01/18/11

Story by Peggy Graham

Michael Smith - Tapeo Tour

Famed chef Michael Smith takes guests on a tapeo tour

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — In Spain, tapeo is a moving party where people sample various tapas as they walk from bar to bar. The experience is hard to recreate in the sprawling suburbs, but Johnson County Community College is offering a close second in its Visiting Chef Series.

A Guided Tapeo Tour with Michael Smith, executive chef/owner of Michael Smith and Extra Virgin restaurants, begins with a private reception from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and a lecture, cooking demonstration and tasting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16, in Polsky Theatre of the Carlsen Center.

During the private reception, guests can enjoy a small glass of wine or beer while sampling varied and abundant tapas and visiting with Smith.

The lecture and cooking demonstration by Smith also includes tasting.

Cost is $40 including the reception or $20 for the 7 p.m. event without the reception ($5 for JCCC students with ID). Make reservations by calling 913-469-3835 or online at www.jccc.edu/foundationonline.

Tapas are Spanish appetizers, and Smith is an expert in their creation as owner of the tapas-based Extra Virgin. Tapeo is a fun way to eat, drink and visit — a reflection of Spaniards' sunny spirits.

Smith came to Kansas when he was recruited to be executive chef and corporate chef for the American Restaurant. Smith quickly breathed new life into both the menu and the image of the 25-year-old restaurant. His fresh, simple, unfussy American fare, supported by the foundation of his extensive French training, won the trust and loyalty of local diners. In 1999 Smith won the James Beard Award for "Best Chef in the Midwest," a first for him and for Kansas City.

In June 2002 Smith co-founded the award-winning bistro, Forty Sardines, Leawood, which was nominated for a James Beard Award for "Best New Restaurant" and won the James Beard Award for "Best Restaurant Graphics" in 2002.

Smith opened his eponymous restaurant, Michael Smith, in 2007 in the Crossroads Art District of downtown Kansas City and a Mediterranean tapas restaurant called Extra Virgin in 2008.

Smith and his recipes have been featured in numerous publications both locally and nationally including Gourmet, bon appétit, Wine Spectator and Robb Report. Some of Smith's tapas recipes were featured in the Dec. 22, 2010, FYI/Food section of the Kansas City Star, after Smith's culinary tour of Spain for his 50^th birthday.

 Smith, a two-time nominee as a semi-finalist for "Outstanding Chef" (national award) by the James Beard Foundation in 2009 and 2010, continues to rank among the nation's most respected chefs.

The Visiting Chef Series, sponsored by the JCCC Foundation and hospitality management program, is an annual event

The Visiting Chef Series is underwritten by Dr. David Meyers, professor medicine-cardiology, the University of Kansas Medical Center. His clinical interests are preventive cardiology, consultative cardiology and preventive medicine.

"I love fine dining," says Meyers, who wrote Meyers' Kansas City Restaurant Reviews in 2003.

"Dr. Meyers is a great customer. I have been feeding him for years," Smith joked with the physician during a recent interview."

Meyers learned of the JCCC hospitality management program when he was researching his book and later observed the award-winning JCCC culinary team during practice for competitions. He also established the David G. Meyers, MD, MPH Scholarship Fund for chef apprenticeship students.

Smith said during the Feb. 16 event he will create classic and interesting tapas and talk about how tapas evolved in Spain and why they are so popular in that country.

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