It would almost seem a foregone conclusion that Table Fifty-Two (52 W. Elm St.; www.tablefifty-two.com/ ) would be successful. After all, co-owner Art Smith (Julie Latsko is the other owner) was known at the time as Oprah Winfrey's chefwhich would seem to guarantee overflowing crowds.
However, it's one thing to bring large crowds; it's another to keep them. (Smith said that "people would come in because they felt they would be a bit closer to Oprah.") And patronsfrom the everyday to even the Obamashave returned to the restaurant, which specializes in contemporary Southern cuisine. Smith and Chef du Cuisine Rey Villalobos have put together appetizers, entrees and desserts that don't disappoint.
There will be more on the actual food later. However, Savor got a chance to talk with Smith, who was more than happy to discuss how Table Fifty-Two got started and the role his husband, Jesus Salgueiro, played in it through sacrificetruly making the restaurant a labor of love. In the process, Smith reveals that he's more than Winfrey's former chef.
Windy City Times: You're at an interesting time right now, being in the public eye. The weight loss looks great.
Art Smith: Thank you. I'm 53 years old. I'll always be known as Oprah's chef and for my fried chicken. God didn't mean for me to be the size of a twig, OK? As they say, we're big-boned.
When I started [concentrating on being healthy], I had to get a handle on my Type 2 diabetes. [Salgueiro walks over to where we are.] Oh, here's Jesus! He lost a little [weight] and gave it to me. [Laughs]
I had been fearful of getting to a point where people forgot about menot from a name standpoint. The media I created around the comfort stuff helped create restaurants but Jesus came up with the idea that we want to teach [people] how to cook, and we're going to change the way they think. Out of that, Common Threads was born. [Note: Common Threads teaches "children living in underserved communities how to cook wholesome, healthy meals," according to its website.] I want to keep myself out there so people will support this; it's not about ego.
Part of the weight thing was that I had to keep something going. God didn't mean for me to be a fitness model; he meant for me to be healthy so I could do great things.
WCT: You and Jesus make a great team.
Art Smith: In all honesty, I said to Jesus today, "We have to take pictures for the memoirs. Before I met you, it was just the Art Smith memoirs. Now, they're our memoirs because my life has been propelled so much in the 14 years we've been together." He has an art show coming up Sept. 20; he put his career on hold for me. Now, it's time for Jesus for have his show.
WCT: How did Table Fifty-Two start?
Art Smith: Jesus and I went to a party and met this couple who had bought Oprah's farm. I told them that I had cooked for her, and I talked to them about their real-estate holdings which included the coach house. TheyFred and Julie Latskoasked what I'd like to do with it and I said, "It needs to be a charming little restaurant." And Table Fifty-Two was born.
WCT: I've heard different things about the origin of the restaurant's namethe address, how many people it seats, etc.
Art Smith: "Table" came from my book Back to the Table, which is a New York Times best-seller, thanks to Oprah. "Fifty-two" is the address.
Whoever thought that cooking mac 'n' cheese would lead to... [Sees chef pulling out pots of the dish] Look at that! That mac 'n' cheese paid for that $20,000 oven. Food & Wine named it one of the best mac 'n' cheeses in America.
WCT: YeahI looked at some reviews before coming here, and several people mentioned it.
Art Smith: You know, because of the association with all the celebrities, it made it a tough walk to walk. Rey Villalobos has been with me before there was a restaurant; God bless Donna Paris for giving me Rey. Rey and I started doing parties in the backyard in Kenwood. One day I asked, "Is it OK if we moved the zip code?"
WCT: We've been talking about health. How's this restaurant when it comes to healthful options?
Art Smith: OK. We weren't about health when we opened; we were about "good." But one of the things we were also about was having standard great things: mac 'n' cheese, pistachio chickenwhich is about as far away from Southern as it can be, catfish, shrimp and grits. If you don't allow the chefs to be creative, they don't stay.
As Chef Art started getting on the health wagon, we started adding fish; we have salmon and things like that. I'm not going to totally change everything because I decided to do this [become healthy]. We have to give people options.
WCT: I remember when this place used to be Albert's Cafe & Patisserie.
Art Smith: [Nods] I do. Here's a little backstory: Every time I cooked for Oprah, she'd say, "Lord have mercy, Art. You should own a restaurant, you cook food for the whole building." She pushed me into the restaurant business, and she's been so supportive. She had her designer, Andre Walker, design the place. She gave me that light fixture [in the center of the restaurant]. Andre did a great job and brought in this lady who did that great painting.
The best part is that we have an angel [the painting at the restaurant's entrance] that Jesus did. It's been looking over Table since it opened. That's the Table Fifty-Two angel.
As for the food itself, you really can't go wrong with anything. The complimentary goat-cheese biscuits are an excellent way to start off the meal. I was initially skeptical about ordering fried green tomatoes (based on an experience at another restaurant) appetizer, but the ladies at the next table told me it was the best thing they had all nightso, of course, I had to try it. All I can say is: Order it. Also, the shrimp and grits are heavenlyand that's coming from a Southern boy. On the healthful and tasty tip, I also enjoyed the blueberry-and-arugula salad very much.
One of the things Table Fifty-Two is known for is its three-cheese macand, even though the dish was made with Chihuahua cheese the night I was there, it was fantastic. I had heard rumors about the fried chicken (which is only served Sundays and Mondays, in part because it is brined one day and marinated in buttermilk and spices another day) but the dish more than lives up to the hype. It's probably the best chicken I've ever had. (Sorry, Mom...)
Then, there's the hummingbird cake, a sublime confection consisting of banana toffee and pineapple topped with a cream-cheese frosting with crumble. It costs $12, but could feed a family of four for three days, I think. The twelve-layer chocolate cake (with chocolate Cremeux, cocoa nib and Valrhona Pearl crisps) will have you dreaming about it the next day while you're on the treadmill.
Thanks much to Smith, Villalobos and General Manager Mark Gallagher for their hospitality and generosity in arranging the visit.