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Paul Smith
Executive Chef & Owner , 1010 Bridge , The Pitch Sports Bar & Grill , Ellen ’ s Ice Cream
PAIGE KOCOUREK
Photo by Chris Gosses .
SOME MAY KNOW HIM AS PAUL SMITH , but many know him as Chef Paul , owner and chef of 1010 Bridge , The Pitch Sports Bar & Grill and Ellen ’ s Ice Cream . Born and raised in West Virginia , Smith grew up in a large , Italian family . From helping make Sunday dinners to stirring sauce with his grandfather on Italian night , food has always been a central part of his life .
This familial culinary influence is what led to Smith ’ s first job at a bakery , where he washed dishes and shaped rolls and bread . Soon thereafter , Smith started as a dish washer at Chef Dan ’ s American Eatery in Charleston and worked his way up to kitchen manager .
“ In the first few positions I held , I learned the value of hard work and paying attention to details ,” Smith says . “ It ’ s about working harder than anyone . I was always the first one in and the last one out , and this is still true today .”
Smith is a prime example of the value of hard work along with the adage : with great risk comes great reward — and opening three restaurants during a pandemic was certainly a risk that came with great reward for the chef .
112 WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE