Views & Visions

In our first-ever Views & Visions video feature, James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur Paul Smith shares how family, food, and a leap of faith shaped his path from chef to entrepreneur—and why building something lasting starts with betting on yourself.

Chef Paul Smith is a James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur based in Charleston, West Virginia. A graduate of West Virginia State University and the Culinary Institute of America, he owns multiple Charleston restaurants, including 1010 Bridge, Paulie’s Fine Italian, and Bad Happy Burritos, where his work highlights Appalachian flavors, West Virginia hospitality, and the power of food to bring people together.