Q&A:

Executive chef: ‘You have to always have the drive to be better’

Executive Chef Josh Smith prepares a Mediterranean seabass in the Bardot Brasserie kitchen.

Joshua Smith is executive chef at Bardot Brasserie at Aria. A Las Vegas native, Smith has more than a decade of experience in the restaurant business, including a stint at L20 in Chicago, which had two Michelin stars before it closed five months ago. Smith is responsible for developing the culinary program at Bardot Brasserie, which is Michael Mina’s first foray into traditional French cuisine on the Strip.

You left Las Vegas for a while. What did you miss about the city? What didn’t you miss?

I missed my family the most, the weather — I was in Chicago — and the 24-hour food-and-beverage options.

I’m excited to be back home to hopefully make a very soulful contribution to the culinary offerings in my hometown.

What’s the hardest part about working in the restaurant industry? What’s the most rewarding part?

The hardest part has to be the hours. To be a contender, you have to put in lots of effort that the other guy isn’t willing to put in. You have to live, sleep, breath and eat 24/7 like a chef. If you aren’t working on your weaknesses, I can guarantee you the other guy is. You have to always have the drive to be better and offer more.

It’s demanding but very rewarding. I guess the effort and invested time is both the hardest and the most rewarding part of being in this industry, all wrapped into one neat little package.

What are your favorite local restaurants?

My favorite local restaurants are Raku, Lotus of Siam, and I always really love Mary’s Hash House for breakfast. Every ounce of effort at those establishments shows consistently.

What do you hate to cook?

Subpar ingredients. I don’t enjoy cooking something if I feel challenged by its quality. Fishy fish, mushrooms that are wet and decomposing. If I were cooking at a friend’s house and was handed a bag of frozen vegetables, I’d respectfully agree to cook them, but I would definitely loathe every second.

What is the best business advice you’ve received, and from whom did it come?

Rich Melman told me to save my money. Being smart with your own money translates into an ability to carefully manage a business. He’s a genius and took me under his wing as a mentor years ago. If I’ll take advice from anyone, it’s him.

What are you reading right now?

“The French Kitchen,” by Michel Roux Jr.

What do you do after work?

I stay up two to four hours with my girlfriend doing what other couples do, just a little later at night. We watch TV, eat late dinners, have a few drinks, try new bars, etc.

Blackberry, iPhone or Android?

IPhone, always.

Describe your management style.

Consultative/situational leadership. I try to design training and management around my cooks’ abilities, level of motivation and knowledge.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself owning and operating a few of my own restaurants — hopefully starting here in my hometown. Wherever I start, I’d like to stay. I don’t believe in spreading too thin.

Rich Melman has most of his concepts in Chicago. He keeps the business close to home, and that makes it sincere.

What is your dream job, outside of your current field?

Motorcycle builder.

Whom do you admire and why?

My first and foremost role model is my mother. She always puts family first and is extremely responsible and organized. I’d be nowhere if it weren’t for her efforts.

In the food kingdom, it has to be Danny Meyer and Daniel Humm, two people I admire for very different reasons.

What are your biggest pet peeves?

Swooshes of sauce on a plate and foam sauces.

What is something people might not know about you?

I survived a motorcycle crash about two years ago. I was hit head-on by a car in my lane. He totaled my motorcycle and got away with a hit-and-run. I was lucky to have just a lot of crazy bruising and a fractured wrist that required surgery.

In retrospect, that crash could have ended my life, or life as I know it. I was moving about 45 mph, and the car was doing at least 20 mph.

It was a miracle I could walk. I was at L2O 24 hours later with my arm in a sling, using crutches to get around, but I still cooked on the line and carried my own weight.

Tags: The Sunday
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