Chef Michael Smith, host of Chef at Home, has been cooking professionally for over fifteen years. An honors graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York, his career has spanned the globe from stints in a Michelin three-star restaurant in London to South America, the Caribbean, North America and some of Manhattan's finest kitchens.
In 1992, Smith joined Prince Edward Island’s now famous country inn, The Inn at Bay Fortune, which soon became one of Canada's top 10 restaurants with the Chef noted for his fresh, contemporary approach.
Six years later, Smith’s television show 'The Inn Chef' debuted in Canada. The series featured Smith as he took viewers inside the inn’s real-life country kitchen. The Inn Chef won best Variety/Music/Cooking Show in TV GUIDE Canada’s 2001 Reader Poll. The series currently airs on Prime TV.
In 1999, Smith opened his own restaurant, Maple, in Halifax. It quickly became recognized as one of the top venues in the country for Canadian Cuisine. In the fall of 2001, Smith left Maple to focus on his new Food Network Canada series Chef at Large. In May 2002, he was presented the James Beard Award for “Best National Television Special” for his documentary Saturday Night.
Perhaps his most challenging initiative to date is the recent shift Smith made from professional chef to home cook. His 3rd series, Chef At Home, debuted to rave reviews and top ratings on Food Network Canada in 2004 and features a behind-the-scenes peak at Smith’s home kitchen and how he cooks for his family and friends. Chef at Home, currently airs on both Food Network Canada and Discovery Home U.S.
Smith has authored three cookbooks to date. Open Kitchen: A Chef's Day at The Inn At Bay Fortune, published in 1998, took the bronze medal at Cuisine Canada’s Cookbook Award that same year. He followed that with The Inn Chef a year later. His highly anticipated third cookbook, based on his new series, Chef at Home, hits the shelves in the fall of 2005.
Host of Chef at Home, Chef at Large and The Inn Chef, Chef Michael Smith can be seen in more than 25 countries. He is an award-winning cookbook author, newspaper columnist, roving Canadian cuisine ambassador and home cook. But Smith says his favorite role by far is Dad, at home on Prince Edward Island with his partner Rachel and their son Gabriel!
For more information about Michael Smith click here: http://www.chefmichaelsmith.ca
Always entertaining. Great Ideas love the idea of no recipe that's what I do myself
Hi, Is that you who ordered king crab and had a show on it? If so, can you please tell me how to get these King crab, i'm dying to try them. Many thanks, my mum watches you everyday, loves your cooking!
I would love to know how he makes his own vanilla extract.If anyone could help I would be grateful
wo your show is really greatuld really like to know what you keep your vaniila beans in and
How do you make vanilla extract?
I am an experienced home cook and have discovered your show while recovering from surgery. You have inspired me to become a more active cook , refining techniques and improving old favourites as well as trying your recipes. I recommend you to everyone. Many Thanks
Michael you are an amazing inspiration to me for at least two years i have watched your shows. You have a certain way of explaining things that has helped me excel at food preparation and cooking. it also helps me at school when i have hospitality when everyone is looking for recipes i simply try to cook without a recipe using your methods of combining matching ingredients. i am 15 btw. my dream is to go to canada and come to your house and you cook for me!
My dream is to have a kitchen and pantry like yours, also a husband who cooks beautiful meals for me everyday!!!!!
Fantastic ! I finally found your site , i've been watching you for years and think you are brilliant. I stared watching your show when you were working out of your restaurant kitchen with your sous chef ,i think his name was Steve . It's good to see you lost the ponytail lol I love the way your worked I wish my Head Chef was like that i would have stayed in the industry ... I used to watch you in the UK while i was holidaying in 2003 and when i return to Austarlia in 2004 tried to find out more about you and where you had gone , it wasn't until this year when tuning in to lifestyle progams that a fell upon your show to my delight (chef at Home) so now i'm hooked all over again ...
I love your home kitchen so organised ,and all those spices I only have a quarter of those . I now know there are books to chase Yipppeee and I hope some of these shows have or will be put to DVD very soon . Something else to chase . we have some Great Food and Wines shows here in Australia and i'd love to seee you at them some day.. Keep up the Great Work Cheers Julius
I dont see his cooking show often but I am awestruck when i do , the pantry in the kitchen is awesome, every house should have one exactly like it, i love the way Michael spins the metal tops on the glass jars. I am pinching his idea on the utensils wall display this is just awesome and so simple to do, also it stops a lot of clutter in the kitchen drawers and makes finding the right utensil for the job so much easier
I live on Vancouver Island, but my grand parents were born on PEI. Spent a year in Nova Scotia (annapolis valley) in the eary seventies . I definatley feel roots watching the show. Am still hoping to visit PEI one day. Apparently my last name (Gillis) is known 'back east'.... or at least that was my experience when I went to school in the Annapolis Valley way back then. I have just retired (2 months), and I LOVE having my morning tea and watching Chef at Home.....great way to start the day.....in a calm and happy way. Think the Cheffing is awsome....follow all the tips and recipes. As well I LOVE the way the show closes with Michael and his beautiful family. Not only provides great...awesome cheffing, but also provides a truly loving environment to tune in to. I find I have a totally wonderful day tuning into Chef at Home, and enjoying the cheffing and his wonderful family. Good on you..Chef Michael Smith!!
i really like his cooking.... easy to make wit simple ingredients n absolutely delicious! - Malaysia;)
It's a delight, and education, watching Michael - I love him - and enjoy his style of cooking so much. From Dorothy S. in Toronto
If a recipe calls for fish sauce and I hate fish, what can I substitute for it? I am making a Peanut Noodle recipe with Soba noodles, its kind of an Asian dish but the fish sauce I can not add...would Worcestershire sauce work, I can tolerate that.. ALSO anything special to know about sesame seed oil? and toasted sesame seed oil? Are they 2 different things that you buy or do you toast it yourself? Also how should it be kept after its opened in the cupboard or fridge? I don't want to get food poisoning and I am not sure of the shelf life of these things. How do you know if it's still ok ? Thanks
Can you please provide the steakhouse dressing recipe from episode 5112 of chef at home . than ks
Sherry Michael you are my husbands culinary mentor. Every show you have done I believe he has watched and taped. He re-runs them once before performing the entire menu on family and guests. We were invited out on saturday night to a friends for the evening, without consenting him I gracely accepted. Although we enjoy the company of these friends very much Andy was so disappointed because he had being planning a mexican meal ( the one that you inspired him to create) secretly all week and was to excited to budge. Thankfully our good friends were thrilled to make saturday at event that would start at our home at 5:00 and then carry on later to their home for more mexican treats. It was so terrific. I decorated the table and all of the chairs with mexican fabrics and prepared the menu on a rustic board to feature on the table, simply awesome. Thank you so much for creating this fetish he has for you and your food. I of course am the beneficary of this new craze. I don't know if you are able to be contacted in anyway, or if you make appearances anywhere in PEI, but would be very very interested to find you if we could while we are there. We will be attending the Police Chiefs Conference in two weeks time but have extended our trip to include a week of fun prior with the our Fire Chief and his wife also. I think that having the opportunity to meet you would be a highlight for my husband whom I might add is very hard to impress. I think beside taking about our homes current renovations you are the top of the hit parade in his books and our conversations. I am sorry that this is so lengthy but would be delighted to here from you or to find out where we might be able to go to meet you. If there is any chance whatsoever that I could arrange or set something up with you, I know it would create a memory of a lifetime for him.
Sherry, you are so lucky to be so close to were Michael lives, I live in Australia and have been watching Michael for what seems like a life time of pleasure (2003) . I can totally understand your husbands inspiration ... I am now looking for DVD's I hope I find some, if not will have to just find his cook books ... There is a website on here with a link to Michael's website you could try that.. Cheers
How do you make the Vanilla extract that you use on the show? The one with the whole vanilla beans in the jar
Your passion for food and ingredients are one of the best in the world
I stumbled onto your show by accident. i like the downhome style of cooking elegent meals without too much expense Thanks
What a inspiration you have a wonderfull way of getting the ease of cooking across keepingit real
I first watched him on his "Inn Chef" show a few years back. It was more chefy kind of food but really yummy. I love watching this guy cook. He's so passionate about everything he does
I loved The Inn Chef!!! Wish they would re-run it!
Just got foxtel and watch your show and love it,so does my hubby.What ever yuo do dont go off the air.Thank you.Luv your house,kitchen and garden.And i also want your pantry
Love his kitchen, want his pantry. Great easy recipes, love him.
so true
I have just started watching your show - WOW!!
i love your show. LEGEND! haha
I drop everything to watch your show. The most interesting thing about it is, you educate me.....you show viewers how it's done, and most importantly, about the nutrients in there. you're amazing! keep up the good work......keep educating. Someday someone will be your chef! would be well deserved.
amazing style best of luck
You make food fun! I am so proud to be an Maritimer! I read an interview you gave where you talked about the high life your culinary expertise can provide and the satisfaction that is yours simply by cooking for those who are most important, your toughest food critic, Gabe. Thanks for bringing bacis and fun back to cooking. Today's busy lifestyles need more chefs and shows like you and yours. I'm a big fan and look forward to all your shows and learing something new each and every time. Cheers!
I love watching your Chef at home series, I have learned so many usuful, sensiible, basic hints.this series gives inspiration to all good cooks at home. You encourage us to compare flavours, pair ingredients and go ahead and follow your instints. One more lesson please - I wonderl you would tell me how to create Vanilla essence, and how long do the vanilla beans have to ferment before you can use them. My son works at an Italian resturant in Toronto and had the good fortune to meet you. PLease reply to this comment.
I would love to know how you do this too - and where do you get all your jars from? I saw them in "The Secret Life of Bees" the other night, so I'm thinking it's something a lot of Americans and Canadians buy!! :)
My husband and myself love watching your shows. You explain how to do the recipes in a way that they are very easy to understand. Do you ever come to Toronto for a visit? I would love to purchase one of your books from you personally and get your autograph. It is also nice to watch a chef you doesn't have to swear to get his point across.
I love how much love & consideration, goes not only into the importance of how & where the ingredients cooked with, have come from, but also, into how Michael prepares & presents easy, healthy & nutritious Meals, with the health & satisfaction of his Beautiful Young Family, ALWAYS at the forefront of his mind. A very clever, calm, kind hearted, considerate, gentle souled Chef, (QUITE RARE INDEED!!!!) Husband & Father, doing his 'job' just right;- keeping his family healthy & happy :)
Started watching his shows great recipes ill try soon :)
Even though I found out it's not really your house and kitchen (but one leased out just for production), I still love how you entertain and demonstrate how you would cook as if it were your kitchen.
When I've run out of inspiration on what to make for dinner, I watch your show (everyday!) and get the cooking juices flowing. My son who is 2.5yrs also loves your show. We sit down and watch it togther, if there's something I've missed, he's quick to fill me in! Many thanks on your laid back and un-stressful approach to cooking xxx
Am addicted to cooking and find your show fabulous. Have made many of your recipes and am now reaping the rewards of "your" efforts. Thanks, keep making more shows!
I can't find your show here in US. I did a search and came up emty. I used to tivo you. Can you tell me where I can watch both your shows. Thanks,
SHONTE you need to google FOOD NETWORK CANADA, press RETURN on keyboard CLICK on TV SHOWS find CHEF AT HOME bring up ANY MICHAEL SMITH RECIPE SCROLL DOWN TO WHERE YOU SEE SEARCH ALL EPISODES &/or RECIPES I am sure you will have a lot of fun finding new shows Any problems krystyna6@me.com I am not an expert BUT I LOVE CANADIAN & US programs REGARDS, KRYSTYNA
You are like the best cook ever. I love your shows and i make sure i put them in my reminders so I can watch them. You are so dwon to earth and I love your style.
I would so love a kitchen like yours..... your show is awesome so down to earth, real food.
I would like the recipe for never baked twice the same muffins... from the episode breakfast in bed ta..
SB24 Follow my instructions or SB06 to get FOOD NETWORK CANADA & you will have a ball getting into all the recipes for CHEF AT HOME etc Krystyna6@me.com
I love your gorgeous kitchen, you make cooking look so easy, I love your show.
I also love Michael's kitchen, house, yard, cooking style and teaching. Can't wait for the repeats or anything else from him.
Please add the 'Bake Sale' episode recipes!!
G'Day SB06 to get Michael smith's recipes fro BAKE SALE IN your google search type in FOOD NETWORK CANADA - press RETURN on keyboard All recipes GO to TV SHOWS "CHEF AT HOME" pick up any recipe for M. Smith you willl see search all EPISODES "BAKE ALE was in SEASON 5 I guess you're after MONKEY BREAD Dark Choc. Peanut BUTTER CRUNCHRS & wholewheat PANCAKES You can also get(Anna Olson's) SUGAR -(Laura Calder's) FRENCH CHEF AT HOME AND if you go to FOOD NETWORK & do as above ou can Get Giada's EVERYDAY ITALIAN, Ina Garten's BAREFOOT CONTESSA ONE MORE THING If you want there Newsletters when it comes to typing in a zip code 00000 & put down any State All they want is our email. Password Happy Cooking From Krystyna6@me.com