known for having opened Drink and Eat, Too in Chicago in 1992. The psychedelic dance club featured inventive touches like a VIP bar in an elevator shaft and drinks served in baby bottles; they would later open Drink! in Las Vegas in 1995.[4] Morton and DeGraff had many successful years with N9NE Group, opening Las Vegas-based megaclub Rain, the tower-topping Ghostbar and N9NE Steakhouse, which created a trend of club-like restaurants that dominate the Strip today.[5] Morton has been credited for having created some of the first lucrative, non-gaming nightlife ventures in Las Vegas including N9NE, Rain, Ghostbar, Moon, Nove Italiano and the Playboy Club, all located in the Palms Casino.[6]

Michael founded Morton Group in 2010 with his wife, Jenna Morton,[1] to open a new portfolio of restaurants, selling his share of N9NE Group in 2011. Morton Group's first restaurant, La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway, opened at Wynn Las Vegas at the end of 2010.[7] His focus on Morton Group is a reflection of his desire to develop restaurants, like his father, as opposed to Vegas nightclubs.[5] The pair followed La Cave's success with the debut of a funky, urban Mexican Restaurant, La Comida, which opened in Downtown Las Vegas' burgeoning Fremont East Entertainment District in May 2013, and then with CRUSH, a highly social restaurant and bar serving American cuisine, at MGM Grand in December 2013.[8]

Current Restaurants

La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway serves an upscale menu of American small-plates with items from the sea, farm, garden, oven and grill, prepared by Morton Group's Corporate Executive Chef William DeMarco. Reminiscent of a vintner's tasting room, La Cave presents a multi-sensory journey including mood, food and music, perfect for gatherings of two or 200.[9] La Comida uses traditional ingredients and family culinary secrets from various regions in Mexico combined with the sophisticated influence of Mexico City. The restaurant brings a funky, American rock-n-roll vibe to Mexican food in one of Sin City's hippest areas.[10] CRUSH, located in MGM Grand, offers a selection of American cuisine, also by DeMarco. Among the “Best Places to Party…While Having Dinner” and “The Best Restaurants in Vegas, Right Now” by Thrillist, the highly social restaurant and bar offers a range of dishes to satisfy foodies and casual diners, alike.[11][12]

Family

Morton comes from a long family history of hospitality, which includes ventures in Chicago, Las Vegas and other major cities around the United States.[4] Of Arnie Morton's seven children, five have opened their own concept restaurants, including Michael.[13] He is the brother of Peter Morton, the founder and former owner of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe. He is also the brother of David Morton, the co-owner of DMK Restaurants, a group in Chicago that operates DMK Burger Bar as well as Fish Bar, Ada Street and more.[13] He is the uncle of Harry Morton, the President and CEO of the Mexican Restaurant Chain Pink Taco. Michael resides full time in Las Vegas with his wife, Michigan-native Jenna Marie (née Devries)[14] and three children.[15]

Philanthropy

Michael and his wife are involved in a variety of philanthropic pursuits around the Las Vegas Valley. In particular, the Mortons donate time to After-School All-Stars (ASAS), which expands the learning day for low-income students. Michael's natural interest in the program comes from his father Arnie, who adopted Westinghouse High School, an inner-city school, when Michael was young. Arnie Morton would bring students to Morton's Steakhouse to speak with them and give them a tour of the kitchen; Michael has followed in those footsteps by bringing students to CRUSH as part of ASAS's CEO: Boss Life program.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 "Morton Group - About Us". Morton Group Website. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  2. ↑ "HPHS Jewish 'Fame and Fortune' Alumni" (PDF). Chicago Jewish Historical Society. Fall 2007.
  3. ↑ Bendersky, Ari (2011-11-28). "N9NE Group Co-Founder Scott DeGraff Dies From Apparent Suicide in Aspen". Eater Chicago. Eater. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Ruby, Jeff. "Michael Morton and Scott DeGraff: Victorious in Vegas". Chicago Magazine Online. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  5. 1 2 Radke, Brock (11 April 2013). "Family Business: The Mortons Have Left Their Mark on Las Vegas, and They're Not Done Yet". lasvegasweekly.com. Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  6. ↑ Stewart, Neil Patrick. "The 9 Group's Michael Morton". Vegas Magazine Online. VEGAS Magazine. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  7. ↑ "La Cave offers fine dining with 'hideaway feel'". Las Vegas Review-Journal Online. Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  8. ↑ Radke, Brock (24 October 2013). "Mortons to Open Crush Restaurant at MGM Grand in December". Las Vegas Weekly Online. Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  9. ↑ "About La Cave Wine & Food Hideaway". La Cave Website. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  10. ↑ "About La Comida". La Comida Website. La Comida. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  11. ↑ Kachelriess, Rob (2014-08-13). "LAS VEGAS' 13 BEST PLACES TO PARTY... WHILE HAVING DINNER". Thrillist. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  12. ↑ Kachelriess, Rob. "The Best Restaurants in Vegas Right Now". Thrillist. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  13. 1 2 "Power 20: The Mortons". Restaurant Business Online. Restaurant Business. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  14. ↑ Clarke, Norm (February 8, 2015). "Restaurateur gets dig out of archaeology". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  15. ↑ Rus, Mayer. "Thoroughly Modern Mortons". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  16. ↑ Kelemen, Matt (November 2015). "Voices and Choices: Developing communities through programs such as After-School All-Stars is a shared goal of Michael and Jenna Morton". LUXURY Las Vegas: 45.
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