About Adam Smith
R. Adam Smith became fascinated with the intersection between food, people and the environment while living in a small German farming village as a child. This led him to a degree in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America, and a career as Executive Chef at high profile restaurants in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Aspen, and San Francisco. Adam’s combination of cutting-edge creativity and clear-eyed business sense earned him a reputation as a “Culinary Mercenary” or “fixer.”
Adam brought this invaluable mix of pragmatism and artistry to Whole Foods Market where he became Executive Director of Store Development, opening over 50 locations in the US, Canada, and the UK.
Adam has since consulted in the restaurant and retail food space helping launch new brands, assisting with site evaluation, retail concept development, design review, construction oversight, financial modeling, and business plan development.
