Thu, March 28, 2024

Local chef’s business takes flight at Augusta airport location

Lance Smith has owned a food service business for nearly three years, but on Monday, his new brick-and-mortar location took off at the Augusta Regional Airport.

Smith owns Bearded Chef, which operates a local food truck that specializes in smash burgers and provides both catering and private chef services. He officially launched the business in January 2020. Smith’s airport restaurant, located in the baggage claim area, specializes in soul food, such as fried chicken, fried cornbread, and macaroni and cheese.

“We rotate specialty items,” he said. “We bring in a different item to add to the menu every day.”

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He was invited to move into the airport after Bearded Chef and several other food truck businesses sold meals there during the Masters Tournament, and the staff loved his food. Smith said running a restaurant is much different from selling food from a truck.

“In a food truck, you’re in a confined space,” he said. “In a brick-and-mortar, you have more space to work with.”

Smith began his career as a food service specialist in the U.S. Army. In 2013, he was stationed at Fort Gordon, where he and several other soldiers formed the base’s first culinary team, which competed in a U.S. military culinary competition in Fort Lee, Va. He loved cooking and teaching junior soldiers how to improve their culinary skills.

When Smith retired, he decided to continue working in the food industry. Smith said one of the things he’s most excited about is providing meals for servicemembers flying in and out of Augusta.

Smith said his wife, Victoria, who helps him run the business, also developed its name. He has a beard and thought Bearded Chef had a nice ring to it. Smith said he wishes the story behind the name was more exciting, but it isn’t. The couple’s three children, Xavier, Kadarion, and Atlantis, also work with them.

The food truck travels to various neighborhoods in South Carolina, Augusta, and Columbia County, as well as local businesses, such as Amazon and Kimberly-Clark.

“Some companies call us when they have employee appreciation days,” he said.

Smith creates custom menus for the catering side of the business and hosts intimate dinners for birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. He launched Bearded Chef just two months before the pandemic began. Food truck sales decreased, but demand for his catering and personal chef services increased.

“People didn’t want to go out and eat,” Smith said.

He said he and his family feel blessed to have the chance to open a restaurant at the airport. Smith said he plans to promote the eatery to businesses located in that area.

“We’re excited about having a new opportunity and meeting new people,” Smith said.

Bearded Chef’s new location is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit its Facebook page.

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