i. Biography
In central Copenhagen, smørrebrød sets the working terms of lunch. At Sankt Annæ, open-faced rye bread preparations carry the service: compact, composed plates built for daytime pace rather than the extended sequence of a tasting menu. The craft depends on proportion, timing and a clear read of appetite. Each slice of rye has to support the build, not disappear beneath it.
Coming Up
London’s modern dining-room trade provided an early structure for Will Smith through co-ownership of Arbutus, Wild Honey and Les Deux Salons in London. That chapter belongs to a restaurant culture where clarity, hospitality and operational discipline carried equal weight with the cooking. The lesson is practical: a room must move cleanly, guests must be handled with precision, and confidence on the plate is stronger when it does not require explanation. The shift to Sankt Annæ in central Copenhagen tightened the frame rather than broadened it. As chef of Sankt Annæ, Will Smith works inside a format with strong local gravity: lunch, rye bread and composition. The restaurant is not built around the long evening arc. It is built around a defined service window, where familiar forms have to be executed deliberately enough to hold attention.
Where They Are Now
Smørrebrød is the restaurant’s defining work: a serious central-Copenhagen lunch built around open-faced rye bread preparations, with the kitchen focused on daytime service rather than a tasting-menu experience. The distinction is technical as much as stylistic. Progression is not the main tool; precision inside a compact frame is. Each preparation has to register quickly, hold together cleanly and meet the pace of lunch. Rye bread is the material center of the cooking at Sankt Annæ. It is not a neutral base. Its density and depth set the proportions for everything above it, requiring the kitchen to manage texture, richness, acidity, height and restraint. The work sits in assembly as much as in individual components: timing, balance and the decision to stop before the plate becomes heavy. The format is the discipline. Smørrebrød can read as simple from outside the trade, but its success depends on exact choices: how much to build, how to keep the bread active, and how to make the midday table feel complete without excess.
Honors
Recognition for Sankt Annæ includes Michelin Plate recognition and Opinionated About Dining Casual Europe ranking #462 for Sankt Annæ (2025).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Will
Where did Will Smith work before?
Will Smith's earlier career included Arbutus, Wild Honey and Les Deux Salons.
What recognition has Will Smith received?
Michelin Plate recognition for Sankt Annæ (2025).
