Donald Smith
Executive Chef
(630) 377-9000 ext. 245
Chefdon@stcharlescc.com
Executive Chef Donald S. Smith was born and raised
in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He has been involved in
the restaurant business since the age of fifteen. He started
at the bottom as a dishwasher and then moved up to busboy.
The managers took notice in Don's attention to
detail and spotted a "promising young man" and, from there,
Don was allowed to work in the kitchen, garnishing plates, and
shortly was promoted to a line cook at the young age of fifteen.
After graduating high school, at 18, Don got his first opportunity to experience working for a "real" chef at Allgauer's in the Northbrook Hilton. Don recalls exactly what this chef told him at that time because the words stayed with him and were the basis for his goals in the following years. He said, "If you work hard, you can be head chef by the time you are 25 years old."
While working at Allgauer's, Don received his Associates Degree in Food Service Management from Harper College in Palatine and then went on to enroll in Dumas Pere, a French culinary school in Glenview, Illinois.
Upon graduating, Chef experienced the world of culinary arts in a variety of work environments. He worked at the James Tavern and then the Westmoreland Country Club as the sous chef. From there, he moved on to Fedoras, one of the top ten restaurants in Chicago by the Sun Times in 1989, where he ran the kitchen. Fedoras closed and he moved on to Sunset Ridge Country Club in Northbrook, also as the sous chef, for three years. Then, it happened - he landed the job as head chef at Bannockburn Bath & Tennis Club at only 25 years of age (just like the chef told him seven years earlier). His hard work paid off!
Don took the position as sous chef at Northmoor Country Club for two years. Then was on to Popular Creek Country Club as head chef for three years, followed by Riverside Golf Club for two years.
It was back at Bannockburn Bath & Tennis Club where Don met his wife, Betsy, when she was a college student and waitress at the time. They dated and were married, and four years later, Charlie "The Boy" (as Don calls him) arrived, and the little blond, blue-eyed baby is the joy of their life.
Don has been a member of the Club Chefs' Association of America for many years and has served on the Board of Directors of the Chicago chapter as the Treasurer and, in 2005, was the Club's President. Don was named the organization's "Chef of the Year" in 2007.
Don quotes to all the club members, "I appreciate receiving continual feedback so I am able to meet your needs and make every dining experience an enjoyable one."
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