With warm blue eyes hidden beneath a baseball cap, he kisses his pretty brunette wife who is clad in a coral dress. The two seem like yin and yang, but after he kisses her on the cheek, it’s easy to see Geoff Tracy and Norah O’Donnell are like puzzle pieces, a perfect fit. The restaurateur behind Chef Geoff’s and Lia’s and the new chief White House Correspondent for CBS News met at Georgetown University in 1991 and married 10 years later. “It’s kind of funny to think about, we recently celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary and our 20th dating anniversary,” O’Donnell said. “It definitely feels like 10 years married,” Tracy said, teasing O’Donnell. “Yeah, thank God he bought me diamond earrings for our anniversary,” O’Donnell said, hitting Tracy on the shoulder playfully. O’Donnell was an Army brat raised overseas and in San Antonio, Texas and Tracy grew up in Boston and Hartford, Connecticut. Both found themselves at Georgetown in the early ‘90s. Tracy first wished to study business, as he is the son of an accountant. “I took one accounting class and immediately thought, well this is boring,” he said. He switched to theology to continue his studies. “It’s ironic, he transferred out of the business program and ended up building Chef Geoff’s from the ground up, he’s too modest to say,” O’Donnell said, smiling proudly at her husband. Tracy was away in culinary school when he came back to D.C. and stumbled upon an abandoned property at 3201 New Mexico Ave. The site was owned by Roberto Donna, current owner of Galileo III. “I was 27 years old and just thought this is awesome,” he said. “Everyone else was like, whatever kid.” Eleven years and three more restaurants later, Tracy realized he was on the forefront of casual, neighborhood dining. He said his chain of restaurants has shown growth in sales and survived 9/11, the dot-com bust, the D.C. sniper and the greatest recession since the Great Depression. “Now so many chefs who have fine dining establishments are opening up bistros or more casual spots too,” he said. “Look at Michel Richard and Citronelle, 11 years ago no one thought he’d be making hamburgers.” While Tracy was busy working his way up in the restaurant business, O’Donnell was doing the same in journalism. After spending 12 years at NBC as chief Washington correspondent for MSNBC, she will begin a new position as chief White House correspondent for CBS News. “CBS came to me and offered me an incredible position so few women have held,” she said. “I’ll have a front row seat to history and be the principle substitute for Face the Nation and contribute to 60 Minutes---It’s my dream.” O’Donnell also mentioned that when she was little, she used to pretend she was Barbara Walters. In a now famous GQ interview, O’Donnell was also quoted saying she wished to be the female Tim Russert. “Basically enormously respected,” said Tracy. The late Russert was friends with the couple and frequently dined at Chef Geoff’s. He also suggested Riley as the name for their first daughter. The couple also have two young twins, Henry and Grace. While Tracy can get home often in between the lunch and dinner rushes at his restaurants, as a journalist O’Donnell has no set schedule. However, she hates the idea that women can’t have a high-powered job and be a mother. “It’s absolutely archaic,” she said. “…And sexist,” Tracy added. O’Donnell has a term she’s coined for the struggles mothers face. “When I refer to “motherism,” it’s when people say things like oh you’re a mother of three young children, you shouldn’t work, or perhaps don’t want to work,” she said. “I believe you can work both inside and outside the home and they’re equally rewarding.” While she was covering campaigns, O’Donnell frequently pumped breast milk and Fed-Exed it home. “Tim Russert used to call me Wonder Woman,” she said. “Geoff’s adopted that nickname for me now.” To de-stress from their busy lives, both Tracy and O’Donnell turn to exercise. They also enjoy many of D.C.’s recreational activities, including taking their children to the zoo, National Building Museum and the area’s parks. O’Donnell praised area parks, mentioning their free soccer and other activities for children. “I also love to take the kids on hikes,” Tracy said. “Throwing rocks in the water, that kills at least 90 minutes!” The two, who recently published a book of baby food recipes that turned into a New York Times bestseller, are frequently called a power couple. “I think the reality is we are a great couple with a great relationship and we compliment and support each other,” O’Donnell said. “We both love D.C., give back to charities, Geoff employs hundreds in the town.” “Norah’s the national and international star and I’m just the local mayor, unelected of course,” Tracy joked. “In all seriousness, I’m very fortunate that I get to entertain people on a daily basis.” Tracy’s restaurants approximately serve 400 to 500 people per restaurant per day. Both agree that taking risks while you’re young is important. “Find something you really love, try to figure out why certain people are having such a good time,” Tracy said. O’Donnell agreed, adding the saying she recently came across: “Success does not breed happiness, happiness breeds success.” ---Kate Oczypok
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