Colin Abernethy– Executive Chef
O’Connell’s Restaurant & Bar
112 King Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
(703) 739-1124

© 2009 Chester Simpson

Who are you and what is your favorite cuisine?

My name is Colin Abernethy and I am the Executive Chef of Daniel O'Connell's Restaurant and Bar in Alexandria, VA. My favorite cuisine is a toss up between Classical French and Regional American.

Where are you from and where have you been?

I was born and raised in Charleston, WV and at the age of 18 I attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY where I attained my Bachelor's of Culinary Arts Management. From there, I moved to Snowshoe, WV where I worked at the world famous Red Fox Restaurant and eventually moved to Baltimore, MD to run The Owl Bar in the historic Belvedere Hotel. After a short stint with a corporation that ended up bringing me me to the DC area, I decided to work for O'Connell's where I have been since 2006 when the restaurant opened.





Why did you choose to be a Chef?

I have always enjoyed working with my hands and being creative. I come from a long line of electrical and mechanical engineers, machinists, and architects, so the "knack" of being creative and working with my hands was something I was bound to inherit. My mother was a fantastic cook as was her mother, and cooking gave me the opportunity to combine the wonderful flavors of my mother's food with the chance to create new and interesting things that others could enjoy much as my family had done through their engineering and architectural jobs before me. The choice just seemed logical to me and I've never regretted going down the path of a chef.

What do you like the most about this business?

The chance to be creative and see others enjoy the dishes I have produced. That's always been the most rewarding part.

What is your goal at this restaurant?

My main goal is to please our guests to the best of our ability. That said, I strive to show everyone that enters our establishment that the stereotypical "Irish" cuisine that we've come to expect as Americans is as far from true modern Irish cuisine as Taco Bell is from authentic Mexican.

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