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PATRICK O’CAIN, CHEF & OWNER

As an Asheville native, I am no stranger to the concept of community building. This mountain town has seen huge growth in my lifetime, and much of that with a sense of connection and community. Part of this growth and connection has centered around food and beverage production and consumption. We take our “locally grown” seriously in Asheville.

While I have endeavored to create a space of nourishment and connection at Gan Shan, I have been surprised – and excited – to see that vision naturally expand in ways I never expected or could have foreseen. 

I had the idea to bring a neighborhood, Asian-themed restaurant into north Asheville, and I implemented the processes to make the vision real in the kitchen. But that alone does not determine the restaurant’s culture.

Gan Shan service and kitchen staff members are aligned with the vision and the company values. But that does not solely determine the restaurant’s culture.

The restaurant’s culture is a culmination of connection; it is determined by what happens when you, our guests, come into the restaurant, interact with us, and eat the food we have prepared for you.

For me, that is the essence of community – a dynamic, interdependent, mutually enhancing relationship that adapts and shifts as it grows. At Gan Shan, we share the joy of food and drink that enrich our community, and I’m thankful you want to do that together.