Behind the Line: Dan Smith
Topic: Background
The Skinny: What Makes You You?
Q: Share your origin story. Where were you born?
I was born in Long Island City in Queens. My family moved to Long Island when I was a year old.
Q: Did you move around a lot growing up, or did you generally stay in one place?
I grew up in the same house on Long Island from the age of 5 until I moved to NVC when I was 19.
Q: When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a priest for a few years but then I found out that they weren't allowed to have pets.
Q: Reach way back. What was your very first job?
Right after high school graduation I got a job in a factory packing cosmetics for shipping. Thank God they fired me after a week and a half!
Q: Did you know you were going into the hospitality industry when you were in high school?
I had NO idea.
Q: When in school, what besides cooking were your academic interests?
Cooking wasn't an interest at all when I was in school. I have a BFA in theatre so I was into acting (obviously) and European history.
Q: If you had another career before this, what made you change?
I was an actor/singer/model. I decided early on that if I hadn't gotten to a satisfactory level by the time I was 30 that I would switch careers and that's what I did.
Q: What was your high school superlative (best dressed/most likely to succeed/etc.)?
It was embarrassing and surprising at the same time: best actor, best singer, best looking, most likely to succeed.
Q: Say you were not a chef. What would you be, and why?
I've been in the food biz for over 20 years now. I can't imagine doing anything else at this point.