Just like his cooking, Govind Armstrong is so hot right now, writes Kirsten MacFarlane
KEY POINTS:
If it was a Hollywood movie script, you'd have to rewrite the ending.
When Govind Armstrong, executive chef at Table 8 in LA's Melrose Avenue, proposed to his screenwriter girlfriend in New Zealand last year, everything was going to plan.
A romantic meal at a Hawkes Bay vineyard restaurant
went without a hitch. The final act of popping the question would take place in a climactic location.
"I didn't account for the gale force winds when I proposed on the top of Trinity Hill," he says on the phone from Miami.
Armstrong and his new fiancee Tina Chism have no qualms about returning to New Zealand next month, where this passionate crusader for organic cuisine will be showcasing his California-inspired menu in a series of master classes at Savour New Zealand.
Armstrong, 37, is the hot ticket on the culinary circuit, with recent appearances on Top Chef and Oprah, where a reporter travelled 3200km to sample his beef sandwich, and his book Small Bites, Big Nights is listed on Oprah's book club.
"Oprah has threatened to come in to Table 8," he says casually.
People magazine recently named the LA native one of its Most Beautiful People.
As Ted Allen from Top Chef gushed, "Govind brings such a chefy pedigree to the city and he's such a cool guy that everyone in the food world knows him and loves him."
And Armstrong is spreading the love. Already established in LA and Miami, he and his two business partners are opening three more restaurants in New York, Chicago and West Indies, where he's also spearheading an ambitious garden project. Oh, and he's also a consultant chef for Air New Zealand.
A star-struck reporter from Culinary Media Network went so far as to call the dreadlocked chef a "master of subtlety" and StarChefs.com dubbed him a rising star. A-listers Elton John, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert de Niro have dropped into Table 8.
And he's worked at Pinot Hollywood, catering for movie premieres, the Oscars and Grammys ...
"I don't pay much attention to the stars," interrupts the chef, clearly bored with celeb chat. Either that or he's plain exhausted between double shifts at Table 8 in the Regent South Beach Hotel, Miami.
As for the idea of his own telly show: "It's just not my cup of tea."
He's far more comfortable talking about his worthy causes, having recently returned from a fundraiser for Common Threads, which educates children on the importance of nutrition and physical well-being.
His other charity, Share our Strength, aims to make sure no child in America goes hungry.
As a youngster Armstrong loved to cook, planning menus for his mother's frequent parties.
"My mother was passionate about entertaining but she was never a phenomenal cook, so I took over for her. I would write the grocery lists, read the cookbooks and do the prep work."
The next act is the Hollywood dream machine in motion.
The 13-year-old's talent was spotted by Wolfgang Puck and he was invited to observe the action at the newly-opened Spago.
"I worked there for three summers learning all the basics. It was pretty intense. From that moment on, it was like, 'Okay, this feels so good, it feels so right'. It was all kind of meant to be, I guess, and I'm so lucky."
After graduating from college, Armstrong worked his way around Europe and in 2000, Armstrong and his business partner Ben Ford, son of actor Harrison Ford, opened Chadwick in Beverly Hills.
The two chefs were hell-bent on providing diners with organic produce and started growing vegetables in a friend's backyard.
"We were young and dumb ... and spent way too much money. We trucked in organic soil and sourced heritage seeds."
Later this year, Armstrong is heading a government-funded project growing biodynamic produce on 14.2ha in Nevis, West Indies.
The project will employ locals and supply produce to Armstrong's new Table 8 restaurant in a luxury Nevis resort.
"My food is so ingredient-driven and so fresh and seasonal. I am somewhat of a purist and I love food and appreciate ingredients."
Joining in the buy-local debate, Armstrong says he prefers to work with locally-produced goods, although he'll happily relent when customers demand New Zealand lamb.
As a chef with a conscience, Armstrong is now focusing on America's wavering economy. At his LA restaurant, he's just introduced a pre-fixed menu called Recession Concession.
"You have to react to changes if you want to stay ahead of the game."
Spoken like a true Hollywood player.
Savour New Zealand runs from May 1 to May 4 at The Langham, Auckland. For info, visit www.savournewzealand.co.nz