LAGNIAPPE
CURTIS
SMITHEN
EXECUTIVE CHEF , FOUR SEASONS SAFARI LODGE , SERENGETI , TANZANIA
Like many who have made careers in the kitchen , Curtis Smithen started humbly : as a dishwasher at a small inn on his native island of Nevis . In the more than two decades that followed , however , Smithen steadily rose through the culinary ranks , working at Four Seasons properties in the Bahamas , Toronto , Chicago , Boston and Nevis . His latest post continues his world journey as he serves as executive chef at Four Seasons ’ new resort amid the spectacular natural atmosphere of Serengeti National Park .
Why are you a hotel chef ? Being a hotel chef allows me to deal with multiple outlets , creating and developing different concepts , but it also allows me to work closely with the farmers in the community . Most inspiring , though , is to meet the expectations of every guest and to make their experience memorable .
If you weren ’ t a chef , what would you be ? I would have been a mechanic .
What would you like to have more time for ? My golf game .
What is the best idea you have ever stolen ? A mini tabletop barbecue grill concept .
What is your pet peeve working in the kitchen ? Not having a clean and organized kitchen .
What is on your nightstand right now ? One of my favorite cookbooks , “ Culinary Artistry ” by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page .
What do you listen to most on your iPod ? I really don ’ t have one specific song , but I love listening to Adele and Carlene Davis , who is a Jamaican artist .
What was your most embarrassing moment as a professional chef ? Back in 2000 , I was working in Boston and made a mess of a function for 200 people . The first course was risotto , and I placed one of the cooks in charge but did not check on him . When it was time to pick up the dish and bring it out , nothing was ready . It was really embarrassing for me , as we had no food to serve !
What celebrity would you most like to meet ? I would like to meet Denzel Washington . He is one of my favorite actors .
What is your favorite hotel ( other than your own )? The Nisbet Plantation Beach Club on the island of Nevis .
What was your most memorable meal ? Dinner at Edge Steak & Bar in Miami . I had the Try Them All Tartare ( corvina , octopus , ahi tuna and beef ) and Delmonico steak , but what made it really memorable was the company of a friend that dined with me that evening .
What would you want for your last supper ? A nice pulled pork sandwich .
72 HOTELS April 2013 www . hotelsmag . com