Hell’s Kitchen Chef Sakari Smithwick is honoring his father’s legacy through food that nourish’s the soul

The 21st season of Hell’s Kitchen is coming to a close this week. Throughout the season, we got to see young chefs compete against older, more seasoned chefs to be Chef Gordon Ramsay’s next apprentice. One of those competitors, who I personally feel got robbed of an opportunity, was Sakari Smithwick.

Smithwick is a young chef from New York, New York. He started from some very humble beginnings, first working as a McDonalds Grill Cook. Now, he’s got over a decade’s worth of experience working at some of the world’s best restaurants including Restaurant Tribeca in The Netherlands! He also received his very first Michelin star at the age of 24.

Sakari Smithwick is also the founder of Noble Promise Studios, where his main goal is to help others tell their life stories and share their great food and experiences with everyone!

What is Chef Sakari Smithwick up to post-Hell’s Kitchen?

Let’s start out with a super brief story on his product called Cyber Green Juice!

So as a little bit of a backstory here, Sakari’s father unfortunately passed away recently, and he was super conscious about his health. Cyber Green Juice was initially created as a way for his father to be able to enjoy it as well, all while tasting super delicious, of course. Cyber Green Juice was created to bring and keep people together, all while maintaining a diverse and inclusive community all over the place.

Next up, let’s discuss Sakari’s Black History Month Series to raise funds for opening his restaurant!

Over on his Instagram, he’s been sharing some great dishes and highlighting different historic Black figures as a way to raise awareness for Black History Month! What better way to raise some funds to help him open up his restaurant. He will also be selling this series as NFT’s as well. Each dish that is talked about has been inspired by an African American Chef or Family Recipe!

Now for the most important part here, let’s talk about how Smithwick plans on honoring his late father’s legacy through his most prized possession of a product called: Karis Banana Pudding!

First of all, I’m freaking obsessed with Banana Pudding, so when Sakari first approached me on Instagram wanting me to help him highlight this gorgeous product, I couldn’t have been more excited; I practically reached right through the phone screen to taste some!

He initially created this product as a way to dedicate some delicious soul food to his loving and health-conscious father; it was also one of his father’s most favorite desserts!

The best part about this? It actually caters to people with all different sorts of dietary preferences. It is 100% Vegan, gluten-free, nut free, and uses monk fruit as it’s main sweetener. Um, yes please!

Through a DM interview, I was able to talk pretty extensively with Sakari myself, and here’s his main message about Karis Banana Pudding:

"“I created the Banana Pudding as my story telling vehicle. Something as an intro into who I am as a chef. I made a guilt free dessert that uses natural ingredients and that’s totally plant based and and nut free.”"

Here’s what Smithwick also had to say about the near future of him and Karis Banana Pudding:

"“We have been doing pop ups all over and will start selling in New York very soon. We’ve had multiple celebrities and community fans taste and support and will continue the movement.”"

The most important think that Sakari Smithwick wants everyone to know is that this Cyber Green Juice and Karis Banana Pudding isn’t just a dessert, a snack, or a juice. It’s rather more of a statement. Sakari just wants people to know how easy (and delicious, might I add) it is to change the world together and “leave a real impact with food”.

My most favorite thing that he said throughout the whole entire chat was the following statement: “Food that’s not just delicious, but nourishing for your soul.” In my opinion, how could you not wanna enjoy something like that!? How could you not wanna get behind a movement like that?!

When I asked him just how much this whole Karis Banana Pudding adventure meant to him, here’s what he had to say about it all:

"“So we turned my father into a cartoon as the mascot of my company Noble Promise Studios. And we have launched our second product “Karis Banana Pudding”. A delicious guilt free dessert that’s made for everyone by bring plant based, gluten free, and nut free! This Banana Pudding means so much to me because not only is it a way for my father’s legacy to live on, but it’s a way to share my art with as many people as possible. I call it my Story Telling Vehicle.”"

While I personally haven’t been able to try this product out for myself, and I truly do hope to one day, I know that some people have. He sent me some people’s reactions to first trying it out, which you can check out over on his Instagram!

Check out his FAQ page right here to learn more about him as a chef and his future plans!

From your TV appearances, to making it so far on Hell’s Kitchen, to creating not one but two delicious and healthy feeding-the-soul foods, to literally everything else that you’ve accomplished, you have a whole heck of a lot to be proud of, so keep up the amazing work!

All I can say is this: Sakari, your father is so proud of all that you are doing.

Have you had a chance to try either of Sakari’s Cyber Green Juice or Karis Banana Pudding? If you have, first of all, I’m super jealous of you! Second of all, how amazing were they? Also, stay tuned for more delicious food ventures to come from Sakari and his creative mind!