Patrick O'Connell (chef) facts for kids

Patrick O'Connell is a famous American chef and restaurant owner. He was born on October 9, 1945. He owns a special country inn and restaurant called the Inn at Little Washington. It is located in a town called Washington, Virginia.

Early Life and Learning

Patrick O'Connell grew up in Clinton, Maryland, near Washington, D.C. He didn't go to a special cooking school to become a chef. Instead, he learned by working at a local restaurant after school.

He went to college and earned a degree in drama from the Catholic University of America. He also studied at George Washington University.

The Inn at Little Washington Story

In 1972, Patrick O'Connell started a catering business. He worked with his business partner, Reinhardt Lynch, in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains.

Six years later, in 1978, O'Connell and Lynch opened The Inn at Little Washington. They turned an old gas station into their new restaurant. It first opened for friends on January 28, 1978. Then, it officially opened to everyone on February 1, 1978.

Just three weeks after opening, a food critic named John Rosson visited. He worked for The Washington Star newspaper. In April 1978, Rosson wrote an article. He said O'Connell's Inn at Little Washington was "the best restaurant within 150 miles of Washington D.C." This review helped the Inn become very popular.

The Inn has won many awards over the years. It received the Mobil Travel Guide's Five-Star Award for its restaurant and rooms for 14 years. In 2018, the famous Michelin Guide gave the Inn a three-star rating. The International Herald Tribune even called it one of the Top Ten Best Restaurants in the World. The Zagat Survey for Washington, D.C., rated it number one in all categories for 14 years in a row.

Awards and Special Recognition

Patrick O'Connell is one of the first American chefs to be invited by Relais & Chateaux. This is a group of luxury hotels and restaurants based in France. He is known as one of their "Grands Chefs," which means he is a top chef. Some people even call him "The Pope of American Cuisine."

He has won many important awards. In 2001, he was named Outstanding Chef in America. In 1993, he won Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic region. Both of these awards came from the James Beard Foundation. In 2019, he received their Lifetime Achievement Award, which is a very high honor.

Patrick O'Connell is also a member of the American Culinary Federation. He was added to their Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2019, he received the National Humanities Medal. This award recognizes people who have made great contributions to the humanities.