Cork Wine Bar & Bistro

About Us

Executive Chef Mike Lynch

Cork is a culmination of a high-level appreciation for artisanal flavor and the desire to bring a cultivated dining experience to the charming town of New Bern.

As a young child, owner and Executive Chef Mike Lynch’s Grandparents lived above the family butcher shop outside of Philadelphia in the East end of Norristown, PA. His earliest memories are entwined with the sounds and aromas from the family business. The sound of steel tenderizing meats with Uncle Billy and Uncle JoJo preparing the veal cutlets and the Sunday tradition of his Nan (2nd gen American with strong Sicilian roots) making “macaroni and gravy”, meatballs, braciole and of course…veal cutlets! The delicious fragrance filling the house and flowing out through the neighborhood. Those were the days.

With a passion and love for food running through his blood passed down from generations before, Mike found his niche for cooking at an early age. He began working in restaurants at the age of fifteen. His extensive background includes 18 years as the Exec chef and manager of a prestigious catering company before he moved to the corporate side of food including healthcare, country club and yacht club settings. Mike has done it all not only as a chef but also as a leader in the kitchen.

Mike and his wife Brooke moved to New Bern in 2016, leaving the Phila suburbs for a slower pace and salt air. They quickly saw a great need in the area for their style of cuisine and the passion they share for pairing food and wine in perfect harmony. They are eager to bring intentional, rich, carefully crafted atmosphere and menu to share with the guests of CORK where everyone feels at home and the aromas of food made with love flow throughout the community.