Born just outside Washington, D.C., and raised in Virginia, Langhorne got his first culinary training under chef John Haywood at the now-closed OXO in Charlottesville, Virginia. He later moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where he worked for Sean Brock at McCrady’s, a highly regarded bastion of heritage-minded modern Southern cooking. While Langhorne was rising through the ranks, he left to stage at Noma, an experience that opened his eyes to the raw power of wild-foraged food to communicate the story of a place and a moment in time.
By the time he returned to Washington, D.C., in 2013, Langhorne had a vision for his own restaurant, The Dabney. “I wanted it to be a showcase for this region, its products, and its people,” he says. “I wanted to show people Mid-Atlantic cuisine. But you wouldn’t believe how many serious people, who are still in the industry now, laughed me out of conversations because they would say, ‘There’s no such thing as Mid-Atlantic cuisine.’”
In 2015, The Dabney opened with a menu deeply rooted in the Mid-Atlantic’s history and foodways. Langhorne built relationships with farmers, fishermen, foragers, and producers, ensuring that every dish reflected the best the region had to offer. Cooking over a live fire in the open kitchen, he proved his detractors wrong—going on to win a James Beard Award, while The Dabney garnered a Michelin star and the top spot on Washingtonian’s 100 Best Restaurants list in 2023.
In 2017, Langhorne expanded his footprint with The Dabney Cellar, a subterranean wine bar beneath his flagship restaurant. In 2024, he debuted Petite Cerise, a charming all-day French café-bistro located just a few blocks away.
Langhorne’s cooking is rooted in seasonality, sustainability, and a deep respect for local producers. His approach blends historical research with modern techniques, ensuring that every dish tells a story of place and time. He continues to push the boundaries of what Mid-Atlantic cuisine can be, redefining it for a new generation of diners.
