Growing up in Kansas City in a house with two James Beard Award winning chefs, her mother, Debbie Gold and her father, Michael Smith, Misha Smith and her sister, Sophie, were raised surrounded by good food --- both at their parent’s restaurants and around the table at home.
“When I was young, I didn’t know that my parents were like known in Kansas City, until I would tell my friend’s parents who my parents were, there was always a big reaction,” remembers Misha.
Growing up she looked forward to Sunday suppers, a time she knew she would get to see her Dad. Whether they cooked together at home, or went out to eat, food was definitely their love language.
“I learned early on that it was best to let Dad just order food for our table, because he always just knew what to get,” she explains. “No matter what dish I ordered, I always liked whatever my Dad was eating better than my own dish.”
While attending college, Misha found herself unsure of her future, so she dropped out. After her parent’s divorce, her Mom had moved to Chicago to start a successful new chapter in her culinary career, and that is where Misha found herself when she asked her Mom if she needed help at her restaurant. Misha had grown up in the business, so it felt natural to return to it while deciding what to do next. She enjoyed the fast pace, high energy, work with her hands. It made her feel useful and productive in a way college had not.
When the pandemic hit, it was her Dad, and his wife and business partner, Nancy Smith, who invited Misha to come back to Kansas City to work with them at their growing restaurant group. The couple have developed what has now become an entire block of restaurants in the heart of downtown Kansas City. They started with his namesake restaurant, Michael Smith Restaurant, followed by their Mediterranean tapas spot, Extra Virgin, and finally opened Farina, their rustic Italian concept. The space that was formerly Michael Smith Restaurant has recently been remodeled as an extended dining room for Extra Virgin, along with EV Grab n’ Go, a local market that is soon to be open to the public.
Proving that she was a quick learner with leadership skills, Michael soon promoted Misha to the sous chef for Extra Virgin. Yet, no matter who you are in his restaurant group, everything still has to be run by Chef Michael. Daughter or no, if you needed feedback, he was going to give it to you.
“When Misha mentioned that she wanted to cook, I had concerns. Although, I personally struggle with this, I told Misha, it is okay to ask for help,” says Michael. “We are a team here.”
Misha says she has learned a lot working with her Dad.
“The biggest lessons my Dad taught me in this industry is to stay humble, never ask someone to do something you aren’t willing to do yourself, and the importance of treating people like you want to be treated,” explains Misha.
Today, Misha, who is 27 years old, is working as the sous chef at Farina with Michael, who is 63. The two enjoy working together, even if they share their love for cooking in slightly different ways. Michael likes to pass along cookbooks he found influential in his career, while she shows him dishes from inspiring chefs she follows on Instagram.
“If I could be cooking anywhere right now it would be with Chef Josh Niland, who lives in Australia, and has an amazing whole fish butchery book that I really love,” says Misha. “I have been working with my Dad for four years now, and I am committed to being here for at least another two, and then I think I’d like to move somewhere else and cook for a while.”
When you ask the father and daughter chef team about the future, Michael quickly mentions he plans to retire in 8 years and wants to leave the restaurant group to Misha if she wants it.
“I hope by then to have seen enough of the world that I would be ready to come home and take over the reins from my Dad,” says Misha with a smile.
"I learned early on that it was best to let Dad just order food for our table, because he always just knew what to get,” she explains.
“The biggest lessons my Dad taught me in this industry is to stay humble, never ask someone to do something you aren’t willing to do yourself, and the importance of treating people like you want to be treated,” explains Misha.