South Carolina Chef Marries Classical Opera and Classic Southern Cooking

Native of South Carolina, living in Harlem, New York City, built like a college fullback, voice of a baritone, hands of a master chef, sophisticated style and entertaining manner, Alexander Smalls is an opera singer, turned professional chef, creator of Southern Revival Cooking, restaurateur, author, guest speaker, event coordinator and lifestyle diva.

He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1994 and his operatic debut in the Tony Award-winning Porgy and Bess, which can be heard on the Grammy Award-winning RCA recording.

After touring with Porgy and Bess and subsequently studying opera and culinary arts in Italy and France, Smalls returned to New York and began Small Miracle, a catering and event-planning business. This success led to his highly celebrated Café Beulah bistro in Manhattan, frequented by politicians and celebrities. Zagat Restaurant Survey called Café Beulah "A winning down home, good food, great idea place." Two years later he opened Sweet Ophelia's, a casual venue with live entertainment in SOHO. There he served up signature dishes in a clubby downtown environment that jumped well into the wee hours. In 2000 Smalls opened The Shoebox Café, an upscale Southern bistro that paid homage to the famed "Shoebox Lunch," in Grand Central Terminal, but the devastation of 9/11 resulted in its unfortunate closing.

Smalls celebrated the success of his musical and culinary career with the publication of his memoir-cookbook Grace the Table with a foreword by Wynton Marsalis. He has also been a contributing author, featured writer on a number of other works. He is now at work on his next book Southern Revival Cooking, which will demonstrate the essence of his style of low country-influenced cuisine and its influence on lifestyle. Smalls also serves up his unique brand of Southern cooking and lifestyle design through his catering and event management concern, Smalls & Company. For some 20 years, he has put his opinions into practice for a loyal following of high-profile celebrities, major corporations and charities.

Nature's most perfect meal for Smalls consists of his homemade grilled hot dogs topped his low-country style chili and a bottle of Tattinger followed by Smalls' chocolate truffles dusted with cayenne. And an Aria playing in the background.