SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Serving Up Community , One Plate at a Time
1010 Bridge | ( 681 ) 265-0599 | 1010bridge . com The Pitch | ( 304 ) 205-4017 | thepitchwv . com
Ellen ’ s Ice Cream | ( 304 ) 343-6488 | ellensicecream . com
Chef Paul Smith , who was named West Virginia ’ s Best Chef in 2021 , has two passions in life : food and his home state .
Charleston native and current owner of three local eateries — 1010 Bridge & Catering , The Pitch Bar & Grill and Ellen ’ s Homemade Ice Cream — Smith strives to bring Appalachian hospitality to each customer who pulls up a chair at one of his restaurants .
Passionate about the merging of modern-day , cutting-edge flavors with a relaxed atmosphere , his goal is to bring a memorable experience that will stick with customers long after they leave .
“ Our focus is the experience ,” he says . “ It ’ s all about experiencing that Appalachian hospitality .”
After graduating from West Virginia State University , Smith studied at New York ’ s prestigious Culinary Institute of America and then went on to earn his pastry degree from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley . Despite having lived and worked in 10 different states and 15 different cities , for Smith , there is simply no place like home .
“ It ’ s the pride . It ’ s that sense of community in West Virginia ,” he says .
About a decade after returning home , he teamed up with Aaron and Marie Clark and Steve and Trey Frame and opened the three restaurants in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic . The team was a match made in heaven . They all have an eye for detail and are dedicated to giving guests a complete experience .
“ Our number one goal in all three places is having a sense of community , supporting our community and creating a family atmosphere ,” he says .
The Pitch Bar & Grill , which opened in Dunbar in June 2020 , has recently introduced a second location in Kanawha City , and Smith expects to open five more locations around the state within the next five years . As for Ellen ’ s Ice Cream , he simply hopes to continue the legacy left behind by the original owner and share it with a larger community .
“ We really want to just expand on making Ellen ’ s a household name , not just in West Virginia but beyond ,” Smith says .
The third restaurant , 1010 Bridge , stands out as an upscale dining experience and has received many accolades . Specializing in low-country style food with Appalachian roots , over half of the ingredients used are locally sourced .
“ We want to be a leader in the field ,” he says . “ We also want to help other restaurants and other places around the state to be better .”
For Smith , it ’ s all about showing the very best of West Virginia , supporting the community and creating homegrown memories that can be cherished for years to come .
“ I think that when people come in from out of state , they have this preconceived notion about what they ’ re going to get when they come to West Virginia , and we want to challenge that ,” he says . “ We want to break the mold .”