Patrick O'Cain was born and raised in Asheville, NC and graduated from Asheville High School. After earning degrees in both French and English at NC State, Patrick's professional career began first in teaching and publishing before following his passion into cooking. He attended the AB Tech culinary program while working at Asheville's Curate. He received an internship at the renowned McCrady's restaurant in Charleston, SC after which he was offered a full time position. He left McCrady's to help open Charleston's Xiao Bao Biscuit as sous-chef. After a year and a half Patrick decided to return home to the mountains to open a restaurant of his own. Seeing the potential in an old gas station in North Asheville, Patrick set out to establish Gan Shan Station, naming it for the Sunset Mountain neighborhood where he grew up. The Gan Shan restaurant group has now expanded to a second location located in the West Asheville neighborhood and continues to further the restaurant mission of nourishing and building community.