Since opening their doors in 1994, Water Street Cafe has been a quintessential gathering place for generations of family, friends, and food lovers. For nearly 30 years, owners Walter and Stephanie Houlihan have created a community around their beloved restaurant.

Returning home after a decade, Chef David Stockford along with his partner Chef Evelyn Ling, hope to continue the legacy of Water Street Cafe: to create a sense of community by bringing people together through high quality food.

Evelyn and David met while attending culinary school at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Their strong work ethic and passion for what they do have propelled them to hold Executive Chef positions in numerous highly rated and recognized restaurants in Atlanta, Georgia.

Born and raised in Eastern Connecticut, David Stockford’s culinary journey began as a teenager at Water Street Cafe. Under Walter’s guidance, it was here that David’s passion for cooking flourished which led him to seek formal education at The CIA. He then spent the next decade honing his skills and working with some of the top restaurants in Atlanta. David worked as an Executive Chef with the Rocket Farm Restaurant group, where he worked with Chef Ford Fry, Chef Drew Belline, and with James Beard Award winning Chef Adam Evans. David’s passion for food translated outside of just the kitchen when he started his own business Diamond City Farms in 2018. With an emphasis on organically grown produce and farming practices, the farm focused on seasonality and growing only the highest quality products for fellow Atlanta based chefs. After a decade away, he is eager to dive back into the local restaurant community and reconnect with the people and food he considers home.

Throughout her entire childhood, Chef Evelyn Ling worked alongside her father in the kitchen of their family restaurant in Georgia. It was there that her interest and passion for cooking blossomed, which led her to attend culinary school at The CIA.

After graduating, Evelyn spent the first 6 years of her professional career working alongside James Beard Award winning Chef Anne Quatrano. Bacchanalia, Anne’s fine dining flagship restaurant, went on to earn Atlanta’s first Green star and a one Michelin star last year. She later joined her cousin, Chef Ronald Hsu, where she held an Executive chef title assisting with menu development and restaurant openings. Hsu’s fine dining concept, Lazy Betty, also went on to earn a Michelin star last year.

David and Evelyn just welcomed their first son, Zander, into their lives last March and decided to move to Connecticut to raise their family. They are excited to join the Stonington Borough community and showcase their experiences, creativity, and love of food at Water Street Cafe.