Jane’s guest today is Patrick O’Connell, the Chef/Proprietor of a gem in the global diadem that is the Relais & Chateau Group, The Inn at Little Washington. Located in the tiny town of Little Washington (pop 133) in the Virginia countryside, not far from (Big) Washington DC, The Inn is where Patrick, often referred to as the “Pope of American Cuisine,” pioneered a refined, regional American cuisine. The Inn and Chef O’Connell’s accolades are countless, including receiving five James Beard Awards and being named both Best Restaurant in America and Best Chef in the US. In addition, the Chef’s cuisine was just awarded three coveted Michelin stars, the only restaurant in the DC region to receive this top honor, which, as he says, “is like winning an Olympic gold medal, a Nobel prize and the lottery all in one.” Join Patrick as he takes us on a magical tour of his enchanting Inn. Indeed, long before the farm-to-table movement came to be, what started as a guesthouse in a former garage. evolved from a simple country inn to an international culinary shrine. Hear, too, about a once-in-a-lifetime event to be held in the Vaux Le Vicomte Chateau outside of Paris to celebrate the Inn’s 40th anniversary. Listeners will discover why Chef O’Connell and the Inn are legendary; they are classic, inspirational American success stories, reaffirming the fact that dreams really do come true.
