Jeff Smith (chef)

Jeff Smith
Smith in 1990.
Born	(1939-01-22)January 22, 1939 Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Died	July 7, 2004(2004-07-07) (aged 65) Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Education	Cooking
Spouse	Patricia "Patty" Smith (1966–2004)
Culinary career
Cooking style	Gourmet
Previous restaurant(s) Chaplain's Pantry (1972–1983)
Television show(s) Cooking Fish Creatively with Jeff Smith (1973–1977) The Frugal Gourmet with Jeff Smith (1977–1997)

Jeffrey L. Smith (January 22, 1939 – July 7, 2004) was a chef, and cookbook author. He was the host of the popular cooking show The Frugal Gourmet with Jeff Smith, which aired from 1973 to 1997. The show began in 1973 as Cooking Fish Creatively with Jeff Smith, and was produced first by KTPS (now KBTC) in Tacoma, Washington from 1973 to 1983, and then by WTTW in Chicago, Illinois from 1984 to 1991, and finally, by KQED in San Francisco, California, and A La Carte Communications. In 1995, Jeff Smith hosted his final series, "The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast." This 13-part series was produced for the Faith & Values Channel and the Odyssey Network (now known as the Hallmark Channel). Smith was joined by his assistant chef Tim Peterson and sous chef Betsy Helgenson. "The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast" was a departure from Smith's previous shows. It focused more on the spiritual aspects of food and cooking, and less on specific recipes. The series featured interviews with religious leaders and experts on food and culture. Smith also shared his own personal stories about how food has enriched his life. "The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast" was a fitting end to Smith's long and successful career. It showcased his passion for food and cooking, and his deep belief in the power of food to bring people together. In 1997, Smith retired from television after PBS canceled his cooking show, "The Frugal Gourmet." Then in 2001, he got out of retirement for a bit to appear in the music video for Cake's song "Love You Madly," along with Rick James and Phyllis Diller. Smith is best known for his popular cooking series, The Frugal Gourmet. However, he was also an actor and appeared in several films and TV shows. He played a chef in the movie Grumpier Old Men in 1995.

Early life

Smith was born on January 22, 1939 in Tacoma, Washington. He went on to graduate from the University of Puget Sound (UPS) in 1962 and Drew University in New Jersey in 1965, where he was ordained as a minister in the United Methodist Church. Jeff Smith served as a chaplain at UPS from 1965 to 1972. In 1966, he married Patricia "Patty" Smith, and they had two sons, Channing and Jason. Patricia is credited with originating the nickname "Frugal Gourmet." In 1972, Jeff Smith left the university to open the Chaplain's Pantry Restaurant and Gourmet Shop, a deli and kitchen supply store in Tacoma. He and his students taught cooking classes to the public at the store. In 1981, Smith suffered a heart attack and had heart valve surgery. Smith was forced to sell the Chaplain's Pantry to pay for his wife's medical costs.

Career

Smith got his start on television in 1973. He was hired by a local PBS station in Tacoma, Washington, to host a show called Cooking Fish Creatively with Jeff Smith. "Cooking Fish Creatively" aired from 1973 to 1977. Each episode featured Smith demonstrating how to prepare and cook a different fish dish, complete with step-by-step instructions. Smith's friendly and informative approach made the show a hit with viewers, and helped to demystify the process of cooking fish for many home cooks. The first six episodes were in black-and-white, and then the station was able to secure a federal grant that allowed them to purchase color cameras. Smith used this upgrade to develop a new cooking show. In 1977, he rebranded the show as The Frugal Gourmet with Jeff Smith, As the price of fish went up, Smith began to focus more on frugal cooking in general. In 1983, Smith promoted his paperback cookbook on The Phil Donahue Show. After that, he moved the show to WTTW in Chicago, Illinois, which took The Frugal Gourmet with Jeff Smith national during the first season in 1984. As Smith pointed out, "frugal" doesn't mean cheap. It means not wasting money. And "gourmet" simply means someone who appreciates good food and good wine. There's nothing extravagant about cooking good food at home, and there are many ways to save money while cooking for yourself and your family.

In 1987, Smith was joined by his assistant and co-author Craig Wollam. Craig was a student of Smith's who went on to become the President of the American Personal Chef Association. In 1990, Smith became a spokesman for Columbia Crest winery. A year later, he formed Frugal Gourmet Productions, Inc. In 1991, Jeff Smith appeared in the music video for the celebrity version of "Monster in the Mirror" on Sesame Street. The video was a fundraiser for the Children's Television Workshop, the non-profit organization that produces Sesame Street. It was part of a campaign to encourage the production of more educational programming for children. The video featured many other celebrities, including Robin Williams, and Whoopi Goldberg. In 1992, Smith moved his show, "The Frugal Gourmet with Jeff Smith," to KQED in San Francisco, California. The show was produced by Natan Katzman's production company, A La Carte Communications, the same company that later created Julia Child's cooking shows, which were produced by Maryland Public Television. Katzman's company has also produced several other cooking shows. That iteration of the show lasted until 1997 and produced a total of 261 episodes and specials. Smith was known for his signature look, which always included his blue and white striped apron. He also wore a jade fish from China around his neck, which became his trademark. Smith's look was an extension of his personality: fun, approachable, and confident. In each episode of The Frugal Gourmet, Smith would follow a recipe as he showed viewers how to prepare a dish. He would often tell food-related stories and share interesting facts about the ingredients he used. He would also travel to different locations to learn about and sample food from various cultures. The theme music for his show was a movement from George Frideric Handel's Water Music, called the Bourree. At the end of each episode, Smith would sign off with his trademark greeting, "Until I see you again, this is the Frugal Gourmet, I bid you peace, bye-bye.".

Smith with his long-time assistant and co-author Craig Wollam at Fante's Kitchen Shop (1992)

Smith published numerous cookbooks that corresponded with his PBS cooking show, "The Frugal Gourmet.". In 1985, Smith debuted his first series on "The Frugal Gourmet." The initial series focused on entertaining guests on a budget. After the success of the first series, Smith went on to produce several more "Frugal Gourmet" shows. In 1986, he taught viewers about cooking with wine. In 1987, Smith explored American cooking and celebrated the diverse culinary traditions found in the United States. In 1989, he took viewers on a culinary journey through three ancient cuisines, such as China, Greece, and Rome. The 1990 series, "Immigrant Ancestors," paid homage to the cuisines of the many immigrants who brought their culinary traditions to America. The 1992 series, "The Whole Family Kitchen," focused on creating family-friendly meals. In 1993, Smith focused on his Italian heritage and featured one of Italy's beloved cuisines. Smith's final series "The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast," aired in 1995, and featured recipes that were perfect for special occasions. Kathy Casey, a food columnist for The Seattle Times and a longtime friend of Smith's, described him as a generous and knowledgeable man who helped many people in the food industry. Smith hosted his last television series, "The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast," which aired on the Faith & Values Channel and the Odyssey Network in 1995 and 1996. In this 13-part series, Smith was joined by his longtime assistant chef Tim Peterson and sous chef Betsy Helgenson. They explored holiday traditions and recipes from various cultures and religions. In 1995, Smith made a cameo appearance in the movie "Grumpier Old Men". This was a sequel to the 1993 film "Grumpy Old Men". In 1997, PBS canceled Jeff Smith's cooking show, The Frugal Gourmet with Jeff Smith. As a result of the cancellation, Smith decided to retire from television. In 2001, just a year before his passing, Smith made a cameo in the music video for Cake's song "Love You Madly." The video also featured appearances by Rick James and Phyllis Diller, competing in an Iron Chef style cooking competition.

Smith also had his share of detractors. Irena Chalmers, a faculty member at the Culinary Institute of America and president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, once described him as "the Frugal Gourmet, who is neither". Chicago Tribune food and wine columnist William Rice wrote, "I've tried to cook his stuff, and let's say it was hit or miss. Some things worked and others didn't." Newsweek writer Laura Shapiro criticized him as "a prime example of prominent cooks who may compromise their integrity by being paid to recommend food products and kitchen ware." She cited The Frugal Gourmet Whole Family Cookbook as "especially shocking", calling it "the cookbook as infomercial". In a 1992 Harper's Magazine article, Barbara Grizzuti Harrison ridiculed him as "a purveyor of patronizing poppycock ... conveyed with the kind of mock anger that is always a mask for real anger." Smith brushed aside such criticism: "Not many people read Harper's," he said. "That's a very small audience." He continued, "People criticize me for enjoying good food when I use the word frugal. Frugal doesn't mean cheap. It means you don't waste your money. They haven't read my books. They don't know the meaning of the word."

Sexual abuse allegations

In 1997, seven men filed a civil lawsuit against Smith, charging him with sexual abuse. Six of them alleged that they were molested as teenagers in the 1970s while working at the Chaplain's Pantry in Tacoma; the seventh claimed that he was assaulted in 1992, at age 14, after Smith picked him up as a hitchhiker. Smith denied the allegations, and no criminal charges were filed, but he and his insurers settled the cases for an undisclosed amount in 1998. The litigation ended his television career, though he continued his writing and charitable work.

Personal life and death

Jeff Smith was married to Patricia "Patty" Smith. They had two sons, Channing and Jason, as well as daughters-in-law Yuki and Lisa.

Smith died in his sleep of heart disease on July 10, 2004, at age 65.

Bibliography

• Recipes from the Frugal Gourmet (1977)
• The Frugal Gourmet (1984)
• The Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine (1986)
• The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American (1987)
• The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines: China, Greece, and Rome (1989)
• The Frugal Gourmet on Our Immigrant Ancestors: Recipes You Should Have Gotten from Your Grandmother (1990)
• The Frugal Gourmet Celebrates Christmas (1991)
• The Frugal Gourmet's Culinary Handbook: An Updated Version of an American Classic on Food and Cooking (1991)
• The Frugal Gourmet Whole Family Cookbook: Recipes and Reflections for Contemporary Living (1992)
• The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Italian: Recipes from the New and Old Worlds, Simplified for the American Kitchen (1993)
• The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast: Past, Present, and Future (1995)

Further reading

• Collins, Glenn (February 10, 1988). "'Frugal Gourmet': A Minister Makes Food His Mission". The New York Times. p. C1.

External links

• Jeff Smith bio at the Internet Movie Database
• The Frugal Gourmet at the Internet Movie Database