Art Smith doesn’t get intimidated much.
He was Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef for a decade, and these days drops by the White House to whip up meals for the president and first lady, but there’s at least one person who has rattled the celebrity cook: former South African President Nelson Mandela.
“I didn’t feel worthy to cook for such a world figure,” Smith told Yeas & Nays, sharing that he was introduced to Mandela through former boss “Ms. Winfrey.” “She said, ‘Well, honey, I didn’t know if you were going to curtsy or bow to him,’ ”
he joked, recalling a conversation he had with Winfrey about making food and meeting the world leader in Chicago.
It was years ago, but Smith didn’t forget the meeting and helped arrange a benefit Tuesday night at his D.C. restaurant Art & Soul for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. Being a celebrity chef has its perks as he assembled a crew of local greats to create a family-style feast to serve to guests including Zindzi Mandela, Nelson Mandela’s youngest daughter.
Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve, Todd Gray of Equinox, Spike Mendelsohn of the Good Stuff Eatery, Morou Ouattara of Kora, Eric Ziebold of Cityzen and R.J. Cooper of Vidalia prepared a mix of meats, sides, breads and desserts for guests to sample and share.
Knowing what Mandela likes on his plate, would he have liked the meal? Most likely, Smith said, and knowing the District’s many flavors, Smith said the world leader would probably like Washington’s ethnic restaurants as well.
“I think that Washington has probably the most fantastic international food of any city in America,” Smith said.
