Thai
Chef Cathal Armstrong was sent to Thailand as a representative of the State Department to teach a culinary school how to cook Western cuisine. He returned with a new perspective and passion for the Thai culture and local ingredients, which influenced his approach as a chef.
Korean
The Armstrong family spent years in the Tae-Kwon-Do circuit as Cathal Armstrong, as well as his two children, are 2nd degree black belts in the martial art. During the years of traveling, the Armstrongs fell in love with the Korean food that nurtured and sustained them.
Filipino
Meshelle Armstrong’s family owned Little Quiapo restaurant for over 25 years. When it closed down, her husband, Chef Cathal, loved the culture so much he said, “One day…” And now, here we are.
Chef Cathal Armstrong—Chef, Author, Restaurateur
Chef Armstrong is a Best Mid-Atlantic Chef nominee by the James Beard Foundation in 2011, 2012, 2013; selected as both Food & Wine magazine’s “10 Best New Chefs 2006” and honored in Food & Wine magazine’s “50 Hall of Fame Best New Chefs” and Best Chef Award Winner by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington DC.
National Magazines have featured Armstrong’s commitment to culinary excellence and Irish “farm to table” style in prominent stories in Oprah, Food and Wine, Cookie, Parents, Southern Living & Martha Stewart. The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC World News, NY Times, and The Irish Times have taken note of his culinary prowess and his dedication to ending childhood obesity.
Rave reviews continue as Armstrong stretches out with complex, thoughtful cooking that knits together his Irish upbringing, his French training, and his grasp of the American culinary moment.