Meeting Chef Art Smith

As we were leaving our hotel, The Liaison Capitol Hill, I forgot the camera discs and ran up to get them. As I was going back out the room door, my cell phone rings.

DH, "Where are you?"

Me, "I'm coming, I'm at the elevator."

DH, "Hurry we are meeting Chef Art Smith!"

He was so nice, so friendly. He asked where we were from and what we were going to see today. Katie told him the Smithsonian and he said "Oh you have to see the Ruby Slippers!" (unfortunately he didn't know that that museum is closed until November)

When we ate dinner in his restaurant Art & Soul the next night, we found out that he was already gone back to Chicago and that this restaurant had opened only 5 days before!

What a treat that we got to meet him and try his new restaurant.

Art Smith, owner of the top-rated TABLE fifty two in Chicago and two-time James Beard Award recipient, is making his first foray into the Beltway.

A chef for Oprah, Art is also a contributing editor to both "O, the Oprah Magazine" and the Food section of Oprah.com. He has appeared several times on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and is featured regularly on television programs, serving as a regular tasting judge on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America.” His newest restaurant opened in The Liaison Capitol Hill, An Affinia Hotel.