Where Food Meets Art

Oprah's chef, Art Smith, turns a tiny outdated kitchen into a sleek, spacious sensation.

O, The Oprah Magazine | From the Spring 2006 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

Photo by Gregory Goode, styling by Rebecca Omweg

Art's original kitchen was so small (600 square feet) that he had no space to train the chef's assistants who volunteer with Common Threads, his not-for-profit organization for kids. Instead, he had to set up a teaching area in the dining room.

Old appliances and a narrow, impractical layout were a recipe for disaster.
The red refrigerator and sink clashed with the wallpaper.
One small window and dim overhead lighting made the kitchen gloomy even at midday.
A radiator on the back wall consumed valuable space.

"This was the first kitchen I'd ever designed in my 20 years of professional work. I wanted it to be right." One of his major creative inspirations: Oprah. "In all her homes, Oprah has a big island in the kitchen, which is a wonderful workspace for food preparation and a great serving space for buffets," Art notes.