COOKING WITHFIRE C A N T I N A 18's C H E F J A S O N S M I T H G I V E S 18 S E A B O A R D A R E S O U N D I N G S E C O N D A C T
W
hen Jason Smith was a kid, there were subtle forces at work within his family, nudging him toward his purpose and place in adult life. He remembers meals at random restaurants when he shuttled back and forth between his mother’s home in Raleigh and his father’s home in Wilmington. He recalls the delights that came from his grandmothers’ kitchens. Those memories helped lay the foundation for Smith’s professional life.
The local restaurateur apprenticed with top chefs in the fine dining world before opening his own restaurants. He worked at Raleigh’s 42nd Street Oyster Bar and Durham’s Magnolia Grill before venturing to Peninsula Grill in Charleston, South Carolina, and Gramercy Tavern in New York City. He made his way back to the Triangle in 2006 and opened his first restaurant, 18 Seaboard. Four years later, he opened Cantina 18 in Cameron Village (recently rebranded as the Village District), where he grew up riding his bike and eating lunch at Burger King with his grandmother. In 2014, Harvest 18 was up and running in Durham. And while 18 Seaboard closed in July 2019 due to developers buying Smith out of his contract, its menu is enjoying a second act at Smith’s other two restaurants. When he’s not working, Smith cooks for his wife Lauren, daughter Sutton (13), and son Lawson (8). But they all share his love for dining out, especially on their frequent trips to North Carolina’s beaches. Smith’s story is one of hard work and the usual ups and downs of the restaurant business. He shared with us how that kind of experience has allowed him to push through the pandemic and still see brighter days ahead.
Background image by Enjoynz/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images
BY KURT DUSTERBERG. PHOTOS BY BRUCE DEBOER.
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