Chef Art Smith's Reunion restaurant ready to WOW at Navy Pier!

Even if he wasn’t a world-class chef, he would still be just as famous with his sparkling personality and ability to charm all those around him. Chef Art Smith says he didn’t have a lot of culinary training, but he sure has “people training” and it shows. His love of cooking for people is what earned him the respect of fans like Oprah, to whom he served as her personal, day-to-day chef for about a decade as well as so many other celebrities, including royals, across the globe.

And now, he has returned to Chicago, Navy Pier to be specific, to open Chef Art Smith’s Reunion. Located at the southwest entrance to the Pier (in the space formerly occupied by Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.), the restaurant will serve healthy and classic comfort foods. And even though the menu is in transition now (the restaurant is doing a few Friends & Family dinners for now), some of the highlights that I hope will stick include Chef Art’s Famous Fried Chicken (!), fried catfish, shrimp and grits, shortrib melts, goat cheese buttermilk drop biscuits, mac & cheese, brussels & kale salad, Chef Art Smith’s Harvest Salad (with dates, heirloom tomatoes, red onion, goat cheese, avocado, croutons, grilled corn and almonds with vinaigrette), deviled eggs, hush puppies and my favorite, fried green tomatoes! It’s a mouth-watering menu with a drinks menu to match.

Patrick Hoyle, GM and sommelier, spoke proudly about the restaurant’s beer and wine offerings and also gave me a tour of the outside area.  There are charming white washed wooden booths, carefully planted flowers in big tin tubs and a corner bar that will be a walk-up. (Navy Pier has recently allowed guests to walk around with drinks and Chef Art’s restaurant/bar will be the first spot you encounter on the Pier!) Of the many drink offerings, one of Patrick’s favorite local brews is 93 Octane Wingman that he discovered in a gas station! Another beer on the menu even donates a portion back to wounded warriors.

I’ve been fortunate to have known Chef Art and his husband Jesus Salgueiro for a decade or more when I first became involved with their charity, Common Threads. This is a nationwide healthy eating program for kids that they started in a basement here in Chicago. He’s been giving back ever since. Now his philanthropy takes him all over the world. Chef Art believes that you can bring people together by cooking for them and, judging from his many successes, he’s a master diplomat.  

Besides Oprah, he has cooked for a long list of some of the world’s most famous figures including the Obamas, former President George W. Bush, Demi Lovato, Sofia Vergara, the Dalai Lama and so many more.

Joining him at Reunion as executive chef will be Hector Guerrero,  who has served with the Art Smith Company since 2006. The ownership and management group for Reunion includes Chicago restaurateurs and brothers, George and Manolis Alpogianis of ADM Restaurant Group. The brothers already have roots at Navy Pier with one of their famous America’s Dog & Burger restaurants.

In 2016, Chef Art, along with partner and Chicagoan Fred Latsko, opened his flagship restaurant, Blue Door Kitchen & Garden (52 W. Elm). Smith also has a restaurant located at Disney Springs in Florida called Homecomin’ Kitchen where he sells over 42 tons of chicken annually!

For Reunion, Chef Art has made sure that many of the homespun touches that graces his own home are echoed in this restaurant. It’s cozy and charming with a patchwork wooden ceiling, brass accessories, and wonderful paintings on the walls (many of which are painted by his artist/husband Jesus). The food is comforting, and the restaurant is welcoming just like its Chef. There will even be a dedicated mini cooking space for Art to demo some of his recipes to diners (after which, they will receive tastings of the dish).

“I made my career in Chicago, it all started with Oprah so, what better place to create Reunion in celebration of a Southern country boy going to the big city and making it big?”, he said.

We are so thrilled to have Chef Art back in Chicago again…..it already feels like a friendlier place. Thanks so much Art, Manolis and Team! (Chef Art Smith’s Reunion, 600 E. Grand Ave., opening soon)