Creative Process & Production
By layering multiple colors repeatedly with the airbrush, Chef Smith’s carved chocolate pumpkin comes to life!
The final pumpkin was such as hit, it made an encore appearance the following year!
Airbrushing color gradients to match nature is one of Chef Smith’s favorite things to do!
No matter how many desserts he makes, he always delights in seeing his envisioned sketches come to life on the plate!
Airbrushing & Assembling the Salon ’08 Medal Winner!
Creative Process
Dreaming
The creative process for all of Chef Smith’s creations differs depending on what he is crafting. Yet they all begin with his imagination and inventive mind, brainstorming ideas and dreaming up new and unique approaches to pastry arts.
Drawing
Chef Smith is a wonderful fine artist – as seen in the canvases he paints in his down time. Thanks to his artistic ability, he is able to easily sketch the structures that his mind envisions. Sometimes this process can be a bit lengthy. Chef Smith might scrap several ideas before deciding on the final plan.
Preparing
Depending on the project, sometimes Chef Smith will start working on a piece months ahead of time. Brainstorming, sketching, editing, planning, ordering, organizing and performing any preparations that need to be done in advance.
Building
Next Chef Smith builds on the advance work and he addresses the next part of the process: tempering, blowing sugar. baking, molding, sculpting, assembling and airbrushing. He follows a progressive sequence and builds on tasks to get the job done.
It’s a lot of work and for him it’s a labor of love. His talent is obvious but his creativity is the cherry on top!
Re-Design
One factor that greatly influences the direction Chef Smith’s project takes is budget. Fluctuating costs for resources and supplies complicate the budgeting process.
If you finalize your design first and then try to order the required supplies, you may discover that increased prices have thrown you off budget. The need to revise your design will cause a delay.
Time is valuable – Don’t let it get lost!
Always let budget inform your design.
Autonomy
When asked what is his favorite aspect of his position, Chef Smith claimed it is the “creative freedom” he has to let his “mind dream” and his “imagination run free.”
Chef Smith’s skills include, but are not limited to:
Leadership
Management
Communications
Teaching
Coaching / Motivating
Hospitality / Guest services
Payroll / scheduling
Purveying / Inventory
Organization
Planning
Calculations / Measurements
Creative Design
Sketching / Drawing
Color Techniques
Sculpting
Airbrushing
Glass blowing techniques (with sugar)
Painting
Industrial kitchen equipment usage
Baking
Cake Decorating
Pastry Arts
Confectionery
Chocolate
Showpiece Construction
Packaging
Marketing
Photography
Staying camera-ready!