Meet The O'Connor Family of Bia Kitchen
To understand the beauty and quality of Bia Kitchen, it's important to get to know our executive chef and owner, Shane O'Connor.
Rooted in Ireland
Born in Dublin in 1972, Shane is the son of an Irish lighthouse keeper, part of a family tradition stretching back generations. His great-grandfather served as a lightship captain in the 1890s, continuing a legacy of duty and service passed down through the family. Raised along Ireland's rugged coastlines, Shane grew up surrounded by large family gatherings built around fresh, local ingredients, including seafood, lamb, and vegetables sourced straight from family gardens and local markets, long before "farm to table" was a phrase anyone used.
These early experiences planted the values of hard work, faith, and resilience that still define him today, and the meals that still shape his cooking.
A Life in Hospitality
Shane entered the culinary world in 1989, discovering early on that his real passion wasn't just food — it was the connection a great meal creates.
In 1995, he married his wife Elizabeth, and together they raised three children while Shane built a career transforming historic properties into celebrated hospitality destinations. Among them is a 50-acre, 1763 estate in Middleburg, Virginia, once owned by George Washington, which Shane restored into the renowned Blackthorne Inn & Restaurant before its sale in 2017.
A Lifelong Passion for Food
With a lifelong love of travel that's taken him to 78 countries, Shane followed the sale of the Blackthorne Inn with a transformative journey — driving more than 21,000 miles along the Mediterranean coast, through 23 countries from Spain to Morocco. Immersing himself in local cultures, cuisines, and centuries-old traditions along the way, he found the inspiration for his next chapter.
That journey brought Shane back to Virginia, where — despite the disruption of the pandemic — he restored a historic building on 21st St in downtown Purcellville into what is now Bia Kitchen: an elegant, European-inspired dining destination and cocktail bar built on family, craftsmanship, and genuine hospitality.
A FAMILY TRADITION OF GREAT FOOD
Margaret O'Connor
Shane's mother, family matriarch and food expediter who keeps operations running smoothly.
Sharon O'Connor
Shane's sister, Sharon, manages Bia Kitchen alongside sister Maeve and makes guests feel right at home.
Maeve O'Connor
Together with Sharon, Maeve is a manager and one of the welcoming faces of Bia Kitchen.