Executive Chef Jason Smith and his team at Sister Ship are dedicated to bringing the beauty of Nantucket to life through food that can only be experienced here. Using island-grown and locally harvested products, Smith aims to highlight the unique people, places and ingredients that make Nantucket one of the most charming places on earth.
Dedicated to delivering creative expressions of food, Smith infuses a boldness of flavors into each dish that blend Sister Ship’s Mediterranean and European foundations with the allure of Nantucket.
Smith’s extensive experience in classic, modern and French culinary techniques is enriched with a mindset for blue-collar craftsmanship and attention to detail. A native of Detroit, Michigan, his hardworking attitude and passion for creation was largely influenced by his family and the working-class people of the Midwest.
He has always had an artistic urge to build and create things by hand. From working on cars with his dad in the garage, to developing photographs in a dark room, to using ingredients from his own garden, Smith knows how small moments can create memories that last a lifetime. He wants each plate that leaves the kitchen to be a similar snapshot of joy and happiness – a moment that allows people a chance to escape life and indulge in good food and company.
Smith is a graduate of and former adjunct professor at Johnson & Whales University in Rhode Island. His experience includes working under James Beard award-winner Chef Frank McClelland, James Beard award Nominee and Boarding House Alum John DaSilva, as well as Nantucket’s own Chefs Seth and Angela Raynor.
When he’s not in the kitchen, you might find Smith playing in the waves, smashing some tennis balls, or cooking with friends around a campfire. His advice for those visiting the island is to take a moment to escape the world and enjoy the unmatched beauty of a Madaket Beach sunset, or stare at the stars on Surfside Beach on a warm night.