Chef Govind Armstrong

Even at age 13, Govid Armstrong was spreading the word that the foundation for great cooking was the exclusive use of highest quality seasonal ingredients. Years later, he has the same belief and an impressive resume, which he's put to work at his newly renovated restaurant, Table 8 in Los Angeles. The popular, star-studded restaurant features California-style cuisine. He recently opened the second Table 8, also showcasing California cuisine, in South Beach in the elegant new Regent Hotel.

Armstrong's distinctive, easy-going manner can be traced to his childhood, where he was raised in both Los Angeles and on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. As a teenager, he spent numerous summers working under the tutelage of Wolfgang Puck in Spago's legendary kitchen. He also assisted celebrity chefs Mary Sue Miliken and Susan Feniger with the opening of the cutting-edge City Restaurant. To support himself through college, he worked as a sous chef at Postrio, one of Wolfgang Puck's fashionable restaurants located near San Francisco's Union Square.

Traveling through Europe with destinations such as the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and France enhanced Armstrong's appreciation for diversity in food and wine. In the next five years, he has hopes to open more restaurants, especially overseas.

Armstrong has served as a celebrity chef for Crystal Cruises and Cunard's Queen Mary II and made numerous television appearances on shows such as NBC's The Today Show, Food Network's Iron Chef and ABC's The Great Domestic Showdown. He has also been featured in publications including the 2004 People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" issue. In April 2007, Govind came out with his first cookbook, "Small Bites, Big Nights."