Corner Table hires new education director/event chef

( May 20, 2024 ) The Culinary Center at The Corner Table on Federal Street has announced the addition of chef Jason Smith as its new education director and resident event chef.

Smith is the chef-owner of Oui.Cook and a culinary educator with more than 20 years of industry experience. In his new role, Smith will lead the vision, strategy and execution of community events and private educational fine dining experiences at The Corner Table.

A graduate and former adjunct professor at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., Smith holds a master’s degree in teaching and a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts and food service management from JWU, as well as associate’s degrees in baking and pastry arts.

His experience includes working under James Beard award-winner Chef Frank McClelland at L‘Espalier and James Beard-nominated Chickadee. Smith has spent several seasons working and living on Nantucket, including under chefs Seth and Angela Raynor at The Pearl, and as a former executive chef of Sister Ship. Most recently he served as chef de cuisine at Row 34 in Cambridge.

Smith is passionate about bringing the beauty of Nantucket to life through food that can be experienced in the classroom and replicated at home. Using island-grown and locally-harvested products, he aims to highlight the unique people, places and ingredients that make Nantucket one of the most charming places on earth.

His extensive training in classic French, modern American and pastry art techniques are enriched with a mindset for blue-collar craftsmanship and attention to detail. A native of Detroit, Mich., his hard-working attitude and passion for creation was largely influenced by his family and the working-class people of the Midwest.