Chef Art Smith Plans Homecoming

Florida born Chef Art Smith is planning to open a restaurant in Disney Springs in  Summer of 2016. Homecoming: Florida Kitchen and Southern Shine will showcase Florida’s rich culinary heritage in the unique farm to fork concept.

Chef Smith stated “the majority of our seafood, produce, poultry and beef will be from local farms, ranches or fisheries.” The menu will feature traditional Southern favorites like homemade pimento cheese, Church Lady deviled eggs, low country shrimp and grits, kale salad with Sweet Grass Dairy cheese and spiced pecans and a grilled Blackstrap pork chop with sawmill gravy. There will be a focus on desserts with cakes, pies and delectable sweets made daily and shipped from a bakery in Hamilton County, including the Chef Smith’s signature Mockingbird Cake.

The restaurant will have a glass walled show kitchen and The Southern Shine bar will feature Floridian inspired coolers, punches and cocktails to quench the thirst of the guests.

The James Beard Foundation winner was born and raised in Jasper, FL, where his family still raises cattle. Chef Smith also appeared on “The Today Show,” “BBQ Pitmasters,” “Iron Chef America” and “Top Chef Masters.” He gained fame as a celebrity chef. His clients included former Florida Governors Bob Graham and Jeb Bush and was a personal chef for Oprah for 10 years. Chef Smith completed his culinary internship with the Walt Disney World College Program.

“I couldn’t be happier about coming back to Florida and Walt Disney World Resort,” said Smith. “To be able to prepare the food I love in the place where I have so many special memories is a dream come true.”