This article originally appeared in atasteofaz magazine. To subscribe, click here.
Christopher Collins, chef and owner of Common Ground Culinary, was born into the restaurant business. So, it comes as no surprise he has chosen the profession as a career. A fourth-generation restaurateur, Christopher Collins moved to Phoenix at the age of 10 with his five siblings when his father was employed with the popular chain Marie Callender’s. Noting where his love of the industry started, Collins says, “We didn’t get to see my dad a lot unless we were willing to go to the restaurants. But aside from wanting to spend time with him, I loved the restaurants…I was always running around the restaurant and the back-dock. My dad just knew I was going to end up in the restaurant business.”
During childhood, Christopher Collins was an avid swimmer. In fact, he remains the record holder for the 9-10 Age Group 200 IM at the Phoenix Swim Club. Collins attended Brophy College Preparatory for high school and was recruited to swim for Boston University, enrolling in their School of Hospitality Administration, an experience that only cemented his resolve to work in the industry. Upon graduation he landed a job with Hillstone Restaurant Group, a popular family-owned restaurant group headquartered in Phoenix. Known for their outstanding service, food, and hospitality, Hillstone is the kind of company Collins knew would launch his career, stating, “They are the Marines of the restaurant business. They are going to work you the hardest, but they are also going to teach you the most.”
Collins worked for Hillstone for six years, in six different cities and with several of their concepts, of which they currently have 44, with names you may recognize such as Houston’s, Honor Bar, and Bandera. When his father, who at the time was running Wally’s American Pub N Grill at 44th Street and Camelback, opened a second location, he called on his son for help. This move was a stepping stone for Collins, and he recalls that, “The plan was not for me to come back and work for him; my goal was always to be an entrepreneur. You work so hard that eventually you want to work for yourself.”
That eventuality became reality for Christopher Collins in relocating to Arizona. After working for Valley icons like Lee Hillson at T. Cook’s and Beau MacMillan at Elements, Collins channeled his expertise and savings into creating a name for himself with his own restaurant. Collins recalls the day he brought his father to the new space saying, “I showed him my vision, and my dad just looked at me and said, ‘I know you can do this, but I’m scared for you.’”
Opening a new business takes a blind leap of faith, but when Collins debuted Grassroots Kitchen + Tap at the corner of Via de Ventura and Hayden in 2011, it was an instant success. Fast forward to present day and Collins and his restaurant group Common Ground Culinary run a gourmet ice cream parlor, Sweet Provisions, and a catering business, Arcadia Catering Co., in addition to six restaurant concepts: the aforementioned Grassroots Kitchen + Tap, the southern-inspired The MacIntosh at 20th Street and Camelback, Collins Bros. Chophouse at Via de Ventura and Hayden, The Collins Small Batch Kitchen at 32nd Street and Camelback Road, Neighborly Public House on 7th Street, and Wally’s American Gastropub on Doubletree Ranch Rd. Interestingly, Wally’s Gastropub is the same Wally’s that Collins had helped his father open many years ago; upon his father’s retirement, Collins purchased the Wally’s in Scottsdale while his brother operates the Wally’s at 44th and Camelback as a separate business.
Of course, Collins’ success has come with a few bumps along the way. In addition to reevaluating and rebranding several of his concepts, there was the pandemic that brought the hospitality industry to a standstill. Admitting that he lost years off his life getting through the last three years, Collins opened a new restaurant in Phoenix, Neighborly Public House in 2021, facing construction delays and staffing issues. The location on 7th Street between Camelback and Bethany Home is sentimental for Collins. He says, “The Central Phoenix neighborhood is where I grew up; this is where I spent my formative years, where I went to school, and where a lot of my friends now live. I have restaurants in places where I feel I have a connection to the community.”
This connection to the community is true of all of his restaurants, and and is reminiscent of the Hillstone culture, especially when Collins says, “When you come to a Common Ground restaurant, you’re going to have certain expectations and we are going to meet those expectations: a clean, comfortable environment, knowledgeable staff, and a reasonable price point…If you look at our menu and our price point, there is no one doing it how we are doing it in this neighborhood. While there are awesome restaurants, we are filling a niche.”
Collins has three restaurants in Phoenix along the Camelback corridor, and the other three, including his original Grassroots, is located in the Scottsdale/Hayden/Doubletree area. His most recent unveiling, Collins Bros. Chophouse—named not for his siblings but for his two sons—was Twisted Grove for eight years. “I had an idea for Collins Bros. Chophouse because I felt there was a need in the neighborhood; I wanted good seafood and steak but didn’t want to go to a high-end steakhouse. I had been looking for a space [and realized] I didn’t need more restaurants; with the space I have I just need to make it as perfect as possible, to rebrand and keep being creative. I don’t want to keep opening restaurant after restaurant and dilute my brand and spread myself thin.”
What does Chef Collins do when he is not working? He is still swimming with the Masters group at Phoenix Swim Club, as well as always reinventing. “When I am not in my restaurant, I am in other restaurants focusing on food and service. That is my passion. I will nerd out about food, and kitchen and restaurant operations. I feel very fortunate that I actually love what I do. I don’t think a lot of people find that in this life.”
written & photographed by: marci symington
