King Lear : The Cuisine
Inspired by the descent into madness of King Lear, Chef Art Smith presents a Vanilla Milk Shake Layered with Dark Chocolate, Cherry Coulis, Lemon Curd and Espresso Whipped Cream. The layers represent Lear dividing his kingdom up among his daughters, while the choice of chocolate and coffee make a historical nod to the fact that these exotic ingredients were first introduced to Europeans during Shakespeare’s day.
 

 
Chef Art Smith
Chef Art Smith loves the idea of bringing people together through food. It’s partly what made him the success he is today. He is the executive chef and co-owner of Blue Door Kitchen & Garden, Art and Soul, Southern Art and Bourbon Bar, LYFE Kitchen restaurants, 1500 South at the Naples Bay Resort and opening this summer: Homecoming: Florida Kitchen and Southern Shine at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.
 
Art Smith has received the culinary profession's highest awards and has cooked for some of the world's most famous celebrities. In 1997, Smith became the personal, day- to-day chef to Oprah Winfrey, a position that lasted ten years. Smith now coordinates and cooks for special events all around the world.
 
Most recently Smith has made several television appearances including ABC’s Lady Gaga Thanksgiving Special, Top Chef, Top Chef Duels and returned to Top Chef Masters (for the second time), where he quickly became an audience favorite. Smith was also featured in an episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition where he lent a hand to a deserving family that has devoted their lives to providing meals for the less fortunate members of their community.
 
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. He is a regular contributor to Standup Magazine, whose proceeds benefit The Ben Cohen Standup Foundation, which raises awareness of the long-term, damaging effects of bullying.
 
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, with a focus on healthy cooking and healthy living. He contributed recipes and cooking advice to The Spectrum, the newest book by ground-breaking cardiologist and the New York Times best-selling author Dr. Dean Ornish. In March of 2016 his latest cookbook Smart Cooking was released in conjunction of his line of the Chef Art Smith Smartbowl Cooking System.
 
Smith is the founder of Common Threads, a non-profit organization teaching low-income children to cook wholesome and affordable meals since 2003. He believes that through hands-on cooking and introducing children to fresh foods we can help prevent childhood obesity, reverse the trend of poor eating habits, and learn about diversity and tolerance through the celebration of our cultural differences and our commonalities.
 
In 2015 Smith launched a non-profit organization, Reunion, Florida Garden and Kitchen School, in Madison, Florida at the historic Wardlaw-Smith House near his childhood home in Jasper, FL. At Reunion students of all ages will receive free classes on southern cooking traditions, horticulture and weather forecasting via Weather Stem systems.
 
Smith was honored by Chicago Magazine as a Chicagoan of the Year in 2007. That same year, the prestigious James Beard Foundation named him Humanitarian of the Year. In 2008 Chef Art Smith received an Honorary MBA Degree, awarded by the Dedman School of Hospitality at Florida State University. Smith was inducted into the Chicago Culinary Museum’s Hall of Fame in 2010. September 30th 2010 was proclaimed by Richard M. Daley, Mayor of The City of Chicago as Chef Art Smith Day in Chicago. In 2012, Smith received an Honorary Doctorate of Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University, North Miami Campus.
 
Smith lives in Chicago and Florida with his husband Jesus Salgueiro, their four children Zumy, Zuky, Brando and Angel, and of course three dogs, seven cats, fifteen fish and a couple of turtles.
 

About Blue Door Kitchen & Garden
Blue Door Kitchen & Garden, home to celebrated Chef Art Smith, is a farm-to-table oasis in the heart of Chicago’s Gold Coast and deeply rooted in the philosophy of letting the seasons dictate the menu. From its inception, the Blue Door brand has become synonymous with sustainability and responsible sourcing. The restaurant showcases American heirloom foods made from fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from Midwest farms, including its namesake and Oprah’s former Indiana property, Blue Door Farm. As a committed member of the agricultural community, Blue Door Kitchen & Garden is dedicated to cultivating strong relationships with sustainable purveyors to provide our guests with a connection to the land and an honest representation of local flavors and ingredients.