FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011

Executive Pastry Chef Lisa Smith

Originally from a small town in Western Massachusetts, Lisa Smith has been building her relationship with and love for food all her life. Smith started learning her way around the kitchen under the supervision and guidance of her Italian grandmother, and began making pasta at four years old. Growing up with a single mother and three siblings, Smith used her natural talents to help out around the house, cooking for her family whenever she could.

Smith began her "official" training in the culinary arts when she moved to Atlanta in 1994. The city was booming in preparation for the upcoming Olympics and Smith had several friends here who she would visit often. It was during these visits that Smith made the connections that would eventually introduce her to the cooking industry.

Her first job was as a caterer for Gigliotti Culinary Concepts under Lynn Gigliotti and Jennifer Levison, or "Jenny" of Souper Jenny. As two of Atlanta's most recognized cooks, they helped Smith get acclimated into the professional world of cooking. While she worked there, Smith maintained a small business of her own selling homemade pasta to local restaurants.

After a few years of working in the catering business, Smith decided that she wanted a more stationary job and knew that working in a restaurant would be her next step. She met Sheri Davis, and became part of the opening crew for Dish, Davis' former restaurant. Davis took Smith under her wing, and when Dish lost its pastry chef, offered Smith the position. Although she had little experience in desserts, Smith gladly stepped into her new role and was excited to embark on a new endeavor.

Although Smith was never formally educated in the culinary arts, her practical experience has provided a true education. She got to learn, first-hand, from experienced chefs how to create tasty and beautifully constructed desserts. She attributes much of her success with pastries to a long process of trial and error, making a lot of losing dishes before figuring out what worked and what did not.

In 2001, Smith took a job at Roy's Restaurant as their Executive Pastry Chef. It was during her time at Roy's that she became comfortable and confident working with desserts. While she was working at Roy's, Buckhead Life Restaurant Group's founder, Pano Karatassos, called and offered her the position at Bluepointe, which, after five-and-a-half years, she still proudly holds today.

Smith works under Bluepointe's Executive Chef Jeremy Miller and is honored to be a part of the culinary scene in Atlanta. She enjoys the laid-back, friendly relationship that the chefs in Atlanta have with one another and is thankful for all the opportunities that have come her way.

Smith's desserts often incorporate Asian influences and she loves to put her personal twist on dishes. Being a pastry chef is something that she truly enjoys. "I've always had a sweet tooth and what's better than watching people smile when they enjoy your creations?"

Smith is a two-time winner of the Share Our Strength Great America Baking Contest and the first place winner of the Atlanta Festival of Trees 2003 Gingerbread House Competition. In the summer of 2010, Lisa was featured in The Weather Channel's nationally televised "Cooking in the Weather" segments.

Besides her enthusiasm for food, Lisa also has a deep interest in music and the arts. In her free time she enjoys attending local concerts and playing with her dog.