George Armstrong, owner of The Rosemary and Rosemary & Thyme, was formerly the general manager of the Italian-centered Treviso restaurant. He entered the restaurant industry in his adopted hometown of Austin, Texas, and has since attained extensive experience and developed quite a reputation at a variety of restaurants, including DaRuMa in Naples and two former Sarasota restaurants, the Australian-themed Dundee’s on the Bay and the Horse Feathers Grill and Lounge.

Armstrong feels he was born to cook. Even when he is off duty, he is still experimenting in the kitchen. His favorite dish to cook at home is shrimp-and-sausage gumbo. “The trick is adding the rest of the seasoning when the stock is boiling,” Armstrong said.

Growing up in a military family, Armstrong was used to life on the road. His father was in the Air Force, and the family would move to a new city every two years. With every new home came new surroundings, new friends and most importantly, new foods.

The Bermuda native says he’s lived in more cities than he can count, and the thing he always remembers most about a city is its signature dish. “My brother and I talk about different places we’ve been and it always comes back to food," said Armstrong. "My family was always really focused on food and we would talk about cities based on the foods we remember eating there.”

“My vision was to open a restaurant that reminded me of all the different places I’ve lived,” said Armstrong. “I always enjoyed eating in places that gave me the feeling of being somewhere else and I wanted to create that environment for other people, too.”

An American Bistro With A Sophisticated International Flair

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