Michael Smith's degree from the University ofbrSouthern Colorado may have been in psychology, but the culinary arts are wherebrhe is most adept. Most chefs and restaurateurs might actually agree, that abrdegree in psychology is the perfect foundation for a career in the culinarybrbusiness. Following college, Smith wentbrto work at Chateau Pyranees in Denver, where he studied and worked under ChefbrJean-Pierre Lelievre and, later, Chef George Mavrothalassitis (now in Hawaii).brIn 1985 he traveled to Nice and Cassis in the south of France, cooking andbrlearning, and was struck with the French approach of artisanal products andbrfresh, local ingredients.
It was a lesson he carried back to the U.S. when hebrwent to Chicago in 1987 to work as Sous Chef at the late Charlie Trotter'sbrrestaurant. Two years later he returned to Nice to be the Executive Chef atbrL'Albion. Upon his eventual return to Chicago in 1991, he worked as Co-Chef atbrCarlos' in Highland Park and then Executive Chef at Gordon until 1994. Movingbron to Kansas City, he took over The American Restaurant and while there, Smithbrwon the James Beard Award for Best Chef, Midwest, 1999. Kansas City had neverbrbefore had a chef so honored. The James Beard Awards were not through however …brSmith's restaurant, Forty Sardines won Best Restaurant Design in 2002.
Michael is chef/owner of a duo of restaurants underbrone roof at 1900 Main Street in Kansas City's Crossroads Art District. He is also Executive chef of SPIN! NeapolitanbrPizza a fast casual concept with a dozen locations across the country.
The eponymous Michael Smith is the epitome of finebrdining and high class with a 650+ label Wine Spectator awarded cellar, whilebrExtra Virgin next door is a trendy Mediterranean tapas restaurant with one ofbrthe city's coolest al fresco dining areas and a spectacular bar thatbrcomplements the adventurous menu. SPIN! is also winning awards for itsbrchef-inspired pizza and extensive, but reasonable wine list.
Smith himself is still winning awards, with a 2011 Pitch Magazine Readers Choice "BestbrChef Kansas City" and three years in a row, KC Magazine "BestbrChef" 2012, 2013 and 2014. He was also recently honored with the State ofbrMissouri Division of Tourism's Spotlight Award for being the individualbrcontributing most to tourism in Kansas City and the MenuMasters 2014 ChefbrInnovator by Nation's Restaurant News (presented at The Drake in Chicago).
Michaelbrnot only owns, operates and consults for some of Kansas City's bestbrrestaurants, he has a busy schedule of guest chef appearances around thebrcountry and abroad. Michael is also sought after by the media as an industrybrspokesperson and has appeared on Food Network, Esquire TV, Bravo and ThebrCooking Channel as well as innumerable appearances on local network TV and talkbrradio. His recipes have appeared in ThebrRobb Report, Wine Spectator, Gourmet, Bon Appetit and Spirit in-flight magazine.
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