Renowned Restaurateur B. Smith Honored at Dan’s Taste of Two Forks
During Dan’s Taste of Two Forks presented by Farrell Building Company on Saturday, July 18, Dan’s Papers celebrated the career of B. Smith, former model, actor, author, television host, and renowned American restaurateur.
Smith has lived a vivaciously full life. She was the first black woman to be featured on the cover of Mademoiselle magazine in the 1970s, she is the author of multiple books, has been a featured interior designer, promotes Alzheimer’s Disease awareness, has acted on television and on Broadway, all while being the owner of multiple restaurants across America called B. Smith. The first opened in 1986, on Restaurant Row in Manhattan, then in Sag Harbor, Long Island. She also owned a restaurant in the historic Beaux-Arts Union Station in Washington, D.C.
Smith and husband Dan Gasby attended Dan’s Taste of Two Forks to celebrate her career and of course, sample some of the best food around. Smith was honored by Dan’s Papers CEO and Editorial Director Eric Feil, and was presented with a giant silver fork for her lifetime and achievements and her contributions to the East End dining industry.
“The idea behind Taste of Two Forks has always been to celebrate the best of what the East End has to offer,” Feil told the crowd. “From the North Fork to the South Fork, great restaurants, great chefs, great wine, great seafood, great produce. Everything that is the best is here being celebrated tonight. Each year we have honored someone who is among the best of the best in the culinary community. This year is someone who is personally very special to me. My very first business lunch was at her restaurant 20 something years ago in Manhattan. She is here tonight: The one and only B. Smith.”
When accepting the giant fork, Smith and her husband beamed. “We are so happy to be out here with you today, thank you, all of you, for being here,” Smith said.
Gasby added, “I know that my wife and I have always believed in one thing about the East End of Long Island. You can go anywhere around the world but you will never get a better experience in life, art, agriculture and most importantly, great food.”
Smith and Gasby are working on a book, due out January 19, 2016, titled Before I Forget: Love, Hope, Help, and Acceptance in Our Fight Against Alzheimer’s. Smith suffers from Alzheimer’s and has been outspoken, combating the stigma surrounding the degenerative disease.
Dan’s Taste of Summer continues Saturday, August 22, 2015, with Dan’s Harvest East End, the wine and food classic, at McCall Vineyard & Ranch in Cutchogue hosted by Geoffrey Zakarian, co-host of Food Network’s The Kitchen and judge on Chopped. For tickets, visit DansTaste.com.