Other
Chris Smith
James Beard Award winner
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Chris Smith now leads Brookmere in Saratoga Springs, New York, as Executive Chef, a role that feels less like a departure from his past than the natural continuation of a life shaped by kitchens, service, and the steady rhythm of hospitality. He says, “Hospitality and cooking have always been a focus in my life.” That focus was built early, in the kind of family setting where food is not merely prepared but shared, observed, repeated, and remembered. He grew up cooking with his parents and four siblings, learning in close quarters what it means to feed people day after day, and what it means to do so with care. His path into the profession began sooner than it does for many aspiring chefs. He started culinary school when he was 16, a young age to step into the intensity and discipline of formal training. Yet the experience clearly suited his ambition. He says it was his exposure to the chefs there, as well as at his first job, that made him want to continue down this path and ultimately be like them. That early impression—of kitchens as places of craft, purpose, and leadership—helped define the direction of his career and gave shape to the chef he would become.
Coming Up
Chris Smith trained at Lake Washington Institute of Technology, the American Culinary Federation (ACF), and the Culinary Institute of America, gathering the technical grounding and professional polish that would support his rise through a series of leadership positions. Each step added another layer to his approach, from the rigor of culinary education to the realities of high-level restaurant and hospitality operations. Rather than lingering in one place, he moved through roles that required composure, precision, and the ability to lead by example. He went on to serve as Campus Executive Chef at Bon Appétit Management Company, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a post that placed him at the center of a large and demanding environment. From there, he became Executive Chef at The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg, Oregon, beginning in 2018, where the title alone suggests the d expectations that come with guiding a kitchen in a refined setting. Today, Chris is Executive Chef of Brookmere, where his background in both family cooking and formal culinary training comes together in a single leadership role.
Where They Are Now
He is Executive Chef at Brookmere in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is a position that reflects not only his experience, but also the long arc of a career that began with a childhood around the stove and developed through some of the profession’s most instructive settings. At Brookmere, that accumulated experience informs the way he leads, cooks, and understands the broader meaning of hospitality.
In Their Words “Hospitality and cooking have always been a focus in my life.” “I started culinary school when I was 16, and it was my exposure to the chefs there, as well as at my first job, that I realized I wanted to continue down this path and ultimately be like them.”
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Chris
What is Chris Smith's current role?
As of 2026, Chris Smith is Executive Chef.
Where did Chris Smith train or study?
Chris Smith trained at Lake Washington Institute of Technology and American Culinary Federation (ACF).
What recognition has Chris Smith received?
30 Under 30.
