Owner/General Manager of Flying Fish Café, Kill Devil Hills, NC

Born July 5, 1957 Portsmouth, VA

Graduate Churchland High School 1975

Graduate James Madison University 1980, Bachelor of Fine Arts

Built a home in Kill Devil Hills, NC in 1988 and currently lives there with his family.

George started his travels early moving to the Outer Banks after High School graduation to fish and surf.  He waited tables at ‘Porto call’ and ‘A Restaurant By George’ to be able to afford that lifestyle.  After college he began to travel to Vail, CO every winter to ski and work, he waited tables at the Antler’s Room in Gastof Gramshammer Resort in downtown Vail.

In 1988 he started honing his management skills by accepting the position of Asst. Manager of Penguin Isle restaurant in Nags Head, NC.  He gained extensive knowledge of wine while in charge of the wine program at Penguin Isle capturing the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.  He brought that award and knowledge to the Flying Fish Café in its very first year of business.

George opened the Flying Fish Café in 1996 along with a partner serving lunch and dinner for the first 5 years.  They were recognized by the Food Network and featured on an episode of “The Best of”.

Shortly after that he married his long time girlfriend Traci in 2001.  After a scary premature birth they welcomed their first daughter Brennan Maria in 2002 weighing only 2lbs. 10oz.  She is now a healthy and happy 3 ˝ year old.  After 2 months of hospital bed rest hoping to carry to term Traci delivered a second daughter 7 wks early in 2004.  Georgia O’Shea weighed in at a healthy 5lbs. 10oz. probably due to the overabundance of food provided at each meal by Norfolk General Hospital.

George bought his partner out in 2002 and has done extensive renovations on the building and menu since.

Left with very little spare time, he always found the time to travel each winter to different parts of the world in search of surf.  It was on one of those trips that he fell in love with Costa Rica.  He is currently building a vacation home there for his family.  Look for a possible ‘Flying Fish Café Costa Rica’ in the not to distant future!

Would love to see you there!