Live Nation Venue Spotlight: Chef Art Smith

In honor of Foodie Friday, Live Nation is introducing our venue’s partner, Chef Art Smith. He is the executive chef and co-owner of five restaurants, including Table fifty-two, Art and Soul, LYFE Kitchen, Southern Art, and Joanne Tratorria (co-owned by Lady Gaga’s father, restaurateur Joe Germanotta).

Once a day-to-day chef for First Lady Michelle Obama on her Becoming book tour, Oprah for a 10-year long position, U.S. governors, and four U.S. presidents, the two-time James Beard Award recipient has made regular television appearances on programs such as Iron Chef America, The Today Show, Nightline, Fox News, Extra, BBQ Pitmasters, Dr. Oz, Oprah, Top Chef, and Top Chef Masters.

We had the opportunity to sit down with Art and hear more about his passion for food and people.

Why do you think food and live music go so well together? 
(Chef Smith): In my early career my first experience was food and musical theater. They are both art forms one you consume with your stomach the other with your mind. What would a movie be without popcorn or a concert without something crispy and delicious.

Why did you feel your food was a great fit for our amphitheaters? 
(Chef Smith): Fried Chicken, is the ultimate pic-nic food. You can enjoy it hot or cold it’s always appropriate and tastes better eaten outdoors among the stars. Whether your tailgating or sharing a box.

You’ve worked with many of our touring artists (from Oprah to Lady Gaga and First Lady Michelle Obama) on and off the road, how have those experiences shaped your cooking style and signature dishes?
(Chef Smith): Every musical artist travels around the world and everyone of them miss the taste of home. My job has been from the beginning is to bring the tastes of home closer. Whether your one or the biggest pop stars in the world Lady Gaga or a prolific charismatic leader Michelle Obama. We all appreciate the taste of home. They appreciate those flavors but they also want to feel loved and cared for on the road.

What was your first concert? What was your most memorable concert moment? 
(Chef Smith): Years ago I remember going to the Thompson Twins Concert and being a huge fan. I remember making something delicious for them and placing it in their dressing room and wishing that was my full time job. 

You’ve had a long, diverse career from being a personal chef to working with touring artists to owning your restaurants. Any advice for young chefs and restaurateurs who admire your career?  
(Chef Smith): My main objective as a chef from day one has been to feed people and make them feel loved. Food cooked with love tastes better. There is mechanic’s and technique is cooking but it’s the intention and love behind it that makes it memorable. 
“I couldn’t be more thankful for Art’s culinary skills,” she says. “His meals are just the right mix of healthy and comforting, which is perfect for such a busy time in my life. It’s such a blessing to have him along for this ride!” – Michelle Obama

A contributing editor to O, the Oprah Magazine, Smith is also the author of three award-winning cookbooks: Back to the Table; Kitchen Life: Real Food for Real Families; and Back to the Family. Art is a 2002 James Beard Award winner for his first cookbook, Back to the Table: The Reunion of Food and Family.  For his second cookbook, Kitchen Life: Real Food for Real Families, he received the prestigious 2001 Gourmand World Cookbook Award for “Best Family and Children’s Cookbook. 

As a longtime friend of Lady Gaga’s, he joined her for the ABC special A Very Gaga Thanksgiving and helped her repurpose old family recipes. Gaga has been seen playing bartender for guests at Art Bird & Whiskey Bar (co-owned by Gaga’s father) in midtown Manhattan before sitting down and digging into the signature dish, fried chicken, herself. 

Chef Art Smith brought his southern comfort food to New York City's Grand Central Terminal's Dining Concourse with the fast-casual concept. Live Nation joined forces with the chef to bring his renowned Art Bird’s Fried Chicken to our amphitheaters across the country through his Art Bird & Whiskey Bar restaurant.

In addition to food, philanthropy is one of Art’s passions. In 2007 he received the Humanitarian of the year award from the James Beard Foundation. A fervent supporter of the community, Art established Common Threads, a national nonprofit that provides children and families cooking and nutrition education to encourage healthy habits that contribute to wellness. They equip under-resourced communities with information to make affordable, nutritious and appealing food choices wherever they live, work, learn, and play. They help promote diversity in our lessons and recipes, encouraging our participants to celebrate the world around them. 

For more information about Chef Art Smith, follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. 

Art Smith’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken
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Ingredients

For the brine
1/2 cup kosher salt 
1 gallon cold water, divided
1 tsp black peppercorns
3 sprigs rosemary
5 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves

For the chicken
2 whole chickens, cut into 10 pieces each
1 quart buttermilk
6 large eggs

For the egg wash
1 tbs hot sauce
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground black pepper

For the dredge
2 cups ap flour
3 cups self rising flour, WhiteLilly brand 
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder
1 tbs kosher salt
2 tbs paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Canola oil for frying

Directions
To prepare the brine: 
1. In a large soup kettle dissolve the salt in 2 cups of water over medium-high heat.
2. Add the remaining water, stirring to blend in the salt.
3. Add the black peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and bay leaves. Let cool completely before adding chicken.

To prepare the chicken: 
1. Place the chicken pieces in the brine and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
2. Pour the buttermilk into a large bowl.
3. Remove the chicken from the brine and submerge in the buttermilk. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

To prepare the egg wash: 
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, hot sauce, 2 tsp of salt and 2 tsp pepper.
2. Place the chicken in the seasoned flour, recipe to follow. Before placing in the egg wash dust the chicken in the seasoned flour.
3. Remove chicken from the flour and shake off all excess.
4. Place the chicken in the buttermilk and place it in the bowl with the egg wash.
5. Turn the chicken pieces to coat them with egg wash.

To prepare the dredge: 
1. Mix together the all purpose and self rising flours, garlic and onion powders, 1 tbs salt, paprika, cayenne and thyme in a large glass dish.
2. Remove 2 pieces of chicken at a time from the egg wash, letting the excess liquid drain off.
3. Roll the chicken in the seasoned flour.
4. Shake off any excess flour and place the chicken on a wire rack until ready to fry. It is crucial that any excess flour is shaken off before frying the chicken.

To fry the chicken: 
1. Pour canola oil into a large cast iron pan to a depth of 1 inch and heat over medium heat until it registers 325 degrees on la deep frying thermometer.
2. Place 4 to 6 pieces of chicken into the oil.
3. Take care to use long tongs to move the chicken and do not crowd the pan.
4. Turn each piece about every 2 minutes. If the chicken begins to darken, turn the flame down to adjust the temperature.
5. Cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
6. Be sure to give the oil 5 minutes to return to the proper temperature before dropping the next batch of chicken.
7. Place the cooked chicken on a wire rack to drain and keep at room temperature until ready to serve.