John Shields Bridges the Gap Between Creativity, Technique, and Deliciousness

The first course at Chicago’s two Michelin-starred Smyth is a smoked mussel sliced razor-thin and fanned out like butterfly wings resting on a bed of sea greens and ice. Long tweezers replace guests’ forks so they can more easily pick up each delicate slice. “Being fluid and natural has always made our food flow; it’s sort of where creativity meets technique for us. I don’t try to...