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From chef contests and TV appearances to being an award-winning cookbook author and restaurateur, Chef Art Smith has what one would call a dream life in the kitchen.
This award-winning chef has reaped accolades that include being honored by Chicago magazine as a Chicagoan of the Year in 2007; being named Humanitarian of the Year by the James Beard Foundation, being inducted into the Chicago Culinary Museums Hall of Fame; awarded an Honorary MBA Degree, by the Dedman School of Hospitality at Florida State University; an Honorary Doctorate of Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University, North Miami Campus, and more.
But, by closely listening to his culinary journey, the chances he has taken, and the opportunities he hasn’t let go of, one gets a sense of what it takes to become a successful chef.
Chef Art Smith has always loved the idea of bringing people together through food. It was this thought that initially drew him to cooking. “Food is all about evoking memories. I still remember what my mother’s and aunt’s dishes taste like and the love I felt after consuming these dishes that were made out of pure joy and happiness.”
However, choosing the culinary path was not an easy one for Chef Art. He says, “I belonged to a generation where little boys weren't in the kitchen. They were shooed away, yet I always gravitated towards cooking and the kitchen.”
But, he couldn’t afford to go to culinary school, so while attending Florida State University, he did the next best thing—take up culinary internships. “I never got the opportunity to go to a culinary school and learn from terrific instructors like you nor avail of such great facilities.” He told the student chefs at ICCA Dubai. “But so determined was I that I decided to pursue internships and I completed culinary internships with The Greenbrier and Walt Disney Magic Kingdom College Program.”
For Chef Art Smith, finding his way in the culinary industry has been filled with several memorable, unforgettable experiences that were, at times, laced with humor. He recalls how he used to hide in the pastry section when he was highly stressed during his internship years which eventually led him to learn the fine art of baking. “I have always been fascinated about baking due to my interest and background in music, but when things in the kitchen used to heat up, I used to hide in the pastry section where I was encouraged to learn baking and pastry making. So, for me, even today, baking gives me that feeling of comfort and safety.”
Art Smith’s first culinary break came when he cooked for the famous ballet artist Mikhail Baryshnikov at The Greenbrier where he was doing his internship. “I remember helping make a wonderful dessert party for him and the group of the people who had come to see him. I created a near flawless croqembouche for the party, and later I got a call asking if I wanted to do it full time.”
There are times when opportunities come knocking, and it takes only minutes and seconds to decide, says Chef Art whose own life exemplifies it to the truest. Cooking for the legendary Oprah Winfrey was one such opportunity. “I was at Washington for a political event when I got an email from Harpo asking me if I would be interested in coming and cooking lunch. I didn’t think twice. I didn't have a car, and I was in Washington. Somehow, I got on a plane. Then, I borrowed the neighbor's car and delivered the meal. But that wasn’t it. They kept calling me back and this went on for 4 months until Oprah herself invited me over and asked me if I would be interested in becoming her chef.”
Learning to cook food from different cultures is important because one never knows when one is asked to cook a dish that may not be a part of one's culture, says Chef Art Smith as he recounts cooking biryani for President Nelson Mandela who was a huge fan of the dish.
Chef Art also believes that a big part of the food is the story behind the food, and he is very vocal about his admiration for Walt Disney, a Chicago native himself, who he considers to be the greatest storyteller of all time. “The great Walt Disney, everything he did, started with a story, and he had the vision to turn his vision into art. So, always remember the story behind the food you are preparing.”
The celebrated chef was also vocal about his non-profit organizations, including Common Threads which was founded in 2003 along with artist Jesus Salgueiro and Linda Novick O’Keefe. The main inspiration was the power of food to not only heal but also bring people together to celebrate traditions and culture while experiencing the benefits of healthy and nutritious meals. Today, this organization has expanded beyond Chicago to Miami, New York City, Austin, and Pittsburgh. San Antonio, Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, El Paso, and Erie and reached over 30,000 children, parents, and educators yearly through its virtual and in-person cooking and nutrition education programs.
Today’s aspiring chefs have a lot of choices in front of them: from wanting to be a chef of a restaurant to being a chef in a private home, yacht, or hospital, but what they need to remember is the qualities they need to imbibe. “Passion and creativity are some of the qualities they need to have, but the most important one is discipline. What sets a professional chef apart from a non-professional one is the ability to cook even if they don’t feel like it. A professional chef always knows that the show must go on.”
From chef contests and TV appearances to being an award-winning cookbook author and restaurateur, Chef Art Smith has what one would call a dream life in the kitchen.
This award-winning chef has reaped accolades that include being honored by Chicago magazine as a Chicagoan of the Year in 2007; being named Humanitarian of the Year by the James Beard Foundation, being inducted into the Chicago Culinary Museums Hall of Fame; awarded an Honorary MBA Degree, by the Dedman School of Hospitality at Florida State University; an Honorary Doctorate of Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University, North Miami Campus, and more.
But, by closely listening to his culinary journey, the chances he has taken, and the opportunities he hasn’t let go of, one gets a sense of what it takes to become a successful chef.
Chef Art Smith has always loved the idea of bringing people together through food. It was this thought that initially drew him to cooking. “Food is all about evoking memories. I still remember what my mother’s and aunt’s dishes taste like and the love I felt after consuming these dishes that were made out of pure joy and happiness.”
However, choosing the culinary path was not an easy one for Chef Art. He says, “I belonged to a generation where little boys weren't in the kitchen. They were shooed away, yet I always gravitated towards cooking and the kitchen.”
But, he couldn’t afford to go to culinary school, so while attending Florida State University, he did the next best thing—take up culinary internships. “I never got the opportunity to go to a culinary school and learn from terrific instructors like you nor avail of such great facilities.” He told the student chefs at ICCA Dubai. “But so determined was I that I decided to pursue internships and I completed culinary internships with The Greenbrier and Walt Disney Magic Kingdom College Program.”
For Chef Art Smith, finding his way in the culinary industry has been filled with several memorable, unforgettable experiences that were, at times, laced with humor. He recalls how he used to hide in the pastry section when he was highly stressed during his internship years which eventually led him to learn the fine art of baking. “I have always been fascinated about baking due to my interest and background in music, but when things in the kitchen used to heat up, I used to hide in the pastry section where I was encouraged to learn baking and pastry making. So, for me, even today, baking gives me that feeling of comfort and safety.”
Art Smith’s first culinary break came when he cooked for the famous ballet artist Mikhail Baryshnikov at The Greenbrier where he was doing his internship. “I remember helping make a wonderful dessert party for him and the group of the people who had come to see him. I created a near flawless croqembouche for the party, and later I got a call asking if I wanted to do it full time.”
There are times when opportunities come knocking, and it takes only minutes and seconds to decide, says Chef Art whose own life exemplifies it to the truest. Cooking for the legendary Oprah Winfrey was one such opportunity. “I was at Washington for a political event when I got an email from Harpo asking me if I would be interested in coming and cooking lunch. I didn’t think twice. I didn't have a car, and I was in Washington. Somehow, I got on a plane. Then, I borrowed the neighbor's car and delivered the meal. But that wasn’t it. They kept calling me back and this went on for 4 months until Oprah herself invited me over and asked me if I would be interested in becoming her chef.”
Learning to cook food from different cultures is important because one never knows when one is asked to cook a dish that may not be a part of one's culture, says Chef Art Smith as he recounts cooking biryani for President Nelson Mandela who was a huge fan of the dish.
Chef Art also believes that a big part of the food is the story behind the food, and he is very vocal about his admiration for Walt Disney, a Chicago native himself, who he considers to be the greatest storyteller of all time. “The great Walt Disney, everything he did, started with a story, and he had the vision to turn his vision into art. So, always remember the story behind the food you are preparing.”
The celebrated chef was also vocal about his non-profit organizations, including Common Threads which was founded in 2003 along with artist Jesus Salgueiro and Linda Novick O’Keefe. The main inspiration was the power of food to not only heal but also bring people together to celebrate traditions and culture while experiencing the benefits of healthy and nutritious meals. Today, this organization has expanded beyond Chicago to Miami, New York City, Austin, and Pittsburgh. San Antonio, Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, El Paso, and Erie and reached over 30,000 children, parents, and educators yearly through its virtual and in-person cooking and nutrition education programs.
Today’s aspiring chefs have a lot of choices in front of them: from wanting to be a chef of a restaurant to being a chef in a private home, yacht, or hospital, but what they need to remember is the qualities they need to imbibe. “Passion and creativity are some of the qualities they need to have, but the most important one is discipline. What sets a professional chef apart from a non-professional one is the ability to cook even if they don’t feel like it. A professional chef always knows that the show must go on.”
