Who knew an empire smelled like freshly baked bread?
The reality is, the Smith Family food and restaurant empire is built upon decades of, not only hard work in the catering and restaurant spaces, but also through a corporate career and business mindset.
“While they love food - I really look at it as a business, not just a restaurant and that has made all the difference,” says MaryBeth Smith, who owns the Roundabout empire with her husband, Chef Colin Smith.
She even mentions pulling on her vibrant corporate career to keep the businesses going year-after-year. While she holds the title of Chief Commercial Officer at NeoLight, LLC, she also helps spearhead the many businesses under their umbrella… Franco Bread, Roundabout Catering & Party Rentals, Roundabout Cafe inside Nevada Museum of Art, Roundabout inside Reno Ice, Smith & River, and Tannenbaum Events Center—to name a few.
And how does she juggle it all? It’s natural, she says… certainly not always easy, but innate nonetheless.
“I’ve always been extremely organized and my dad had us balancing things to the penny growing up,” Smith says.
Not All Business… Really Good Food, Too
While MaryBeth’s head is in the books, her husband Colin, along with the other chefs in the kitchens they run, are all about the food.
Smith & River, one of their newest ventures, offers space for fine American cuisine, right along the Truckee River. Here you can try a crisp Boston Pear Salad, Orchiette Pasta slathered in pork belly and butternut squash, or even the infamous MaryBeth Pizza with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil, teardrop tomatoes, and Italian sausage.
“My favorite dish we make right now has to be the Cacio e Pepe—it’s simple yet incredibly flavorful,” mentions Beth McBride, finance and general manager of Roundabout Catering Group and Franco Bread and daughter of MaryBeth and Colin Smith. “Especially with our new table-side service at Smith and River. Watching it come together right in front of you adds an extra element of excitement to an already delicious dish. It's a perfect blend of taste and experience!”
It’s All In The [Extended] Family
Chef Colin and MaryBeth met later in life and not only blended their families, but also their talents to create a family of food-centric businesses in the Reno area.
And while a deep-rooted business mindset is what has allowed the family to expand over the years (Roundabout Bistro first opened in 2007 and the name and brand has certainly evolved), MaryBeth says perseverance and hiring the right people has allowed them to thrive.
“In working with family, there’s a shared commitment to success that feels deeper because we’re all personally invested in each other’s well-being,” McBride says.
Throughout the pandemic, because they had diversified their businesses so vastly, and were able to partner with Renown Health to provide front-line workers meals, they did not have to lay anyone off from their various teams.
MaryBeth says she’s grateful, because there are several members of their direct family who work for their business, but also talented people who have been with them for long enough to call them family. Take Ricky Torres, for example. He has been with the Smith’s for over 17 years, and even more impressive considering he was 18 when he started as a dishwasher and is now dawning a chef’s hat.
“You can’t have one without the other - talent and experience,” says Smith on this industry. “We have great people mixed in with family members and really we hold everyone to the same standard.”
An Eye Toward The Future
Part of running a business is knowing what’s next. While much is on the burner—simmering and developing flavor—the Smiths aren’t quite ready to reveal just what’s cooking yet. One thing we know for sure? Family and philanthropy will always be involved.
Chef Colin Smith will be the President of the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows beginning in January 2026. While giving back has always been a part of the Smith’s methodology and expansion, they have pivoted slightly from helping people previously incarcerated find work and get sure footing to the region’s children, food security, and providing Franco bread donations.
“While I hope the business continues through future generations, I'm content knowing [my boys will] choose what’s right for them,” McBride says. “With my mom having five kids, I’m hopeful that a couple of the grandkids will want to be part of this legacy and help carry it forward.”
"My favorite dish we make right now has to be the Cacio e Pepe."
“You can’t have one without the other - talent and experience."