Bill Smith was born in New Bern, North Carolina, in 1949. He grew up with a great appreciation for the simple yet elegant eastern North Carolina menus that his great-grandmother cooked. The culinary traditions of his family heavily influenced Bill’s cooking as chef at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, where he has received national acclaim for his take on traditional Southern cuisine.

In 2010, The James Beard Foundation nominated Crook’s Corner a Best Restaurant in the United States. Upon retirement from Crook’s in 2020, Bill has been in high demand – curating Culinary fare for large events nationwide and abroad. While not in the kitchen, Bill has been working in print as the author of several books and as a contributing editor for publications such as “Our State,” “Southern Living,” & “Garden & Gun.”

We are thrilled he has carved out time to return to New Bern and create this event for NBPF. Come out and enjoy supper with us! You will be supporting our Preservation Projects while enjoying Bill’s talent as a culinary artist.