Chef Art Smith loves the idea of bringing people together through food. It’s partly what made him the success he is today. He is the executive chef and co-owner of various well-known restaurants: Table fifty-two, Art and Soul, Southern Art and Bourbon Bar, and LYFE Kitchen. Art Smith has cooked for many celebrities and heads of state, including the 44th and current President of the United States Barack Obama, the King of Sweden and an American media proprietor, talk show host and producer Oprah Winfrey amongst many others.

Smith is the author of four award-winning cookbooks. He is also the founder of Common Threads, a non-profit organization teaching low-income children to cook wholesome and affordable meals since 2003. He believes that through hands-on cooking and introducing children to fresh foods we can help prevent childhood obesity, reverse the trend of poor eating habits, and learn about diversity and tolerance through the celebration of our cultural differences and our commonalities.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx