Virtual Event: “Holiday Tips & Tricks with Chef Art Smith,” November 20

Wednesday, November 20, 7 p.m.

Presented by the Rock Island and Silvis Public Libraries

Ideally programmed to take place before Thanksgiving and the holiday season, the virtual Illinois Libraries Present program Holiday Tips & Tricks with Chef Art Smith will find the two-time James Beard Foundation Award winner in online conversation on November 20, this event sponsored by the Rock Island and Silvis Public Libraries inviting viewers to learn about Smith's culinary journey and receive some welcome culinary inspiration.

Smith began his career at the Florida Culinary Institute and honed his skills working with top chefs in France before finding himself in Chicago. Here he served as Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef for a decade and opened his first critically-acclaimed restaurant, Table Fifty-Two, known for its modern Southern dishes and locally sourced ingredients. Smith is also a prolific cookbook author and TV personality, oftentimes sharing his passion for Southern cuisine. He has appeared on Top Chef, Top Chef Duels, Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef America, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, BBQ Pitmasters, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and other programs, and says, "The art of cooking, the act of feeding people, is the most engaging, most memorable way to connect with people.”

Named Chicagoan of the Year by Chicago Magazine and Humanitarian of the Year by the James Beard Foundation, both in 2007, Smith is currently Executive Chef andCo-Owner with restaurants in Chicago, Orlando, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Common Threads, a non-profit organization teaching low-income children to cook wholesome and affordable meals. In his virtual presentation on November 20, Smith will be joined in conversation by Monica Eng, an award-winning Chicago journalist and co-host of the food podcast Chewing with Louisa Chu.

This virtual event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

Holiday Tips & Tricks with Chef Art Smith will begin on November 20 at 7 p.m., participation in the virtual event is free, and more information is available by calling (309)732-7323 and visiting RockIslandLibrary.org, and calling (309)755-3393 and visiting SilvisLibrary.org.