18 SEPTEMBER 2025 N icholas Winger is someone who believes – no, more like, is adamant – that everything in life happens for a reason. So much so that he follows the course of events in his life as though they were a preordained roadmap. “I live my life on the basis of understanding that things happen for good reason. Experiences help us better understand ourselves and others,” Winger says with conviction. His mother died at the hands of a drunk driver when he was just five years old. He refers to her as his “Guardian Angel” and regularly thanks her for the direction she provides from a distance. During high school he confronted yet another tragedy when he lost three childhood friends who were on a remote cavern exploration. Winger nearly lost his life, also due to a drunk driver, when he was 24. After coming out of a coma – and because he had no insurance – he facilitated his own rehabilitation regimen. “I needed to do it on my own; to learn to be self- reliant,” he said. “I’m a man of faith and believe there’s a reason I am here, and I can persevere through anything.” Winger and his older brother, Jacob, grew up in rural Minnesota. Their father raised his sons and imprinted them with an entrepreneurial spirit. Nick came to Arizona to attend ASU, then left when his dad asked if he would come home, admitting he missed his best friend. “What he really missed was his golfing, fishing and hunting partner,” Winger said, chuckling. “I had zero regrets about returning home as I was closer to family and friends. I also got to push the cornfields and shoot roosters – that was my morning routine, my gym.” Winger graduated from Minnesota State University with a degree in finance and that would come in handy years later when he began managing a business. He was 16 when he envisioned owning and operating a restaurant one day, a goal he set after working at IHOP and “falling in love with hospitality.” In 2014 he returned to Phoenix and began working at Nook Kitchen, first as a server and then as a manager. His work ethic and a penchant for customer service caught the attention of the owner and he ultimately was invited to become a partner in the popular Arcadia restaurant. “What makes Nook so special is that it is staffed by people who love what they do. They are genuine, welcoming, and take pride in their work,” Winger said. “And the food is fresh, made from scratch and reminiscent of authentic Italian dishes.” The restaurant business can be all consuming, and Winger was soon looking for an anchor to his life. He found it – or rather her – when he met Cassandra. “Part of the reason I married her is she is someone I could trust; far more than myself.” They have been married four years and have a son, Walker, and a brand-new daughter, Piper. Winger’s eyes light up and he smiles broadly when talking about his wife and fatherhood. Like everything else in his life, he believes these are a part of his destiny. The inscription on the door entering Nook Kitchen – Cen Tani – pays homage to an Italian tradition that begins every meal: 100 years of good fortune. For Nicholas Winger, good fortune indeed. Nicholas Winger Experiences help us better understand ourselves and others. LOCALLUXURYRE.COM Ǖ2YO':ƙƙ OOYY ůŬŪƙŮŪŭƙůŬűŪ EXPLORE ARIZONA’S EXTRAORDINARY ESTATES KATRINA BARRETT @k:OƔƵ O@2O CATCH KATRINA’S LOCAL LUXURY LISTING OF THE WEEK - THURSDAYS AT 9PM ON FOX10! 6862 E JOSHUA TREE LN, PHOENIX, AZ 85018 6862 E JOSHUA TREE LN, PHOENIX, AZ 85018 KATRINA BARRETT @k:OƔƵ O@2O
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