Art Smith
loves the idea of bringing people together through food. He has spent the last eight years traveling the world as a culinary ambassador, engaging in his passion to bridge the cultural divide through culinary exchange. Representing the American South, he visited five countries with the U.S. Department of State, including Israel and Azerbaijan. As a member of The Culinary Diplomacy Project, Smith has continued this important work through numerous projects, to include most recently a trip to Jordan with four other American celebrity chefs.
Smith is the executive chef and co-owner of Blue Door Kitchen and Garden, Reunion and Homecomin': Florida Kitchen and Southern Shine at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. Art Bird is also in 24 locations at Live Nation Music Amphitheater Parks across America. His latest restaurant will be at the Orlando Florida International Airport, opening in 2021.
Smith has made many television appearances including ABC’s Lady Gaga Thanksgiving Special, Top Chef and two appearances on Top Chef Masters. Smith has made regular television appearances on programs such as Iron Chef America, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Nightline, Fox News, Extra, Entertainment Tonight, BBQ Pitmasters, The Talk, The Dr. Oz Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show. He has appeared on the cover of Parade magazine, and has been featured in Cooking Light magazine. Smith is the author of four award-winning cookbooks: Back to the Table; Kitchen Life: Real Food for Real Families; Back to the Family; and Art Smith’s Healthy Comfort.
In 2003, Smith founded Common Threads, a non-profit organization teaching low-income children to cook wholesome and affordable meals. He believes that through hands-on cooking and introducing children to fresh foods we can help prevent childhood obesity.
More recently, in 2015 Smith launched a second non-profit organization, Reunion, Florida Garden and Kitchen School, in Madison, Florida at the historic Wardlaw-Smith House near his childhood home in Jasper, Florida. At Reunion, students of all ages receive free classes on southern cooking traditions, horticulture, and weather forecasting via Weather Stem systems.