As new executive chef at MGM Grand Detroit casino, Ann Arbor resident Michael Urbin will oversee five restaurants and a combined staff of more than 300 cooks and kitchen staff.

Urbin's promotion from acting assistant executive chef was announced on Aug. 30. He has worked for the casino property since 1999, starting out as a sous chef.

In his new position, Urbin will work with other chefs in creating a vision for each of the five dining facilities at MGM Grand — Bourbon Steak, Saltwater and Wolfgang Puck Grille, along with the Palette Dining Studio and Breeze Dining Court.

"We have different concepts here, and each needs its own direction," says Urbin. "I learned a lot from the previous chef. What we did together was create this atmosphere where we don't stay still. We're always moving forward and coming up with different ways to present, to cook, to be more efficient, to have our staff learning.''

Urbin, 42, has worked in restaurants since he was 15.

After graduating from Eastern Michigan University with a finance degree and little clue about what he would do for the rest of his life, a friend joined the kitchen staff at the Rattlesnake Club, prompting Urbin to recognize that he really liked working in a kitchen, too. He did stints at various Detroit-area restaurants and served as executive chef at the former Chianti in Ann Arbor.

In his management position, Urbin misses the cooking, but he still considers his job a creative one. He has to balance cost considerations with matters of taste — not every diner drops in just to fill his belly for a night of gambling — and that means procuring the best ingredients at the lowest prices.

MGM's nationwide properties means Urbin can buy in bulk from shared vendors to keep down costs. In a single month, the restaurants go through 4,000 pounds of bacon and 8,000 to 10,000 pounds of chicken breasts.

"We have to watch all our numbers, keep an eye on commodity pricing — things are going up every month," Urbin said. "It gets back to our philosophy: Find ways to do it ourselves. We buy very little food that is already processed. We do 95 percent in-house, and that's a way to minimize costs. We're afforded the luxury of having a kitchen with the best equipment."

Urbin is also committed to using Michigan growers — a farm in Romeo provides lettuce, corn, onions and tomatoes — and he buys chickens from a local vendor.

"This is the first year we're really tracking it and seeing how much we're spending (locally)," he said. "It is a focus and it'll continue to be a focus for years to come."

MGM Grand General Manager Steve Zanella is confident that Urbin will help grow the dining business.

"He has a great leadership style and he's highly respected by his team members. He balances culinary and financial sides, so in this day of rising commodity prices, it's a great mixture to have. He can keep relevant and exciting menu items that don't get too costly for our guests," Zanella says.

Julie Edgar is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com.